_QUEENSLAND._
At Warrangarra Station we left the train and stepped through the rail
fence which divides New South Wales from Queensland. A walk of about
two hundred yards brought us to the Queensland train, where we found a
comfortable carriage prepared for our reception. The Chinese
Commissioners were in another carriage, and we proceeded as far as
Stanthorpe, where they were met by a great many of their
fellow-countrymen and carried off to see the extensive tin mines close
to the township, where 600 Chinamen are employed. From Stanthorpe we
went on climbing up till we reached Thulunbah, upwards of 3,000 feet
above the level of the sea. Thence we went on to Warwick, which was
reached about 12.40. Here a dear little boy appeared at the station
and handed me a large and beautiful bunch of violets. It is very
pleasant to receive flowers from people whom I have never before seen,
and who only know my books.
After leaving Warwick we entered on the tract of country known as the
Darling Downs, and a splendid stretch of land it is, covered with
magnificent stock, both sheep and cattle looking well even now after
the long summer drought. How much better they will look in a few
weeks' time when the new grass has had time to grow can scarcely be
imagined. The first station we passed through was one of the largest
private stations on the downs; the next was called the Clifton
Station, and belongs to a company. Edenvale Station could be seen in
the distance; and on the opposite side stretched a large station
belonging to Mr. Tyssen, whose landed estates are valued at five
millions. This extensive table-land looks something like the prairies
of South America, only with more trees and fewer undulations. The
occasional fires we met with on our way heightened the resemblance. On
reaching Tawoomba, one of the largest and pleasantest towns in this
neighbourhood, a lady came to the carriage door and gave me another
bunch of violets. The violets of Australia have more perfume than any
we grow in England; certainly they are more fragrant than those one
gets on the Riviera.
From Tawoomba the railway rapidly descends, dropping as much as 1,300
feet in ten miles. The scenery somewhat resembles that of the Blue
Mountains, and is even more beautiful. The exquisite effects produced
by the waning daylight lent a peculiar charm to this landscape. The
forest close to us looked dark and sombre, whilst the valley further
off was bathed in sunlight, and in the dim distance the mountains over
which we had passed early in the day faded into a delicious pale blue
chiaroscuro. The banks beneath or above us were cleft by little
gullies, with struggling rivulets, edged by delicate ferns and strange
plants. The railway stations even seemed prettier and more homelike
than any we have yet seen in Australia. They were surrounded by
gardens, and quite overgrown with creepers. The line must have been
expensive to make, and evidently required great engineering ability.
A more direct line could perhaps have been constructed which would
have saved heavy gradients and much rock-cutting.
[Illustration: Fern Forest]
At Helidon Mr. Laidby joined the train. He had been late for the train
at Tawoomba and had ridden down to Helidon, the train taking one hour
and a quarter to do the twelve miles. I was sorry to hear that he and
his mother had been summoned from Brisbane to see a brother who was
some 400 miles off in the bush suffering terribly from rheumatic
fever. The sick man had been carried to a civilised place by some
bushmen, who were nursing him day and night. I am happy to say he is
now in a fair way to recovery. Mrs. Laidby is already a great
supporter of the St. John Ambulance Association, and declares herself
more than ever convinced of its utility.
I caught a severe cold on my arrival at Brisbane, and have been in bed
for three days. I have therefore nothing to chronicle, and shall
accordingly make use of Tom's diary for that time:--
'_July 20th._--Returned on board the "Sunbeam," and cast off from the
buoy, making sail for Brisbane with a fresh breeze from the
north-west.
'_July 21st-22nd._--We continued under sail with variable winds and
generally fine weather. The chief features of the fine stretch of
coast between Newcastle and Brisbane are the Boughton Islands, Cape
Hawke, a densely wooded promontory rising to the height of 800 feet,
and the Solitary Islands, a detached group scattered over a space of
22 miles in a north and south direction, at a distance of four to six
miles from the shore. A light is exhibited from the south Solitary,
and a signal establishment is kept up. We communicated with this
isolated port. An islet adjacent to the south Solitary Island is
remarkable for a large natural arch, which the ceaseless breaking of
the sea has opened through the rock.
'Passing north from the Solitaries we again closed with the coast at
Cape Byron. The scenery is magnificent. The coast range attains to a
great elevation. Mount Warning, the loftiest peak, rises to a height
of 3,840 feet, and is visible fully sixty miles. It was our guiding
mark in the navigation of the coast for a space of twenty-four hours.
At Danger Point the boundary line between Queensland and New South
Wales descends to the coast from the high summits of the Macpherson
Range.
