BUSH HORSES 51 



The boundary fences between the runs are 

 made of barbed wire, and are kept in order by 

 "boundary riders," who sometimes become mad 

 from the awful sohtude of their surroundings. 

 Of course, where land is freehold, the stations 

 are merely farms on an enormous scale ; but 

 in the rougher parts visiting your nearest neigh- 

 bour may mean a ride of at least twenty or 

 thirty miles. 



The word "Bush" is applied equally to the 

 plain country covered by detached tufts of coarse 

 native orrass — more like corn-fields than EneHsh 

 meadows— and to the "Scrub," or forest tracts. 

 Tussock grass is very sustaining to stock, and 

 bullocks and sheep are fattened without arti- 

 ficial food — such as linseed and cotton-cake. 

 Horses fed on it can gallop for miles ; they are 

 hobbled during the night, or when their riders 

 rest for meals ; and when not wanted are " turned 

 out," and then are perhaps not seen again for 

 weeks together. Stock horses are very rarely 

 given oats, hay, Indian corn, or bran. 



