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, 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:
‘Bill, this here’s our Commissioner, same as I told yer of, when I was on Barrawong; he’s struck it rich, he tells me, and as we’re on the road to Perth, he’ll be obliged to us for a lift in our waggonette if you’re agreeable.’
‘I’ve heard of Commissioner Banneret,’ said the mate, making what he imagined to be a bow suitable to the occasion, ‘and he should have my seat if I had to walk every bloomin’ step of the road to the coast.’
‘There isn’t a man as was on the field when I left,’ responded the mate, ‘that wouldn’t do the same; but there’s no call for any of us to walk—the horses are in good fettle, considerin’ the price of feed, and they’ll take the four on us—not leavin’ the portmanter behind—into Perth, flyin’.’
This settled the matter. The portmanteau, so curiously regarded, was promptly lifted into the waggonette, and, as well as the Commissioner, was driven briskly along the road to the city, Mr. Newstead being left with the baggage of the expedition to follow at his leisure, and rejoin his chief at the township. That gentleman lost no time after being dropped at the Bank of Barataria. The mineral collection was produced.