authorities would surely act. That was the best, or 

 at any rate the first, course to be tried. 



There was no difficulty about the warrant, for there 

 were many counts in the indictment against Seedling ; 

 but even so worthless a brute as that seemed to have 

 one friend, or perhaps an accomplice, to give him 

 warning, and before we reached his quarters with the 

 police he had cleared on horseback for Portuguese 

 territory, taking with him a led horse. 



We got most of Jim's cattle back for him which he 

 seemed to consider the main thing but we were 

 sorely disgusted at the man's escape. 



That was the year of the ' rush.' Thousands of 

 new comers poured into the country on the strength 

 of the gold discoveries ; materials and provisions of 

 all kinds were almost unprocurable and stood at famine 

 prices ; and consequently we the transport riders 

 reaped a golden harvest. Never had there been such 

 times ; waggons and spans were paid for in single 

 trips ; and so great was the demand for supplies that 

 some refused transport and bought their own goods, 

 which they re-sold on the goldfields at prices twice 

 as profitable as the highest rates of transport. 



Thus the days lost in the attempt to catch Seedling 

 were valuable days. The season was limited, and as 

 early rains might cut us off, a few days thrown away 

 might mean the loss of a whole trip. We hurried down, 

 therefore, for the Bay, doing little hunting that time. 



Near the Crocodile on our way down we heard 

 from men coming up that Seedling had been there 

 some days before but that, hearing we were on the way 

 407 