'_July 23rd._--At noon we were off the entrance to the narrow channel
which divides Stradbroke Island from Moreton Island, tearing along at
twelve knots an hour, under lower canvas only, with a strong wind off
the land and smooth water. It was a splendid bit of yachting. We
passed a steamer which had come out with the Mayor and a large party
from Brisbane to meet us. They welcomed us to Queensland with hearty
cheers, to which we cordially responded. We stood in close under the
land and followed the high coast of Moreton Island. Its northern
extremity is a fresh, verdure-clad, and well-wooded point of land, on
which stands a lighthouse. On this sunny, breezy day the scenery of
this fine coast was quite beautiful.
'Off the north end of Moreton Island we took a pilot, and proceeding
under steam arrived at 10 P.M. off Government House, Brisbane, a
distance of 50 miles from Cape Moreton. The navigation from the bar of
the river to Brisbane, a distance of 25 miles, is extremely intricate.
Everything has been done which it is possible to do, by leading lights
at frequent intervals, to assist the pilots; but we passed a steamer
of the British India Company--which had entered the river an hour
ahead of the 'Sunbeam'--aground on a bank, from which she was not
floated until after a delay of two days.'
_Monday, July 25th._--In the afternoon drove to 'One-tree Hill,' a
richly-wooded height, commanding a splendid view of Brisbane, and of
the far-extending range of mountains running parallel with the coast.
On our return to Government House the horses bolted, the carriage was
smashed to pieces, one of the horses was fearfully injured, and we had
a narrow escape from a fatal accident.
_Tuesday, July 26th._--After a busy morning, went on board the
Queensland Government gunboat. The Governor, Mr. and Mrs. de Burgh
Persse, and one or two others, came to lunch on board the 'Sunbeam,'
and I had an 'At home' afterwards.
_Wednesday, July 27th._--We all rose early and started by the 9.30
train, with the Governor, Sir Samuel Griffith, the Mayor, and a large
party, for the first Agricultural Show ever held at Marburg. The train
ran through a pretty country for about an hour, to Ipswich, an
important town, near which there is a breeding establishment for
first-class horses. On reaching the station we were received by a
number of school children, who sang 'God save the Queen' and then
presented Mabelle and me each with a lovely bouquet. After some little
discussion over arrangements we were packed into various carriages and
started off, the Governor's carriage of course leading the way. The
horses of our carriage appeared somewhat erratic from the first, and
soon we were nearly brought to a standstill against the trunk of a
large tree. Fortunately the eucalyptus has so soft a bark that it tore
off, and we did not break anything. We shaved the next big tree in our
road by a hair's-breadth, and then discovered that the reins were
coupled in an extraordinary manner. Having rectified this mistake, we
proceeded on our way rejoicing; but again we were on the point of
colliding with a monarch of the forest, when one of our own sailors
who was on the box of the carriage seized the reins and pulled the
horses round. Tom remarked that it was rather stupid driving. The man
who was driving (a German) said, 'Not at all, sir: the horses have
never been in harness before.' When the other carriages came up we
changed into a less pretentious vehicle, drawn by quieter horses.
'Marburg is an interesting German settlement, formed in the last
twenty years. The settlers have, by the most laborious efforts, cut
down the dense scrub with which this part of the country was covered.
Their frugality, their patience under many privations, and their
industry have been rewarded. They grow maize, sugar, tobacco, and
vegetables, but their cattle seem to be the most thriving and
successful part of their business. In some seasons want of water, and
in every season the heavy rainfall at the period when the grain is
coming to maturity, are serious drawbacks to agriculture in this
district. On the whole, it may be said that Queensland is far more
adapted to be a pastoral than an agricultural country.'
Every house in the neat little settlement was decorated, and many
triumphal arches had been erected. An incident of a somewhat comic
nature occurred at the Show. An address was being presented to the
Governor by a man on horseback, who dropped his reins to give more
emphasis to his delivery, and his horse, finding itself free, began to
nibble the reins of the horses attached to the Governor's carriage. A
general scrimmage seemed imminent, of which the man on horseback took
not the least notice. He went on reading the address with the most
imperturbable countenance, until two Volunteers rushed to the horses'
heads and separated them. The Show was duly opened by the Governor,
and we waited to see some of the animals tried. Luncheon was served in
a sort of half-house, half-tent, and some very good though short
speeches were made. We drove back by another road to Rosewood in order
to enable us to see more of the scenery of this fine country.
But our adventures were not over for the day. In going down a steep
hill our driver did not allow quite enough room, and caught the back
of one of the long low German waggons which are used in this district.
The hind wheels came off, and a woman and child who were seated in the
waggon were thrown into the road shrieking and screaming. Fortunately
they proved to be more frightened than hurt, and the waggon having
been repaired and the child and its mother comforted with pictures
and sugar-plums which I happened to have with me, they went on their
way, and we reached the station a few minutes late, but picked up our
time before getting back to Brisbane. After a hasty dinner I had to be
off to an Ambulance meeting kindly convened by the Mayor. Considering
the short notice given, the meeting was a wonderful success. Tom, Lady
Musgrave, and Mabelle went on to the Liedertafel Concert afterwards,
and the rest of the party to the Jubilee Singers' entertainment, both
of which were excellent.
