R-J, well said. Thanks for posting a link to Val McGinness's 'Shake Hands Dance'. Lovely.

Sandra, yes.

PIONEERS
(F.Ophel/R.Rummery)

They said, 'Now here is gold
The cloth of gold unrolled
Lies spread about our feet
Now fortune smiles and sweet'
The mulga hid the face of fate
Watching with ruthless eyes of hate

'Now wealth is ours', they said
'Great wealth and riches red
Our journeying is done
Guerdon and gold are won'
Red were the written words they signed
And scenting blood the wild dog whined

They said, 'Now ours is fame
And honoured glorious name -
The name of pioneers
And honour as of seers'
They turned to take the homeward track
And dreamed a joyous welcome back

No man knows where they lie
None heard their last death cry
Unmarked their grave by mound
But at the last trump sound
Perchance some god who all things hears
Will give them praise as pioneers

This one is on Bob Rummery's 'Man with the concertina' CD.

Bob's note:

A poem written by Frederick Ophel in June 1906. A story on WA's goldfields in the early 1890s told that the first prospectors to peg Coolgardie found pegs in the ground with indecipherable writing in red ink. No one knows who pegged the ground'.

You can find a rendition at about the 45-min mark of Chloe and Jason's tribute to Bob.

Youtube

--Stewie.