Coming back to Cue, I called at the Lady Forrest Mine, which is in quite a picturesque spot, and I was not surprised at the beautifully arranged collection of wild flowers and ferns that the manager had picked around the mine and dried. The mine not working, he had plenty of time to pursue his favourite pastime of botany. He also showed me a fine collection of choice orchids; these are found at the Granites, a few miles out. Parrots, with brilliant colouring, and cockatoos, are to be seen about here, especially when you are near a soak (well). Occasionally an iguana glides along, looking like a tiny land-alligator. Iguanas, though not agreeable to the eye, are considered almost sacred in the Bush, because they destroy snakes.
The Island is a wonderful little place, a real treasure-house, 16 miles from Cue. It is in the centre of the salt lake Austin (called after Robert Austin, the explorer), from which it is separated by channels 1000 yards wide. The lake, like all Western Australian lakes, is dry; but when the sun is shining on it it looks like a sheet of glistening gold.
The Mainland, dignified sometimes by the name of Salt Lake City, is a few miles farther off. I do not know whether there are any Mormons settled there or not. There are several good mines at the Mainland and the Island. The reefs are highly auriferous. The Golconda is the largest mine, giving very rich yields, and is now owned by an English syndicate. The representatives of this mine are very careful not to let outside people know too much about it; they keep the doors of the battery locked, and no one is allowed to go in to inspect. The Island Eureka is a small but rich mine owned by a syndicate on the Island. Mrs. Hurfit, who is part-owner of the mine, lives close to it. This lady who is the first white woman that came to these parts, showed me a fine collection of specimens of all kinds of minerals found here. The gold quartz is very beautiful. The jewellery Mrs. Hurfit has had made from it by Streeter, of London, is unique, some of the polished quartz with veins of gold showing through it being the handsomest I have ever seen.
COLONEL NORTH’S EXPEDITION TO MOUNT MAGNET
Seeing a peculiar-looking place on a hill, I climbed up to see what it was, and found a large hut composed of big flat stones. These stones were lying around in great quantities. Some men were working near, but they were Italians, and as they could not speak English and I could not speak Italian, our conversation was nil. The view from the hill was charming; the salt lakes shimmering in the sun, the flat country with the grass and wild flowers, the low-lying purple hills in the background, a lovely and most peculiar colouring in the sky, the rising stacks of the mines, and the high metaphoric rocks in the distance, formed an uncommon and pretty picture. Just as I was leaving, the sun came out with unusual brilliancy, casting exquisite reflections on the glistening golden sand, which seemed to crystallise into various forms. I almost felt as if I had dropped into fairyland, but in a moment the sun hid behind a cloud and the beautiful scene was gone.
There are about 150 people at the Island and Mainland, and they all appear to be in comfortable positions. On the day I left it was raining heavily, and I had to wait an hour at the station for the train, which was late in arriving. This brought to my mind the story of a gentleman who had promised to attend at a certain place and make a speech, but found himself unable to do so on account of the heavy rains having destroyed a section of the railway line. Accordingly he wired, “Cannot come; wash out on the line.” The reply came: “Come any way; borrow a shirt.”
At last the train made its appearance, and I took my seat and went to Mount Magnet (not to be confused with Mount Margaret, which is in quite a different part of the country), about 32 miles farther on. On arrival there the railway station was so crowded that I could scarcely get out. There were about 300 young men of all sorts and sizes, and with such jolly smiling faces that I began to feel quite hilarious myself. They turned out to be the successful footballers just returned from a match at Cue. Several buggies and horses were waiting at the station, and I had no difficulty in being conveyed to an hotel, which bore the significant name of “The Oasis.”