Bill Scott became a 'battler' after his hilarious discharge from the Royal Australian Navy in 1949, after which he sets off round Queensland to try his hand at many occupations: 'fail-safe' gold prospecting with his mate Johnny (not much gold but lots of fun and experience) ; copper mining in Mount Isa, described as a kind of 'Foreign Legion' existence where men didn't speak about their pasts; cane cutting, one of the hardest labour jobs at that time and finally becoming 'fireman' on the little steam locomotives that help collect the cane harvest and take it to the mills for crushing. And throughout, he meets a swag of colourful characters and intriguing adventures. A real life adventure. Apparently, this is not a book for the 'politically correct' reader.