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

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The only incident of note which bordered upon risk occurred during an enforced stoppage at a stage a few miles distant from Perth. Here a large detachment of navvies had just been set down, ssss1 and apparently they had managed to possess themselves of more beer than was good for them. They were consequently in a state of humorous, if not aggressive excitement. This displayed itself in curious inquiry as to the contents of the portmanteau over which such jealous guard was kept. Both men were dressed in ordinary miner’s costume, and therefore lacked the prestige which in Australia ensures respect for all men presumably of the rank of ‘gentleman.’ However, a miner who had been at Barrawong just before the ‘breaking out’ of the West Australian goldfields, happened to arrive in a waggonette. He and his mate were ‘going east,’ in order to float a company for the working of a mine, which they had discovered, and declared to be of great promise. The man from Barrawong was affected almost to tears by the sight of the Commissioner, that dread and august potentate, in working man’s garb. He looked as if he wished to fall down and worship him. But, introducing his mate, he said, with a choking voice: