74 A NATURALIST IN CANNIBAL LAND 



insects for me brought in some gold found at the 

 junction of two creeks. Collecting was not proving 

 very profitable at the time and for a while I turned to 

 digging, taking up a claim which I worked for about 

 six months, getting about 250 in gold. I decided 

 then (1896) to come Home on a visit. My friend Mr. 

 Barnard in Queensland had given up collecting and 

 I bought his collection from him, paying him, I think, 

 500 for it. 



Coming to England for the second time I again 

 found myself with no intention at all of settling down 

 in the ways of civilisation. I stayed but three months 

 in London, during which time I signed an agreement 

 with the Hon. Walter Rothschild, who was very 

 much pleased with the collecting work I had already 

 done, to undertake definite investigations on his 

 behalf in certain districts. On returning to Australia 

 I brought a younger brother, Mr. W. G. Meek, out with 

 me to assist in collecting. 



