tired without any demonstration of
his wonted buoyancy of spirit, for he was fond of Penrose, almost as
much so as he was of uncle David Trevarrow.

The varied fortune experienced in the mine was exhibited in one or two
instances on this occasion. One man and a boy, working together, had,
in their own phraseology, "got a sturt"--they had come unexpectedly on a
piece of rich ground, which yielded so much tin that at the end of the
month they received 25 pounds between them. The man had been receiving
"subsist," that is, drawing advances monthly for nearly a year, and,
having a wife and children to support, had almost lost heart. It was
said that he had even contemplated suicide, but this little piece of
good fortune enabled him to pay off his debt and left something over.
Another man and boy had 20 pounds to receive. On the other hand, one
man had only 2 shillings due to him, while a couple of men who had
worked in poor ground found themselves 2 shillings in debt, and had to
ask for "subsist."

Some time previous to this, two men had discovered a "bunch of copper,"
and in the course of two months they cleared 260 pounds. At a later
period a man in Levant Mine, who was one of the Wesleyan local
preachers, cleared 200 pounds within a year. He gave a hundred pounds
to his mother, and with the other hundred went off to seek his fortune
in Australia!

After all the men had been paid, those who wished for "subsist," or
advances, were desired to come forward. About a dozen of them did so,
and among these were representatives of all classes--the diligent and
strong, the old and feeble, and the young. Of course, in mining
operations as in other work, the weak, lazy, and idle will ever be up to
the lips in trouble, and in need of help. But in mining the best of men
may be obliged to demand assistance, because, when tributers work on
hopefully day after day and week after week on bad ground, they must
have advances to enable them to persevere--not being able to subsist on
air! This is no hardship, the mine being at all times open to their
inspection, and they are allowed to select their own ground. Hence the
demand for "subsist" is not necessarily a sign of absolute but only of
temporary poverty. The managers make large or small advances according
to their knowledge of the men.

There was a good deal of chaffing at this point in the proceedings--the
lazy men giving occasion for a slight administration of rebuke, and