Page:A Book of the West (vol. 2).djvu/326

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256
THE LIZARD


the tide turns and overwhelms all. Let us hold together, that the strong may support the weak, and that if one falls the others may lift him up." Now when Winwaloe said this, he spoke like a true Cornishman, and it shows that the great Cornish principle of One and All was seated in his heart all those centuries ago; in fact, in the sixth century.

An old miner from Australia said to me the other day, "Never saw such fellows as those Cornishmen; they hold together like bees. When I was out in Australia there was a Cornishman with me, my pal. One day someone said to us, ' There is a Cornishman from Penzance just landed at Melbourne.' ’Where's his diggings?' asked my pal. 'Oh, he is gone up country to ——' I forget the name of the mine. Will you believe it, off went my pal walking, I can't tell you how far, and was away several days from his work—gone off to see that newly-arrived chap; didn't know his name even, but he was a Cornishman, and that was enough to draw him."

Sir Redvers Buller told me a story. He was on his way with a regiment of soldiers to Canada. Off the entrance to the S. Lawrence the vessel was enveloped in fogs and delayed, so that provisions ran short. Now there was a station on an islet there for shipwrecked mariners, where were supplies. So Sir Redvers went ashore in a boat to visit the store and ask for assistance.

When he applied, he found a woman only in charge.