[Illustration: German Waggon]
_Thursday, July 28th._--Was called early, and passed a very busy
morning. At ten o'clock I went for a drive in Mr. Stevenson's drag to
his house at Fernberg, from which there is a good view over Brisbane
and its surroundings. Muenie came with me, and the rest of the party
rode in the same direction, but went further than we did. At twelve we
received an address, very prettily decorated with seaweed, from the
Sailing Club of Brisbane. We were to have embarked in the 'Sunbeam' at
half-past twelve, but unfortunately two tubes of the boiler had burst,
and we had to wait for some time while they were being repaired. When
we started the people assembled on the high banks cheered us all the
way down. But we were a good deal delayed by the faulty tubes, and did
not leave the mouth of the river till dusk. The scenery of the bank on
each side is pleasing, and we all enjoyed the sail down.
_Friday, July 29th._--We sailed merrily all night and all to-day, with
a fair fresh breeze; but there was a considerable roll, and having
been on shore so long, we more or less felt the motion. During the
night the question of stopping at Maryborough was definitely settled,
and we sailed _out_side Sandy or Fraser Island instead of _in_side it.
This prevented us from accepting the kind and hospitable invitation of
the Mayor and inhabitants of the township. At noon we had run 204
knots, and were able to shape our course more towards land, the water
becoming smoother with every knot we made. We saw Elliott Island,
where if it had been calm it would have been very nice to stop. It
swarms with turtle and sea-birds of every kind, which are reported to
be perfectly tame, as the island is seldom visited. Cape Bustard was
made later on, and we had a quieter evening; but about 10 P.M. the
yacht began to roll again heavily, the wind having shifted a little,
obliging us to alter our course.
[Illustration: Turpentine-Tree]
_Saturday, July 30th._--At 5 A.M. we dropped anchor in Keppel Bay, but
had to wait for the tide to rise. We landed in the course of the
morning in the 'Gleam,' the 'Flash,' and the 'Mote,' and made quite a
large party, with dogs, monkey, and photographic apparatus. We found a
convenient little landing-place, and looked over the telegraph station
and post-office, which are mainly managed by the wife of the
signalman, Aird, an honest Scotchman, who knew me from my books, and
was very anxious to give us a real hearty welcome to his comfortable
little house. The first thing he offered us each was a tumbler of
delicious new frothy milk, the greatest possible treat. After sending
off a telegram or two, and posting some letters, I was carried up to
the lighthouse where the custom-house officer lives, and from which
there is a fine view over land and sea. When the tide rose we returned
on board, and about half-past two all the inhabitants of the station
came on board to see the yacht of which they had read and heard so
much, and which they were glad to see, as they said, 'with their own
eyes.' At half-past three our visitors returned ashore, and we had to
start up the river. A little higher up, the harbour-master of
Rockhampton met us, bringing many telegrams from various people in
that town as well as in Brisbane, all sent with the object of making
our visit pleasant.
[Illustration: _Crinum asiaticum_]
We arrived at Rockhampton at 9.30 P.M. The cold I caught at the last
Ambulance meeting has been gradually increasing, and became so bad
to-day that I was obliged to go to bed early and take strong measures
to try and stop it; so that when the Mayor of Rockhampton came on
board to welcome us I was not visible, nor did I see the Naval
Volunteers who were waiting on the bank to receive Tom. It is very
pleasant to find how warmly he is welcomed everywhere as the
originator and founder of the Naval Volunteer movement.
_Sunday, July 31st._--I stayed on board all day, so cannot describe
Rockhampton from my own knowledge of it. The others all went to
church; Mr. Ballard, Dr. and Mrs. Macdonald, and Mr. Thompson, the
owner of the opal-mines at Springsure, came to lunch, the latter
bringing some curious specimens from his quarries. We had service at
six o'clock, after which I was glad to go to rest.
_Monday, August 1st._--A busy morning, as usual, before starting. We
left at 10 A.M. in three waggonettes (or four-wheel buggies, as they
are called here) for Mount Morgan, each vehicle being drawn by four
horses. Our party occupied two of the waggonettes, and the sailors and
luggage filled the third. After passing through the clean and tidy
town of Rockhampton, the streets of which, though wide, cannot be
called picturesque, we entered on a long stretch of road. I never saw
anything so gorgeous as the _Thunbergia venusta_ and _Bougainvillea_,
now in full bloom, which hid most of the verandahs with a perfect
curtain of rich orange and glorious purple. The hospital is a fine
building on the top of the hill; the grammar-school and several other
good-sized public buildings give the whole place a well-to-do air. We
crossed a bridge spanning an arm of a lagoon covered with a curious
little red weed, out of which rose a splendid lotus lily, known as the
Rockhampton Lily. The blossoms are blue, red, and white, and rear
their graceful heads above the water in a conspicuous manner, growing
sometimes as large as a breakfast-saucer. It was a beautiful morning,
and had I not felt unwell with bronchitis, from which I have so long
been suffering, I should have enjoyed the drive immensely. About seven
miles out we came to a large poultry farm, but I am afraid the venture
had not proved successful, for the farm looked neglected. Quite a
little crowd had assembled in the verandahs of the inn and adjoining
store, and the people had hoisted a Union Jack in our honour.
