Abstract
In March 1899 Fred Merton discovered the gold deposit which became Merton's Reward gold mine. He took the unusual step, for a prospector, of developing the mine himself, acting as mine manager, engineer, metallurgist and assayer. In so doing, he earned a special place in the mythology of gold in WA, particularly with regard to his battery and the gold won from it. Using detailed analysis of the production records for Merton's Reward, this paper assesses the efficiency of the battery and its proprietor and also explores some of the more scurrilous tales of Fred Merton and his gold.