Part 6: Letters from the Goldfields - 2nd November 1896
Box 35
Post Office
Coolgardie
W. Aust.
“Golden Dykes” Junction Mine
November 2 1896
Dear Billy,
Many thanks for your kind letters and your kind wishes etc. I have
also to thank you for “Strand” Mag. Which I assure you was a real
treat. Glad to hear you are still at the Palace and that you had
Bern to see you. He must have enjoyed it immensely. Nothing would
please me better to have a look around your way with you as my
“guide”, I don’t think I should go astray. Hope to have that
pleasure some day, old chap tho’ at present there’s anything but a
bright aspect ahead. I don’t think I shall get home in 1897 anyway
by the look of things. I fancy I shall leave this mine and go
further back. It’s not settled yet. I intend going down to see Tom
at the end of this week (19 miles) and see how things are there.
Will give him your best wishes etc. He always enquires after
“Billy”.
You remember me telling you previously that Warren served me a
dirty trick while I was ill? I went in to Coolgardie about a week
ago and asked him for a settlement. He gave me a snotty answer so I
punched him on the nose and left him in an hotel with his shirt in
tatters. If I see him again I’ll give him wiping over No. 2.
With reference to the winding gear on these mines, there is never
any machinery in place until she is proved to be a paying concern
and that there is plenty of gold in the show. It’s jolly hard work
I can tell you. I don’t know how things will turn out for us up
here, but to say the best of it, it is an awful hole not fit for a
black man. Fancy a couple of sacks on sticks for a bed and lizards,
centipedes, snakes and damn knows what all crawling over you at
night, damn little water at 4d a gallon and soon to be 6d again and
even higher. Had nearly 12 months of it now and by the time I’ve
put in another term shall have had about enough of this damned sand
desert to last me a lifetime.
Well, Bill, I fancy I’ve told you too many of my troubles already
so shall shut up. In a few days I will send you one of our
goldfields weekly papers which are not bad for a place like this.
Trusting you are in the best of health and that you will have good
luck at the Palace for yet another year. Again, thanking you for
kind letters and papers. Accept my kindest regards and very best
wishes. I’m looking forward to the time when we will have a “beano”
together again. Would like you for a mate here but don’t ever
encourage even a dog of yours to come here.
Believe me, always
Your very sincere chum
Arthur J. Baker
Share this
page (third party services may set cookies)