Dead beat the Chow was when I came.

I jis' come ridin' up, thinkin' to get a few pound of onions to take out to the camp, and I see the Chow a-haulin' and a-haulin' at that windlass like as if he was tryin' to pull the bottom out of the well.

I rides up and sings out "What ho! Chaney, what yer got ?" And he says, "Ketch hold," he says, and that was all he could say; he was fair beat.

And then I heard you singing out, and I says to meself, "Is the whole popperlation of the Northern Territory down this here well?
How many more is there, Chancy ?" I says.

And then bung goes the old windlass, and lucky it ketched in the top of the well; if it had fell down on the top of you, it'd ha' stiffened you all right.