The most delightful thing in the life of Northern Australia is its care-free appearance. Existence is literally out of doors， and people live as if burglars were unknown. I have ridden past houses in the early morning， and have seen the verandas littered with books， bric-à-brac， walking-sticks， hats， lamps， and other articles-and the door wide open. Night after night things are left so， and they are not stolen. Stealing is punished in Queensland with the greatest rigour. A man might be guilty of manslaughter， and stand in better odour with the authorities than the thief.
I have ridden to a plantation late at night， turned my horse into the horse-paddock， entered the house， struck a match， found a sofa， lain down， and awakened in the morning to find life bustling about me， my breakfast ready on the table； and I an utter stranger.
Such is the freedom of life. I was a traveller. I suppose I did not look like a vagabond； they appreciated the desire on my part not to disturb their rest， and they apologized for the hardness of the sofa.
Gilbert Parker， in Round the Compass in AustraliaAuthor.-Sir Gilbert Parker was born in Canada in 1862. He became a world traveller and a prolific author of novels and travel notes as well as of a few poems. His best-known romances are The Seats of the Mighty， When Valmond Came to Pontiac， and The Right of Way. Round the Compass in Australia was published in 1892.
General.-What are the two chief virtues of the Queenslanders， according to the author？ Do you think this applies to all Australia？ Give instances to support your view. Bric-a-brac is a French word for curios.