Golden Australia 139 



procession of men is making its way across the 

 unknown desert to a place which, men say, holds 

 wealth surpassing the mines of Kalgoorlie. Well 

 in the front of the procession ride the cyclists, 

 each with his store of water in a tin cylinder that 

 is strapped in the diamond frame of his machine. 

 The cyclist prospector carries food and water only, 

 leaving the rest of his belongings to be borne by 

 the slower drays that follow in his track. Next 

 come the horsemen and camel riders, and men 

 driving buggies drawn by teams of horses; and 

 after them the heavy drays and the long-drawn- 

 out train of footmen. Some of these carry their 

 swags, some trundle their tools and belongings in 

 wheelbarrows, and one or two have packed their 

 necessaries in a barrel, and, fastening the head 

 securely in, roll it patiently over the track. 

 These, and the man who is pushing a baby's per- 

 ambulator, give a touch of comedy to the "rush" 

 that is making its way to the new find at the 

 "Back of Beyond." 



But the situation holds all the possibilities of 

 the grimmest of tragedies. If, as too often hap- 

 pens, these men who tramp so bravely and hope- 

 fully across that arid plain are only pursuing a 

 will-o'-the-wisp, a phantom Eldorado that van- 

 ishes with its first gleam of golden promise, some 

 of them will never come back. Kvery one of 

 them knows it, from the youngster who pushes 

 eagerly forward with shining, hopeful eyes, to the 

 stern-lipped veteran, grey with the disappoint- 



