My first impression of Mount Magnet next morning was that there were a great many donkeys—I mean, of course, of the four-footed variety. They seemed to perambulate the town in dozens, and a team of about 20 going out of town with a wagon was a novel sight. I can assure you that, while I was writing these words, two inquisitive donkeys put in their heads at the door and almost said “Good-morning,” recognising a friend, perhaps. The outlook from this place was very dreary, as nearly always seems to be the case where gold is found. Several nice specimens had just been brought into the hotel by a lucky prospector, some of the pieces weighing several ounces. The Mount is about four miles from Magnet township, and was named Mount Magnet in 1854 by Mr. Austin, because the stone was so mineralised that it attract the compass to an extent which rendered it useless. Despite the barren-looking country, there are many varieties of wild flowers growing in the neighbourhood, and the desert octopus or tiger-plant is most remarkable. It bears a fairylike pink flower, and seems almost to be a living thing. The leaves of the plant are remarkably sensitive, and there are numerous little caplike flowers fringed with tentacles and filled with a sweet substance; any insect that approaches is seized, and the plant, which grows only a few inches in height, and is also known as “Rainbow” or “Fly-trap,” absorbs the life of it.
Five miles away is Boogardie, or Jones’ Well. A singular discovery was recently made there. Portions of underground rock, on being broken, were found to contain a living frog at a depth of 40 feet! Many of these have been found. Query, how did they get there?
There are many tidy houses in the little township; one Hessian camp, containing three separate rooms, was most tastefully arranged with pretty art-muslin and cretonne, a nice carpet on the ground, and cane furniture beautifully draped. The bedroom was quite elegant, and the kitchen had cocoanut matting on the ground; there were, as usual, no floors. A bright Peerless Cooker stove and spotlessly white dresser and crockery finished as natty a little home as a man and woman could wish for. The men out here all work their own claims, and are very comfortably off.
A few miles from Magnet is the Morning Star, a low-grade mine, but still a paying one. Mr. Bryant, the manager, made me most welcome, and explained to me very conclusively that, to make a mine pay, it is not necessary to find gold in occasional very large pieces, and that a steady quantity, though small, will, if the supply hold out, prove profitable. The mine is worked almost entirely by men from Clunes, Victoria, where Mr. Bryant formerly was; they have quite a camp of their own, and with their reading-room and recreation-ground, where they play cricket and football, they pass a very jolly life and seem quite contented. Total abstinence is the rule of this mine. Before the train service was started they had to cart all the machinery and stores 200 miles to the mine. Farther on is Lennonville, another important mining centre, where rich finds have lately been struck; and farther still, what is called the 10-Mile. There are many good mines in these localities. The Long Reef is a fine mine, and with its magnificent new machinery looks imposing. The plant is one of the finest in Western Australia, and there is enough good ore to show profitable results for years to come.
Donkey Team, Mount Magnet
Coming back from these mines I stopped at the Lennonville Hotel (to have dinner), the landlady of which was the biggest woman I had ever seen, she weighed over twenty-one stone.
The scenery of this district is far more pleasing than the barrenness of Magnet township. There are plenty of enormous emus scudding through the scrub, and occasionally a few kangaroos enliven the scene. Some of the big hills are completely riddled with enormous holes made by the earthworm. It must have taken centuries to make these tunnels. I thought they must be mining excavations, but one of the mining managers, who is a mining expert and engineer, and who ought to know, told me they were the work of earthworms.
In another direction from Magnet is the New Chum Mine; farther on the Two Chums, and others; all giving good results.
There is a fine hospital, with a skilful surgeon, such skill being very necessary where mining accidents ate liable to occur. The country is by no means unhealthy, and there were only four patients in the hospital on the day I visited it. The nurses seemed to be very kind women, and the patients said it was like being nursed at home to be in the Magnet Hospital.