CHAPTER XIV. 



A COOLGARDIE PIONEER. 



Ford, of Bayley's Reward. An interview with him. What he 

 thinks of Coolgardie. Nests of nuggets. Shovelling up 

 gold. How it feels to be rich. A salt lake. Three 

 hundred miles round. Betting v. Mining speculations. 



Mention of Coolgardie reminds me I know Mr. 

 John Ford, wlio, with Mr. Baylcy, was one of the 

 first men on Coolgardie field and the discoverer of 

 Bayley's Reward claim. Mr. John Ford is a thorough 

 practical miner. He was on Croydon Diggings in 

 Queensland, and made several thousands there. This 

 money he spent or lost, and found himself in Mel- 

 bourne minus cash. As Mr. Ford said to me : " Now 

 I have had the luck to make another pile I shall 

 not be such a fool again. It is not a nice sensation 

 when you come down to your last shilling.^' 



His experiences on Coolgardie and the Murchi- 

 son would till a book and be very interesting reading. 

 ]fc is a treat to see Ford smile when he gets hold 

 of a London paper with some glowing prospectus 



