158 SETTLING IN QUEENSLAND, ETC. 



bullocks which were expected to give a return that would keep 

 bank accounts in an easy condition were the readiest to drop off ; 

 breeding cows, heifers, calves, steers, and bulls, all were affected, 

 and, without having made any sales in two years time, my herd 

 was reduced in number by one-third ; some of my neighbours 

 lost half. It was a hard time, but most of us recovered our 

 position in a few years through the increase of prices that took 

 place after the depletion of the herds. 



In the last month of 1875, having taken a partner in the 

 station, I left him in charge and moved off to Sydney. lie was 

 an excellent young man, but after a time his health became im- 

 paired ; how much so I did not know until the beginning of 

 1883. Unfortunately for myself, I bought hini out, but I had 

 no suspicion of a big drought having begun. The recollection 

 of that time is by no means agreeable. All of us had very heavy 

 losses — in some cases quite 50 per cent. — ^and there were very 

 few, I think, who would have believed that a greater evil in the 

 form of drought could overtake them. The drought which has 

 been devastating the country for so long, is probably worse than 

 that of 1883-4-5. Undoubtedly it has been more universal ; but 

 in a new country the severity of droughts cannot be satisfactorily 

 compared. In 1858, when the losses were so heavy in a large 

 part of what is now called Riverina, they occurred for the most 

 part amongst travelling cittle. The runs were unfenced and the 

 local cattle found abundant pasture in the back county, coming 

 to the frontages to water about every secou.l day. Many an 

 evening I watched them coming in from across the plains to 

 drink from the Lachlan. In long strings they would approach, 

 as it were, from behind the horizon — a game of follow my leader. 

 As they drew near the stream they would run and caper 

 about like so many calves. Then, when their thirst was 

 assuaged, and they had had a good corroboree, they would 

 march back in line as they had come ; they needed no grass, 

 and they were strong and in good condition, proving 

 the sufficiency of the feed in the waterless back country. 

 Fencing has changed all that ; the rents have been raised, 

 the number of stock largely increased, and the losses are 

 very much more heavy. It is impossible to compare the severity 

 of droughts where the conditions have been so materially 

 altered. So in Queensland in the districts with which I am 

 best acquainted it is impossible to compare the 1858 drought 

 with that which commenced in 1883, and the latter with that 



