Herbert Hoover was only 23 years old when he went to London to interview with Bewick, Moreing and Company. To make himself look older, he grew a mustache and wore a top hat. Hoover was hired by the London-based mining firm to inspect and develop their gold mines in Australia. He was sent to mines in Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie in the Western Australian outback where temperatures reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit and stayed there. He lived on sardines and cocoa and rode camels and horses from place to place.
Water is scarce.
You can't afford to drink it. On one of his camel trips he came upon the Sons of Gwalia Mine at Mount Leonora and discovered it contained a rich vein of gold. Taking his advice, Bewick, Moreing and Company purchased it. The Sons of Gwalia Mine earned millions of dollars and helped establish Hoover's reputation. In 1898 he was offered a raise in salary and a chance to go to China.