CHAPTER XVI 



SOUTHERN JOURNEY: THE BARRIER STAGE 



November i. — Last night we heard that Jehu had reached 

 Hut Point in about 5^ hours. This morning we got away in 

 detachments — Michael, Nobby, Chinaman were first to get away 

 about 1 1 A.M. The little devil Christopher was harnessed with 

 the usual difficulty and started in kicking mood, Gates holding on 

 for all he was worth. 



Bones ambled off gently with Crean, and I led Snippets in 

 his wake. Ten minutes after Evans and Snatcher passed at the 

 usual full speed. 



The wind blew very strong at the Razor Back and the sky 

 was threatening — the ponies hate the wind. A mile south of this 

 island Bowers and Victor passed me, leaving me where I best 

 wished to be — at the tail of the line. 



About this place I saw that one of the animals ahead had 

 stopped and was obstinately refusing to go forward again. I 

 had a great fear it was Chinaman, the unknown quantity, but 

 to my relief found it was my old friend ' Nobby ' in obstinate 

 mood. As he is very strong and fit the matter was soon ad- 

 justed with a little persuasion from Anton behind. Poor little 

 Anton found it difficult to keep the pace with short legs. 



Snatcher soon led the party and covered the distance in four 

 hours. Evans said he could see no difference at the end from 

 the start — the little animal simply romped in. Bones and Chris- 

 topher arrived almost equally fresh, in fact the latter had been 

 bucking and kicking the whole way. For the present there is no 

 end to his devilment, and the great consideration is how to safe- 

 guard Gates. Some quiet ponies should always be near him, a 

 difficult matter to arrange with such varying rates of walking. 

 A little later I came up to a batch, Bowers, Wilson, Cherry, and 

 Wright, and was happy to see Chinaman going very strong. He 

 is not fast, but very steady, and I think should go a long way. 