About halfway up the hill we were glad to pull up at a creek to water
the horses and sit in the shade. This was just before reaching the
'Crocodile' inn, where several coaches were waiting to change horses.
Soon afterwards we passed several mines, or rather reefs, with queer
names, such as the 'Hit or Miss,' the 'Chandler,' and the 'Hopeless,'
arriving in due time at the Razor-Back Hill. It is indeed well named;
for, steep as we had found the little pitches hitherto, this ascent
was much more abrupt, and might well be likened to the side of a
house. Everybody was turned out of the carriages except me, and even
with the lightest buggies and four good strong horses, it seemed as if
the leaders _must_ tumble back into the carriage, so perpendicular was
the ascent in some places. On one side of the road a deep precipice
fell away, and when we passed a cart or met a heavily laden dray
coming down from the mines we seemed to go dangerously near the side.
Altogether, the drive would not have been a pleasant one for nervous
people. Bad and steep as the present road is, however, it cuts off a
great piece of the hill, and is quite a Queen's Highway compared to
the old road. Having at last reached the summit of the hill and
breathed our panting horses, we went on through a park-like country,
more or less enclosed, which led to the Mount Morgan territory.
Here the most conspicuous building is the hotel, erected by the
company for the convenience of the many visitors to the works.
Although not yet finished, it is quite a pretty house, and will
accommodate a large number of guests. It stands close to a dam across
the mountain stream which flows through the valley, and has for a
foreground a refreshing lake and bathing-place, formed by the
arrested waters. We did not stop here, but crossed the creek and went
up to the company's office, where we were warmly welcomed by the
practical manager of the mines, Mr. Wesley Hall. The sun was now
intensely hot, and it was quite a relief to retire into the shade. I
felt very tired; but as they had kindly harnessed two fresh draught
horses into the buggy on purpose to take me to the top of the hill, I
considered myself bound to go; and off we started, passing enormous
stacks of stone taken from the top of the mountain. These blocks are
said to be full of ore, but have been allowed to lie so long exposed
to air and weather that many plants and creepers, and even some large
shrubs, are growing over them. As we climbed up the hills, which
became steeper and steeper at each turn, we passed works and furnaces
of every description, reaching at last a plateau, from which a fine
view opened out beneath us.
The township of Mount Morgan nestles in a pretty valley, and is
enclosed by round-topped hills, which are covered with trees. A mile
or two further we reached the foot of the steepest hill of all, where
the rest of the party found trucks waiting for them, worked by an
endless rope, going up and down. Into one of these they soon packed
themselves, and were speedily drawn to the top of the hill, while we
climbed slowly, and indeed painfully, up by a pretty country road,
eventually arriving at the shoot, at the bottom of which three drays
were standing. Into these, lumps of stone were being run as fast as
possible, and when filled they were taken down to the works, to be
quickly replaced by empty return drays. The stone looked exactly like
old ironstone, but we were told that it was the richest native gold
yet found, having been assayed as high as 99.8 per cent., and selling
readily for 4_l._ 4_s._ an ounce. To this was added the assurance that
half an ounce of gold per ton would pay all working expenses. The
blacksmith's forge stood a little further on, and then we came to a
very narrow woodland path, up which Tom and the sailors carried me in
turns, as far as another platform on the hill. Here were several
troughs leading to the larger shoot we had seen below, which kept it
constantly fed, and also the openings of long tunnels which had been
pierced into the very heart of the mountains. These shafts were merely
experimental, to make sure that the richness of the ore was not
superficial, but extended to a depth of some two hundred feet beneath
the ground on which we were standing. It was curious to hear these
statements, and look at the surrounding country, which was perfectly
free from the defacement of mining operations. The top of the
mountain, on a part of which we were standing, had originally been of
sugar-loaf form, but its extreme apex has been cut off, and quarrying
operations are now going on vigorously. Tons of valuable stone are
daily raised to the surface, from which large quantities of gold can
be extracted. One blast which took place while we stood there proved
nearly fatal to both me and 'Sir Roger.' The stone turned out to be
harder than the miners had anticipated, and the fragments blew further
than they should have done. One piece missed poor 'Sir Roger's' paw by
an inch; and another whizzed past my head within two inches; while a
smaller piece hit me on the shoulder with what the manager described
as a 'whacking sound,' making me feel quite faint for a few moments.
