TRAINING, AND GENERAL MANAGEMENT. l8l 



broken into not going to sleep. I've been made to 

 pay for lost sheep, so that for three years I hadn't a 

 cent of wages to take. The native dogs and the 

 blacks worry me. Many a night I watch all night to 

 try and get a slant at the dingoes. I used to lay baits 

 for them, but I had my best dog poisoned through 

 taking one of the baits, so I've given it up now, and 

 shoot them when I've a chance. It used to be fine 

 times at night when there was a hut-keeper, but now- 

 a-days a man has got to be his own hut-keeper, and do 

 cooking, and washing, and watching at night, and 

 shepherding all day, mending hurdles and shifting 

 them, takes up plenty of time. It's no such an idle 

 life as people suppose. There's always something to 

 do. The idlest part of it is following the sheep out at 

 grass. Lambing time makes it pretty lively for every- 

 one ; we see more people then, and get a bit of news. 

 Would I recognise my sheep in a crowd ? Of course 

 I would. I know every face in the flock, and there 

 isn't two alike. People are apt to think a sheep is a 

 sheep. So is a child a child, but no two children are 

 exactly alike, and no two sheep are alike. I could 

 swear to every one of 'em. I don't think I shall shep- 

 herd much longer. I'm getting on in years. Sixty, 

 close on. I'm thinking of saving my wages next year 

 if the publican will let me, and taking a bit of land. I 

 could have a home then, and only take a job with a 

 travelling mob sometimes, or else go to shearing at 



