He had to go into an untravelled country to get the truth out of a man who did not want to tell it; and the time allowed was short, as the case could not be postponed much longer.
He travelled by sea to Port Faraway, a tropical sweltering township by the Northern seas of Australia, and when he reached it felt like one of the heroes in Tennyson's Lotus Eaters--he had come "into a land wherein it seemed always afternoon." Reeves, the buffalo shooter, was a well-known man, but to find his camp was another matter.

No one seemed to have energy enough to take much interest in the quest.
Hugh interviewed a leading citizen at the hotel, and got very little satisfaction.

He said, "I want to get out to Reeves's camp.

Do you know where it is, and how one gets there ?" "Well," said the leading citizen, putting his feet up on the arms of his long chair and gasping for air, "Le's see! Reeves's camp--ah! Where is he camped now ?" "I don't know," said Hugh.

"I wish I did.