After strolling about picking up specimens, trying to learn from Mr.
Wesley Hall to distinguish between good and bad stone, their differing
qualities being to us novices extremely difficult to detect, we sat
down quietly to enjoy the view and try to realise the truth of the
wonderful stories we had been hearing, which seemed more fit to
furnish material for a fresh chapter of the 'Arabian Nights,' or to be
embodied in an appendix to 'King Solomon's Mines,' than to figure in
a business report in this prosaic nineteenth century. Mabelle and I
returned slowly to the hotel, which we found clean and comfortable.
While I was lying on the sofa, waiting for the others to arrive, a
regular 'smash-up' took place outside. Five horses yoked in a
timber-waggon (two and two abreast and one leading) were going down a
steep bank into the creek below, when the timber suddenly lifted and
came on the backs of the wheelers. The animals began kicking
violently, getting their legs among the timber; it was extremely
difficult to extricate them even with the help of a dozen powerful and
willing hands, though everyone near ran to the assistance of the
bewildered teamster, who seemed quite unable to cope with the
emergency.
Presently an old man--a most picturesque individual--passed slowly by,
surrounded by quite a pack of hounds, including lurchers, retrievers,
and even curs, as well as some very good-looking, well-bred greyhounds
and kangaroo-hounds. On inquiry I found that his business was to
patrol the place all night, and prevent intruders coming to take away
samples of Mount Morgan ore. The dogs are said to know their business
thoroughly, and contrive to be a terror to the neighbourhood without
seriously hurting anybody.
Australian up-country hotels are certainly not meant for rest. They
are always either built of corrugated iron, which conveys every sound,
or of wood, which is equally resonant. As a rule the partitions of the
rooms do not reach to the top of the roof, so that the least noise can
be heard from end to end of the building. There is always a door at
one extremity, sometimes at both, besides a wide verandah, up and down
which people stroll or lounge at pleasure. Every landlady appears to
have half-a-dozen small children, who add their contribution to the
day's noises in the shape of cries and shouts for 'mammy,' who, poor
soul, is far too busy to attend to them herself or to spare anyone
else to do so.
_Tuesday, August 2nd._--The crushing-mills and the machinery have to
be kept working all night, for of course the furnaces are never let
out; and before daybreak all the noises of the works began, so that we
were up early, and after breakfast went to the chlorination works with
Mr. Trinear, the assayer.
[Illustration: Ti-Trees]
The first thing shown us was the stone just as it came from the drays
we had watched at work yesterday. This was speedily crushed into
powder, baked, and mixed with charcoal. It then passed through another
process within the powerful furnaces, which separated the ore from the
rock and poured it forth, literally in a stream, golden as the river
Pactolus. I never saw anything more wonderful than this river of
liquid gold. A little phial held to the mouth of one of the taps
became just a bottle of gold in solution. By adding hydrochlorate of
iron the gold is precipitated in about seventy hours, and the water
can be drained off pure as crystal, without a vestige of gold
remaining in it. The gold itself is then mixed with borax, put through
a further smelting-process, and ultimately comes out in solid nuggets,
worth, according to the purity of the gold, from 300_l._ to 400_l._
each. The children were very pleased at being able to hold 1,200_l._
in their hands. Mr. Trinear told me that as the metal comes from the
furnaces mixed with charcoal they often obtain as much as 75, and he
had got as much as 86, per cent. of gold.
The Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company possess probably the most
productive gold-mine in the world. The discovery of the gold-bearing
rock, of which the whole mass of Mount Morgan is composed, was made
while searching for copper ore. The gold at Mount Morgan is obtained
from a lode of decomposed iron pyrites, partly underlying a bed of
quartz, and at various points cropping up to the surface. The original
discoverers of the ore, and the individuals who supplied the slender
amount of capital with which the company commenced operations, have
realised great fortunes.
At Mount Morgan the process known as chlorination has been developed
on a larger scale than has elsewhere been attempted. It is described
as follows:--
'The process of chlorination at Mount Morgan is a very interesting
one, and would well repay a visit of inspection by any who are
interested in the profitable and economic treatment of auriferous
ores. The tailings, as they come from the battery or from the dry
crusher, as the case may be, are first of all roasted in eight large
furnaces, each with a capacity of putting through eight tons in
twenty-four hours. The roasting of the ore in the first place is to
free it from the waters of crystallisation and to burn all organic
matter out of it. When it leaves the furnaces, it is turned out to
cool in a large space, between the furnaces and the chlorinising
barrels. When it has sufficiently cooled, it is taken on an inclined
tramway to the hoppers connected with the chlorination barrels, in
which the gas is generated by mingling chloride of lime with sulphuric
acid. Water only is added, and the barrels, which are perfectly
air-tight, are kept revolving until the gold is thoroughly
chlorinated, or, to speak plainly, put into a fluid state. Each barrel
contains a charge of about a ton of ore, and it is possible to get
through twelve charges in the twenty-four hours.
