Читать книгу The Last Chance: A Tale of the Golden West онлайн

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On the morrow Waters proceeded to explain his plan of action.

They had, first of all, to travel for a week in a nor’-westerly direction, at the end of which they would reach a mining camp or township.

The track after that was fairly well marked; but the feed was bad, or none at all—water scarce and precarious. There were all sorts of disadvantages. ‘It was the worst country in Australia,’ Jack said, averring that he had seen everything bad in his time. It would take them more than a month, even if they had luck. They would have to carry everything with them; even forage for the horses. But at the end, however long and wearisome, there was a claim—a reef, the like of which he, John Waters, had never seen before. ssss1 ‘Then the sooner we’re off the better,’ said Mr.Banneret. ‘We can get everything ready to-morrow, and make a short journey at any rate. The great thing is the start. It’s mostly plain sailing afterwards.’

So the next day everything was done, fitted, and made ready for a three months’ journey, as indeed it needed to be. Waiting and working at the claim would not be very dissimilar from the wayfaring—except that they would be stationary. As for the hard work, with fare to match, Mr.Banneret had had similar experiences in his youth, and believed that he could do what any other man could do, of whatever age, class, or condition.