BUSH HORSES 45 



was no difficulty in finding a particular herd, for 

 a "mob" seldom strayed from the part of the run 

 they had been born in. 



A small belt of timber, growing on the great 

 plain, made a good spot to collect the different 

 "mobs," and provided shade against the fierce 

 rays of the sun. Bellowing bulls and "mooing" 

 cows were driven slowly towards the clumps of 

 trees, the calves, following their mothers, bringing 

 up the rear. Riders went off in all directions 

 towards the main body until the " mob " numbered 

 two or three thousand head, and were moved 

 steadily along in the direction of the head station. 

 When the men camped the stock were carefully 

 watched by half-a-dozen mounted patrols, who 

 moved backwards and forwards. In the middle 

 of the day the thermometer registered 120° F., 

 and it was warm working, cracking stock-whips, 

 and driving the tired beasts along. Knowing 

 that exhausted animals would die for want of 

 water if they could not keep up, the weaker calves 

 and heifers that could struofo-le on no longer were 

 shot with a revolver. Large flocks of galaghs or 

 native cockatoos, with the most exquisite plumage, 

 gave shrill screeches of alarm, and flew half-a- 

 mile farther on. Sometimes a snake would dart 

 up angrily, standing erect on its tail, and with 

 forked tongue hiss forth rage, then mysteriously 

 disappear ; unless, indeed, flight was arrested by 

 the reptile's head being flicked off with a neat cut 

 from a stock-whip. Often great sandy river-beds 

 had to be crossed, the banks frequently being a 

 mile apart, and the water very shallow. Then 