[Illustration: Mount Morgan]
'The period for which the barrels are made to revolve averages one and
a half hour. When this operation is over the contents of the barrels
are discharged into draining-vats, from whence the water and the
gold, put into a state of solution, are drained into charcoal filters
below. Charcoal possesses such an affinity for the chlorine that the
gold is rapidly deposited, and the charcoal is so laid in these
V-shaped filters that the golden fluid passes through layers,
gradually becoming finer towards the bottom, and thus practically all
the gold that is dissolved by the chlorine gas in the barrels is
caught in the charcoal. So effectual is the process that the refuse
from the draining-tubs will not assay more than a pennyweight or a
pennyweight and a half to the ton, while the water which drains off
from the charcoal filters is pumped back and goes through the process
a second time. The contents of the charcoal filters are conveyed
straight to the smelting-works. There the charcoal on which the gold
has been precipitated is first roasted in furnaces, and the residuum
smelted in the usual smelting-pots. After this it is run into ingots
of the purest gold.
'Chlorination was originally attempted in the United States. It has
been perfected at Mount Morgan. By the ordinary crushing and washing
process one ounce to the ton would be extracted from the rock quarried
at Mount Morgan. By chlorination every particle of gold is extracted.
The product sometimes reaches 17 oz. per ton. The average may be taken
at 5 oz. Half an ounce would cover expenses.'
The day turned out lovely, and if my cough had not been so bad, I
should have enjoyed the drive down from Mount Morgan. The pitches were
just as steep, but they were nearly all downhill, which made our
progress seem quicker and pleasanter. The country looked very pretty;
the ferns were quite lovely, and the lilies in full bloom. The
pleasure of the drive was further marred by the dreadful odours
arising from the decaying carcasses of unfortunate bullocks which had
been left by the roadside to die from exhaustion. Happily, there were
no such horrors at the pretty place where we paused to bait our
horses--the same at which we had stopped going up yesterday--and we
arrived at the railway hotel at Rockhampton at 2.5, and immediately
went on board the 'Sunbeam.'
In spite of heavy rain in the afternoon a great many ladies came to
see the yacht, and were followed later by the Naval Artillery
Volunteers, the Naval Brigade, and other visitors. At 6 P.M. Tom went
ashore, accompanied by the children, to review the Naval Brigade, with
which he was well pleased. After a hasty dinner at seven, we all went
to an Ambulance Meeting in the council-chamber of the town-hall. The
heat of the room seemed great on first entering it from the fresh air
outside, and I thought I should have fainted before I reached my chair
at the farthest end of the room. Presently, however, some doors were
opened, and matters improved. The meeting was very satisfactory, a
committee being appointed, and several doctors promising to help and
give lectures, while many of the people present gave in their names as
subscribers. From the Ambulance Meeting we went straight on to the
station, where the servants had rigged up very comfortable beds for
Baby and me in one and for Mabelle and Muenie in another
railway-carriage, the gentlemen being provided for in two others. We
were soon in bed, and at ten o'clock started for Emerald and
Springsure. We should have been most comfortable but for the
piercingly cold draughts. The moon shone brilliantly, and I could see
from my cot the lightly wooded but flat pastures alternating with
miles and miles of bush, with here and there a log hut or a tin house
standing in its own little clearing, making an interesting picture as
we flew through the district.
_Wednesday, August 3rd._--There was still a bright moon, and as we
approached Emerald the country, seen by its light, looked most
picturesque. At Emerald, the rail to Springsure branches off from the
main line to Barceldine. In the early morning, as we were passing
Fernlee, where the Government line ends, our servants produced some
welcome tea. From there we ran on to Springsure, where our arrival
caused great excitement, for it was really the opening of the line,
ours being the first passenger train to arrive at the township. By
about half-past eight we were all dressed, and went to a comfortable
inn, some on foot and some in waggonettes, where we breakfasted.
After watching experiments with various horses, to see which were best
and quietest, we started in a couple of buggies for the opal-mines, or
rather opal-fields, of Springsure. We had not driven far when we came
to a fence right across the high road, and had to go some way round
over rough ground and across a creek to avoid it. This did not excite
any astonishment in the mind of the gentleman who drove us, and he
seemed to think it was a casual alteration owing to the new line; but
on a dark night the unexpected obstruction might prove inconvenient.
