But this explanation only served to renew their merriment, which reached its climax when, in an unguarded moment, I put a question which I had been burning to ask-- "What year is this ?" "This is Bellamy's 'Looking Backward' with a vengeance," cried one of the prospectors--a sally that was heartily appreciated by the whole of the company, with the exception of myself.

I began to think that if this was the reception civilisation had for me, it were better for me to have remained among my faithful savages.
But in a few minutes the men's demeanour changed, and it was obvious that they looked upon me as a harmless lunatic just emerged from the bush.

I was assured that this conclusion was correct when I saw the diggers looking at one another significantly and tapping their foreheads.

I resolved to tell them nothing further about myself, well knowing that the more I told them the more convinced they would be that I was a wandering lunatic.

I learned that these men were a party of decent young fellows from Coolgardie.