Squatters and Stations 15 



undisputed possession of a district more than large 

 enough for his flocks and herds, which were trans- 

 ferred from one spot to another, wherever abun- 

 dance of food or water might be found. Bach 

 flock was in charge of a shepherd, whose duty it 

 was to keep the sheep within certain limits, and 

 to guard the lambs from their worst enemy, the 

 dingo, or wild dog. The shepherd lived the life 

 of a hermit, probably seeing no human being ex- 

 cept the man who brought him his stores of tea 

 and flour from the head station at fixed periods, 

 and relying for company upon his dogs. There 

 was no talk of overstocking in those days. In 

 bad seasons, the stock were moved to new pas- 

 tures, hitherto untouched, and in good years they 

 rioted in the superabundant pastures. 



Prices for Australian wool ruled high, and the 

 squatters prospered until the very mention of the 

 word came to suggest the possession of wealth. 

 Who has not heard of the wool "kings" of Aus- 

 tralia ? They had their town mansions standing 

 in spacious grounds and occupying the most desir- 

 able situations in the best suburbs of Sydney and 

 Melbourne. With princely disregard of cost, 

 they erected dwellings on their runs, designed to 

 afford their occupiers the maximum of comfort 

 and to neutralise the more unpleasant conditions of 

 the Australian climate. They kept racing studs, 

 drove four-in-hand drags, and entertained chance 

 visitors with a liberality so open-handed that 

 Australian hospitality obtained a well-deserved 