When the top of the hill where the opals are to be found was reached,
we all got out and set to work to pick up large and heavy stones with
traces of opals in them, as well as some fragments of pumice-stone
with the same glittering indications. We were shown the remnants of a
rock which had been blown up with dynamite to get at a magnificent
opal firmly imbedded in it. The experiment resulted in rock, opal, and
all being blown into fragments, and nothing more has ever been seen of
the precious stone. Our search not proving very successful, we
proceeded to the large sheep-station of Rainworth. This fine property
originally belonged to Mr. Bolitho, and I was told that it then
consisted of 300 square miles of country thoroughly well stocked, with
excellent buildings, and--what is to be most valued in this dry and
thirsty land--a running stream, which had never been known to be
empty, even in a ten years' drought. The question of water becomes a
serious consideration out here, where every full-grown beast is
supposed to drink and waste ten gallons of water a day. The drive to
the station was very pleasant. We passed a racecourse, where a little
race-meeting was going on. It looked a very simple affair, and we were
told that once a year all the sporting population in what Australians
call 'the neighbourhood,' extending for some hundred miles around,
assemble here to try their nags against one another.
We seem rather unlucky about accidents, for on our way down a steep
hill the horses suddenly became restive; and if it had not been that
our driver sent them spinning down one hill at full gallop, and up the
next, thus leaving them no time for kicking, and preventing the
carriage from ever touching them, we should probably have had a
repetition of our smash the other day. We did not see a single
kangaroo all the way, but passed a number of good-looking cattle and
horses. Years ago this country swarmed with game, and was so eaten up
that the ground looked as bare as your hand, the pasture being
undistinguishable from the roads. By a strenuous effort the settlers
killed 30,000 kangaroos on a comparatively small area on the Ekowe
Downs, the adjoining station to this, and thousands more died at the
fence, which was gradually pushed forward, in order to enclose the
sheep and keep out the marsupials.
By-and-by we arrived at a smart white gate in the fence, which a nice
little boy dressed in sailor costume, who had accompanied us from
Springsure, opened for us. These paddocks held some merino sheep. Some
fine timber had been left, so that the station looked more like an
English gentleman's estate than any place we have yet visited. We
jolted wearily over huge boulders and great slabs of rock, and went up
and down tremendously steep pitches in the roads, until at last we
arrived at Rainsworth, where we received the warmest welcome from Mr.
and Mrs. Todhunter. After luncheon I stayed in the verandah and
rested, whilst the rest of the party went out to look round the
station and the opal-fields.
The view from the verandah of the house up to the Rainsworth mountain
was remarkable, its most conspicuous feature being the peculiar-shaped
hill, 1,500 feet high, with its top cut off, leaving a table-land,
where what is called opal-glass is found. This substance resembles
opal in its consistency, except that it is white and transparent and
does not possess prismatic colours like imprisoned rainbows. Before we
left, Mrs. Todhunter kindly gave me some curious specimens of
limestone, stalactites, and stalagmites, picked up on the surface of
the black soil in the neighbourhood, besides two very curious little
iron balls, joined together like a natural dumb-bell. We left in good
time, and had an uneventful drive home. I felt curious to know the
value of this fine station, and was told it was 40,000_l._ This,
certainly, if correct, does not seem high for an extra-good station
with a comfortable house on it, besides stables, farm-buildings of
every possible kind, a well-stocked though rather neglected garden and
orchard, a large wool-shed some ten miles off, and a practically
inexhaustible supply of water. Besides all this, there are plenty of
well-fenced paddocks, containing 30,000 sheep, 200 bullocks, and some
horses; also drays and carts, and other farming implements.
On reaching Springsure we found some excitement prevailing on account
of a mob of a thousand cattle having passed near the town. These mobs
of cattle are obliged by law to travel six miles a day at least,
unless they have cows and young calves with them, when the compulsory
distance is less. They feed all the way on their neighbours' ground,
so to speak, and travel many thousands of miles, occupying months on
the journey. A clever stockman loses very few beasts on the way, and
such men command high wages. They often undertake the journey at
their own risk, and are paid only for the number of cattle actually
delivered. I was, as usual, too tired to go out again, but the rest of
the party set off to see the cattle-camp, and had a long walk over a
rough road; but they declared the sight well rewarded them for their
trouble. The cattle were preparing to settle down for the night;
whilst the camp-fires were just being lit, and beginning to twinkle in
the early twilight. On one side a brilliant red sunset glowed, and on
the other the moon was rising and shedding her silver light upon the
scene. It was so tempting to remain out that the sightseers were
rather late for dinner; after which we took up our old quarters in the
railway carriages, and started on our homeward journey. This proved
much more comfortable than the outward trip, for the railway officials
had kindly stopped nearly all the draughts.
