Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/594

 S68 ADELAIDE AND X'lCINITV The late Captain John Treloar CAPTAIN JOHN TRELOAR, well known in minino- fields and circles in auriferous Australasia, had his day of hard work and sparing yields. When the pendulum of prosperity swunj^ freely to his efforts, he could not ascribe its happiness to blind luck. I'or well-ni_y;h half a century he labored with diligent perseverance. He was born at Ilelslon, Cornwall, on October 25, 1832. In his very infancy he br("athed a mining atmos|)here ; for all around his native place are luimerous mines developed by sturdy Cornishmen. The Captain had hardly crossed the threshold of boyhood when he engaged on the Gnnas Cliff Mine as a copper- dresser. In this preliminary occu- pation he served for ten months, and then promotion to the under- ground workings of the Wast- wahvoar Copper Mine gratified his i)0)ish ambitions. Deep down in the caverns of the earth, Captain I'reloar began his mining educa- tion — the best school for instruction in the many departments neces.sary to the knowledge of a practical miner. In 1849 he sailed in the Ascendant, with his brother James, for Adelaide. A fellow-passenger on this trip was the late Mr. George Fife Angas, the " Father of South Australia." For some time after young Treloar's arrival in .South Australia he worked with his brother as a carpenter. Hut this kind of industry had very little interest for him, and he awaited the first opportunity that presented itself for mining operations. The Burra Copper Mine eventually attracted him, and he became an ore-dresser there. While he was working at the Burra the gold- <^''gR'ng^ of Victoria were discovered. News reached the Burra of the marvellous wealth of Ballarat one night, and at fivct o'clock next morning the Captain was on board the coach en route for the scene;. I'rom Adc'laide he took vessel to Melbourne, thence to Geelong, and the i