no water was to be found, and he had to again change his course and go west. Passing through saltbush country and deserts his difficulties increased. The camels stopped feeding and the outlook was decidedly discouraging. He did not allow these hardships to affect his work, and, with the other officials, was able to supply useful data of the country visited. From the north side of Lake Lefroy he turned west towards Southern Cross, and passed through what are now the world known Coolgardie Goldfields. At Hunt's Dam, at present known as Karalee, a little water was found in the rocks, a shower of rain having fallen a short time before, and the camels were given a drink—the first for twelve days. For five previous days the most of them had not eaten. He succeeded in reaching Southern Cross, and near Golden Valley gave the tired animals two weeks' rest. Mr. Lindsay sank wells along the present route from Lake Lefroy to Southern Cross, generally without obtaining water. He marked on the map an auriferous belt for the whole of this region, and its existence has since been well proved. Mr. Lindsay therefore drew public attention to the fact that auriferous country existed in the centre of Western Australia, and months before Bayley discovered the gold at Coolgardie he had advised John Dunn and other prospectors to go into that exact locality. It was also because of his advice and report that Elder, Smith, and Co., of Adelaide, sent F. and T. Mahomet to Western Australia with camels to undertake the carrying trade to the new goldfield
From Southern Cross the party went to the Murchison, and it was there that the dissension among the officers came to a head. For insubordination Mr. Lindsay dismissed the naturalist and the medical officer. Because of this two other officers resigned, and the unfortunate result was the disbandment of the whole party. If this consummation could have been averted the results of the expedition would have been much greater than they were, for it was Mr. Lindsay's intention to leave the settled districts of Western Australia to mark out new paths and collect scientific information. The dissatisfied officers formulated charges against Mr. Lindsay, and he was recalled to Adelaide to explain them. He there presented his case, but the decision was not given until the other officers were asked to report themselves in the sister colony. This request as not immediately obeyed, and Sir Thomas Elder forthwith ordered the total disbandment of the party. When the two dismissed members and the others reached Adelaide and personally preferred their charges, with reasons, the Geographical Society completely exonerated Mr. Lindsay from all blame.
The enterprising explorer now went out on a private expedition, and with fifty camels journeyed through the interior from Port Augusta to Coolgardie. He was twelve weeks completing the trip. Gold had already been found in Coolgardie, and camels were proving their great worth in assisting development. Their total value on the goldfields cannot be estimated, for over the barren, waterless deserts no horse could accomplish the journeys they did in the early history of the goldfields. For transport, especially, they were invaluable. Mr. Lindsay applied his camels to this work, and burdened with the necessaries of life they went from place to place and proved highly remunerative to their owners. While supervising his transport business Mr. Lindsay once more entered the theatre of mining investment and speculation, and from then till the present he has been an active force on the goldfields. He purchased interests in several claims, and became a member of the Coolgardie Stock Exchange. The adventurous explorer settled down to a more private life, and instead of seeking to enrich others in the opening up of new country, very wisely sought to provide for himself.
But his career on the goldfields has been by no means a quiet one. He has travelled thousands of miles inspecting mineral areas. In February, 1895, he went to England and successfully placed for an Adelaide syndicate two mines on the London market. These were the Kalgurli and the North Kalgurli gold mines, which were taken over by companies, each with a capital of £100,000. While he was in the old country the Scottish Westralia Company was formed, and he was appointed its principal operator in Australia. In October, 1895, he returned to the colony and inspected many mining properties on behalf of the company, and three months later went back to England to report progress. His company purchased the Hope's Hill Mine, the Seabrook Freehold Estate at Northam, and the Stanley and Zealandia claims at the Thirty-Three Mile. The Scottish Westralia Company is now (1896) arranging to form a company to supply all the fields with electric motive power. The scheme is an enormous one, and if successful will prove a great boon to the fields by facilitating their development.
In September, 1896, Mr. Lindsay again returned to Western Australia. He is personally interested in several well-known local gold mines. For his splendid services to geographical science he was made a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society of London in 1888, and he is honorary member of both the South Australian and Victorian branches of the Australasian Geographical Society. He is also a member of the South Australian Institute of Licensed Surveyors.
If the detailed accounts of Mr. Lindsay's travels were published and popularised, the narrative would be decidedly romantic and exciting. A man of his restless spirit could not be satisfied with the narrow provincial life, or the quiet ways of the agriculturist. The long march and the dangers and excitement of exploration must be his lot. When the causes which dominate men's actions come to be scientifically laid down, and social science is firmly established, it will probably be found that certain characters demand and obtain certain careers in a higher or lower sphere. The predilection of which Emerson so well writes draws them into definite arenas. This was undoubtedly so in the case of Mr. Lindsay, and had circumstances not led him to an exploring career he would still have been adventurous and enterprising and courageous even as a poor herd lad. That his name is known throughout Australia need not be told, and it must be a pleasing conviction to him to feel that he has conferred favours on his native land, and placed posterity under a debt which, with those of other Australian explorers, will be recognised in its own good time.
