Squatters and Stations 17 



favoured localities where the rainfall is regular 

 and the pasturage abundant. lyong experience 

 has shown how these stations can be managed to 

 the best advantage, and, in many cases, they 

 yield their owners large incomes even in the worst 

 seasons. 



On one of these stations, pastoral life may be 

 seen at its best, and I propose to describe a typi- 

 cal one, situated in the Riverina district of New 

 South Wales. The "run" consists of a triangle 

 of land enclosed by two streams, the confluence 

 of which on their way to the river Darling forms 

 the apex of a triangle. The third boundary, the 

 base of the triangle, is a well-made public road. 

 The run itself is fenced off from the road by a 

 stout three-railed fence, and is divided into pad- 

 docks by similar fences, or lighter ones made of 

 wire stretched through posts. A white gate on 

 the boundary fence marks the drive leading from 

 the public road through the run, and a similar 

 gate at each subdivisional fence points its course 

 to the homestead. The homestead itself is a sub- 

 stantial house of stone, built after the fashion of a 

 bungalow, with only one story, and a broad ve- 

 randa running around three sides of it. Grape- 

 vines and passion-flower shade the veranda, and 

 the front of the house looks over a spacious gar- 

 den and orchard, with a thick hedge of quince 

 trees. On the veranda are easy-chairs and 

 lounges, and a table strewn with the latest Eng- 

 lish magazines as well as the admirable weekly 



