ing farms. It was unfortunate that the most bitter opponents of
McIlwraith's scheme were of the squatting class, who generally resented
the cutting up of the vast areas held by them. Had the squatters of the
day not defeated his proposals, the grazing-farm system would probably
have come into existence some years earlier than it did, and long ago
the Gulf country would have had an overland railway. That country would
be maintaining a large and prosperous population instead of being, as it
is now, almost deserted, and open to danger of occupation by coloured
races, and a menace to the safety of Australia. McIlwraith was a far
sighted statesman, having the interests of Queensland at heart, and not
a politician ready and willing to secure votes.

In this year, Fitzmaurice's sight became affected, and he made a trip to
Sydney for expert advice. The whole business of the store and hotel was
now thrown on my hands. It was found on Fitzmaurice's return, after an
absence of six months, that he was almost blind. By mutual arrangement,
it was decided I should buy him out, and he left Winton one of the
best-liked men connected with its foundation, and as I found him, a good
friend and an honest partner. The life of a hotel-keeper did not appeal
to me, so I found a purchaser for the hotel at a satisfactory figure,
in Mr. W. B. Steele, of Aramac, who took delivery in April, 1882.

William Brown Steele was a strange character. I believe he had qualified
as a chemist, but followed the different gold rushes from California to
Victoria, New Zealand, and Peak Downs, thence to Aramac and Winton. His
delight was to be accused of being an unscrupulous gambler--of the type
described by Bret Harte. I know he was fairly successful at a game of
cards, but this was due more to superior playing than to good luck or
manipulation. Still, if one who thought he was Steele's equal, proposed
a game, the latter would ask:--"Shall we play the game, or all we know?"
If the former was agreed to, the game was strictly honest. If the latter
was decided on, well, there was some wonderful playing on both sides. I
never knew of Steele playing with one inexperienced, or of transgressing
the rules of the game unless he was first challenged by his opponent.
Then he did play all he knew, and that was something. For many years
Steele ran a consultation on the Melbourne Cup which was well
patronised, until the anti-gambling legislation, which drove Adams from
Queensl