The Narrator

Mr. James Mitchell

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

Tom Hopkins

Tom Hopkins is a fellow bush worker and mate of the narrator, often sharing hardships and camaraderie in the outback.

Steelman

Steelman is a cunning conman and manipulator who frequently uses the narrator as a dupe or accomplice in his schemes.

Mother Brock

Mother Brock is a tough, hard-drinking bush publican who interacts with the narrator as a customer and local character.

The Old Man

The Old Man is the narrator's father, a stoic and often weary figure from the narrator's rural childhood.

Tom Brook

Tom Brook is a fellow bushman and mate of the narrator, sharing work and wanderings in the Australian outback.

Father

The father is a stern, hardworking parent whose relationship with the narrator is marked by duty and occasional conflict.

Brummy Usen

Brummy Usen is a laconic, eccentric bush character and a mate of the narrator, known for his dry humor.

Dave

Dave is a fellow swagman and companion of the narrator, sharing the road and campfire stories.

Jim Brown

Jim Brown is a simple, good-natured bushman and a friend of the narrator, often involved in humorous misadventures.

Mrs. Aspinall

Mrs. Aspinall is a boarding-house keeper who interacts with the narrator as a lodger and local figure.

Baldy Thompson

Baldy Thompson is a fellow bush worker and mate of the narrator, known for his tall tales and rough humor.

While the Billy Boils

Often the unnamed observer or participant in the tales, providing a firsthand perspective on bush life.

An Old Mate of Your Father's

The narrator recalls childhood memories of his father's old mates visiting the family home.

Stiffner and Jim

The narrator (Jim) is a swagman traveling with Bill, who devises the plan to trick Stiffner and escape without paying.

When the Sun Went Down

The narrator describes the events of the quarrel, the mine collapse, and Tom's fatal heart attack.

Hungerford

The narrator recounts his journey to Hungerford and his observations of the town and its inhabitants.

A Camp-Fire Yarn

Mitchell's mate, who listens to the yarn and then tells a similar story about a young carpenter.

His Country-After All

The bagman or commercial traveler who engages the stranger in debate about patriotism and Australia.

A Day on a Selection

Provides the observational, ironic, and detached perspective on the selector's daily life.

Going Blind

The narrator resides at the Full-and-Plenty Dining Rooms, befriends Jack Gunther, and helps him with letters and descriptions of photos.

Arvie Aspinall's Alarm Clock

The unnamed narrator who recounts the tragic story of Arvie Aspinall and his alarm clock.

Stragglers

The observing narrator who describes the hut, the men, and the harsh conditions in vivid detail, including the interactions and routines of the stragglers.

The Union Buries Its Dead

The narrator participates in the funeral procession and reflects on the events, noting the irony and absurdity of the burial.

On the Edge of a Plain

Mitchell's mate, who listens and comments on the story.

In a Dry Season

The narrator travels by train through the drought-stricken bush, observing and commenting on the landscape, towns, and people.

He’d Come Back

The city bushman who tells the story of deserting his wife and returning.

Mitchell Doesn’t Believe in the Sack

The narrator is Mitchell's mate who questions him about getting the sack.

Shooting the Moon

The listener in the camp, who interjects with comments during Mitchell's story.

His Father's Mate

The third-person narrator who describes the fossicker's visions of the past and the events on the goldfields.

“Dossing Out” and “Camping”

Describes personal experience of having 'the key of the street' for a night and feeling like a felon under police suspicion.

Across the Straits

The narrator loses a half-sovereign, endures a rough voyage, and wires for money upon arrival in Picton.

The Drover’s Wife

The unnamed narrator describes the scene and the bushwoman's thoughts and actions.

An Unfinished Love Story

Brook, the city man returning to his old selection, reflects on the past and engages in a brief romance with Lizzie.

Board and Residence

The unemployed boarder, referred to as Mr. Careless, who endures the squalid conditions and the landlady's monologues.

His Colonial Oath

The narrator meets an old schoolmate and reflects on the disconnect between city and bush life.

Some Day

Mitchell's mate and listener, who prompts Mitchell to admit he kissed the girl and later asks about marriage, serving as a foil to Mitchell's despair.

In a Wet Season

The narrator recounts his own miserable train journey through the rain, his struggles to obtain a cattle train pass, and his observations of the bleak landscape and fellow travelers.

Mitchell: A Character Sketch

Observes and recounts Mitchell's clever negotiation and the cook's bewilderment.

Our Pipes

Camped with Mitchell, listens to his story, and asks about his father.

Coming Across—A Study in the Steerage

The narrator observes and recounts the steerage passengers' experiences, including their emotions, conversations, and social dynamics.

Brummy Usen

The narrator and a companion meet the old swagman and hear his stories.

She Wouldn’t Speak

The narrator is one of the two shearers who enters the pub and observes the servant girl's refusal to speak. He participates in Dave's challenge to make her talk, drinking excessive tea until he can drink no more.

The Geological Spieler

Describes the scene and the interactions between Steelman, Smith, and the railway workers.

Baldy Thompson

Recounts a personal encounter with Baldy, where he and a mate used Baldy's own ideas to secure rations and a sovereign.

For Auld Lang Syne

The narrator is a member of the 'mountain push' and reflects on the departures of his mates, feeling the end of old times and considering his own emigration.