The Never-Never Land 57 



further than their fellows away from the edge of 

 the known country into the heart of the unknown. 

 Three months later, the whole world was talking 

 of the richness of the new Coolgardie goldfields, 

 and the two bold adventurers were the owners of 

 the famous mine called Bay ley's Reward, which 

 produced ore that held more gold than stone. Ten 

 years later, a big city, lighted by electric light and 

 connected with the far-distant coast by a long 

 railway, stood on the ground over which they had 

 been the first white men to walk. A big slice 

 was lopped off the western edge of the Never- 

 Never country by the enterprise and daring of 

 those two successful prospectors. 



It is characteristic of Australian hopefulness 

 that the pastoralist as well as the prospector has 

 found his way into the half-known country, and 

 is pasturing his sheep and bullocks on some of the 

 most fertile parts of it. The conditions of pas- 

 toral life in these remote back stations contrast 

 strangely with the luxury and convenience of the 

 homes of the squatters who settled in the early 

 days on well- watered runs near the coast. A 

 small wooden house, with a glaring roof of gal- 

 vanised iron, stands in the midst of a wilderness 

 of scrub. The furniture of the hut it is little 

 more is of the most primitive description, for the 

 manager is a bachelor, and so are the jackaroos 

 and the few station hands. There, from one 

 rainy season to another, these men are engaged 

 in their desperate struggle to keep stock alive, 