[Illustration: The Ford]
_Thursday, August 4th._--I awoke about five, and was at once struck by
the strange appearance of the moon, which did not look so big as
usual, and had assumed a curious shape. I gazed at her in a lazy,
sleepy way for some time, until it suddenly occurred to me that an
eclipse was taking place, whereupon I roused myself and got my
glasses. I was very glad not to have missed this, to me, always most
interesting sight, especially as I had not the slightest idea that an
eclipse would occur this morning. The atmosphere was marvellously
clear, and I saw it to absolute perfection.
We reached Rockhampton about 6 A.M., and were put into a quiet siding
till eight, by which time we had dressed and were ready to go and
breakfast at the comfortable railway hotel. There was just time for a
satisfactory talk about arrangements for future movements before
eleven o'clock, when the Mayor arrived to take us, in quite a
procession of buggies, to the hospital. Here Doctor Macdonald met us,
and I was put into a chair and carried through the various wards of an
excellently planned and perfectly ventilated building. Everything
looked scrupulously clean, and the patients appeared happy and well
cared for. Several instances were pointed out to me by Doctor
Macdonald in which the St. John Ambulance would have been of great
use. I heard of one case of a man who had come down 200 miles with a
broken leg, no attempt having been made to bandage it up. The poor
fellow arrived, as may easily be imagined, with the edges of the bone
all ground to powder and the tissues surrounding it much destroyed.
Then there was another case of an arm broken in the bush, and the poor
man lying all night in great agony; and again of another stockman who
crushed his knee against a tree while riding an unbroken horse. The
instances are too numerous to mention where the knowledge of how to
make the best of the available means of relief and transport would
have saved much needless suffering. There were some good rooms for
convalescent patients, besides paying wards.
Everything looked bright, cheerful, and sunny except the ophthalmic
wards, which, if I may use such an expression, displayed an agreeable
gloom. Here, all was painted dark green, and the system of ventilation
seemed quite perfect, for air without light was admitted and the
temperature equalised, this being an important factor in bad cases.
Ophthalmia appears to be quite a curse in Australia, as we have
already found to our cost, through Tom's suffering from it. There were
nice shady verandahs to this part of the hospital, and comfortable
chairs for the patients to sit and lounge in, besides a pretty garden.
Not far off, in the compound, stood the various quarters for the
nurses and servants, and the dead-house, and dissecting-room, with
other necessary though painful adjuncts to a hospital. The doctor's
cheerful bungalow, also near, was surrounded by a pretty garden.
A rough drive over a bad road took us to the Botanical Gardens, which
are enclosed by the most charming fence I have ever seen; or rather by
a fence made beautiful by the luxuriant creepers growing over it. A
mass of the brilliant blossoms of the orange _Thunbergia venusta_,
purple _Bougainvilleas_, and ivory-white _Baumantia_ extended from end
to end and side to side. This fence encircled a lavish growth of palms
of all kinds and shapes and sorts and sizes, and many other tropical
plants, which quite overshadowed the common European shrubs. These
seem to flourish to perfection in winter here, and include verbenas of
all colours, and unusual size and brilliancy; a great profusion of
phloxes, the _Phlox Drummondi_ being a perfect weed, and scenting the
whole air. These taller flowers were intermixed with mignonette, musk,
and many dear old home favourites; while all one side of the garden
was taken up by a bush-house full of splendid palms. Ferns, various
_Alsophilas_, _Lycopodium scandens_, _Vanillas_, _Hoyas_, flourished
in great variety. Pink and red _Bougainvilleas_ were growing on
standards outside, among the orange-trees, and beyond lay lagoons
covered with the far-famed blue, red, and pink lotus-lilies of
Rockhampton.
The sun became very hot, and I was glad to be carried back to the
carriage and to drive straight to the boat, and so on board the yacht
to rest, while the remainder of the party went shopping in the town.
In the afternoon we all went in the steam-launch to see the Creek Meat
Canning Factory--a concern which has lately changed hands, and holds
some of the largest contracts in the world for supplying armies and
navies with tinned meat. The quality is excellent. Mr. Bertram, the
manager, met us at the pier, at which we had considerable difficulty
in landing, for the tide was low. After a little time and trouble we
managed to reach the shore, and went through the works, which are most
interesting. The manufactory stands on the bank of the river close to
a pretty lake embosomed amongst hills, and surrounded with paddocks,
where the cattle rest after being driven in from distant stations.
[Illustration: Native Weapons, Queensland]
We were all safe on board the yacht by 9 P.M., and at ten o'clock the
anchor was weighed. The night was fine, and we only stopped at
intervals to allow the pilot to reconnoitre, or to wait for a rise of
tide. This is a most curious river, and might well be made the scene
of a romance by some poetical person. It is only every ten or twelve
days that craft drawing over ten feet can get up or down the river,
and then only by the light of the moon. By day no large vessel can
reach Rockhampton.
[Illustration: Balloon Canvas]