Mr. James Mitchell

The Narrator

Mitchell is a seasoned swagman and storyteller who serves as a mentor and companion to the narrator, sharing yarns and bush wisdom.

Tom Hopkins

Mitchell and Tom Hopkins are fellow swagmen and mates, sharing yarns and the camaraderie of the road.

The Old Man

Mitchell and the Old Man are acquaintances from the bush, sharing stories of the old days and hard times.

The Narrator

Mitchell is a seasoned swagman and storyteller who serves as a mentor and companion to the narrator, sharing yarns and bush wisdom.

The Narrator

Mitchell is a seasoned swagman and storyteller who serves as a mentor and companion to the narrator, sharing yarns and bush wisdom.

Tom Hopkins

Mitchell and Tom Hopkins are fellow swagmen and mates, sharing yarns and the camaraderie of the road.

The Old Man

Mitchell and the Old Man are acquaintances from the bush, sharing stories of the old days and hard times.

The Old Man

Mitchell and the Old Man are acquaintances from the bush, sharing stories of the old days and hard times.

Tom Hopkins

Mitchell and Tom Hopkins are fellow swagmen and mates, sharing yarns and the camaraderie of the road.

While the Billy Boils

Appears in multiple stories as a swagman and storyteller, embodying the bush worker's wit and resilience.

Enter Mitchell

Introduced as a short, stout, bowlegged swagman with red hair and a comedian's expression, arriving at Redfern station with his dog and swag.

The Man Who Forgot

The goat of the shed, skeptical and sarcastic, who suggests the man might be a lord or a thief.

Hungerford

The narrator's mate, who sits with him on their swags to discuss matters.

A Camp-Fire Yarn

Tells the yarn about his proposals to two ugly girls, reflecting on his own appearance and the consequences of his jokes.

Going Blind

Jack Gunther asks the narrator if he knows a drover named Joe Scott, who is his half-brother; this connects to Mitchell's alias Jack Drew.

On the Edge of a Plain

Mitchell recounts his return home after being thought dead, and his subsequent departure.

Another of Mitchell’s Plans for the Future

Narrates his elaborate plan to settle down with a cocky's daughter, shear sheep, and secure a farm through marriage.

Remailed

Referred to as 'Jack' who asks for the paper after Bill.

Remailed

The recipient of Bill's newspaper, addressed formally as 'Mr. James Mitchell'.

Mitchell Doesn’t Believe in the Sack

Mitchell explains his resolve to never accept the sack again and describes his strategy to outlast any employer who tries to dismiss him.

Shooting the Moon

The narrator of the yarn, who planned to 'shoot the moon' from a pub and was caught by the landlord.

“Dossing Out” and “Camping”

Implied as the old mate who collected the food parcels left by the man-whose-name-doesn't-matter.

Some Day

Reveals a deeply personal memory of a lost love, Edie Brown, and expresses regret and bitterness over his wasted years and inability to return home.

Mitchell: A Character Sketch

The protagonist who uses wit and diplomacy to secure rations for himself and his mates.

Our Pipes

Tells the story of his first smoking experiences and his mother's opposition, later bonding with his father over the habit.

Coming Across—A Study in the Steerage

Likely one of the shearers or bushmen involved in the drunken arguments and storytelling in the cabin.

Two Dogs and a Fence

Mitchell narrates the extended analogy about dogs and fences, drawing parallels to human nature and conflict.

For Auld Lang Syne

Jack, the narrator's 'especial chum,' is among the push; he pauses during 'Auld Lang Syne' to note the police sergeant joining in, and later is the last mate to leave, described as 'perhaps the most irreclaimable of us all.'