86 NOTES OF TRAVEL 1859-60 



fowlingpiece ; numbers of white cockatoos screamed discordantly 

 at us from the branches above our heads, and some of the bud- 

 gerygars and galas, which were so numerous along our track 

 through the dry country, were there to give us a welcome. Of 

 crows and hawks we saw but few, but pretty crested pigeons 

 were not uncommon, especially in close proximity to the poly- 

 gonum country ; the little shepherd's companions, called jerica- 

 jerica by the blacks, were with us always. To lie down 

 by the camp fire amidst such surroundings was joy indeed, espe- 

 cially as each of up, according to an honoured custom which was 

 never omitted when we had a sufficiency, had just comforted 

 the inner man with a p'ump Barwon River duck; and such 

 ducks they were, too ! Ci.'orge, I knew, was very contented that 

 evening. I knew it was so because he gave us the song which 

 he reserved for his most blissful moments. It began about 

 carelessly straying into " yon blue meadow " and beholding a 

 " maiden fair and a young sailor gay " who was going to cross 

 the sea to fight " the proud Chinee." This, of course, " lovely 

 Soo-oo-?an " strongly objected to, but the hero must go at any 

 price. A musical critic might have condemned the song. I had 

 heard it many times during the last eighteen months, and on 

 such occasions the camp was always in a happy mood. I liked 

 it therefore, and best of all when it had come to an end ; nobody 

 ever asked George to sing it a second time. Cockatoos have no 

 appreciation of music. On this particular evening they seemed 

 to become uneasy, and as the song proceeded they gave vent to 

 their feelings in loud screams. When George had finished he 

 remarked wonderingly : " What the jakers is they birds squalling 

 at? I could hardly keep in tune for them." I suggested it 

 might be their way of applauding. " By jakers, I never thought 

 of that. I'll give 'em a hencore ! " The birds had not had 

 eighteen months' training, however, and after some farther 

 protest they left their perches and flew wildly into the darkness. 

 They would not allow us to approach them closely on the follow- 

 ing day ! 



Travelling down the Barwon next morning I was very much 

 struck by the appearance of a station called Nulcumbiddy. The 

 gentleman manager, or perhaps proprietor, was Mr. Burton 

 Gaden. " Tom " Gaden, cf the Commercial Banking Co. of 

 Sydney, " Harry," "Bob," "Ted" Gaden— these are brothers 

 of his ; David Abercrombie, of Commercial Bank, Brisbane, a 

 half-brother. Burton Gaden was an exceptional man. In this 



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