36 Australian Life 



plans have been laid for the course along which 

 they are to be driven. The whole success of the 

 operation depends upon the carrying out of these 

 plans. And now the brumbies are off, heading 

 straight for the roughest part of the range of hills, 

 while every horseman in pursuit is getting as 

 much as possible out of his mount. Those best 

 mounted forge ahead, and ride for the flanks of 

 the flying mob of "long-tails," where stock-whips 

 are presently cracking as the men strive to turn 

 the terrified animals. Now the herd is tearing 

 down a steep declivity, threading between trees 

 and boulders. It is the chance of the mounted 

 men, for even the wild brumbies are not so sure- 

 footed as these stock-horses. One or two of the 

 boldest riders are at the foot of the descent be- 

 fore their quarry, and check them with skilfully 

 wielded stock-whips. The others press closer 

 now, and the wild animals are turned, checked 

 and lashed and harried into a state of exhaustion. 

 Like a mob of driven cattle, they are forced into 

 the stock-yard, although at the sight of the fenc- 

 ing the wildest of them make a last effort for free- 

 dom, and two or three may probably break the 

 cordon and escape at the last moment. The value 

 of the brumby may be judged from the fact that a 

 good stock-horse, carrying a full-grown man, can 

 both outpace and outstay him. Some of them are 

 easily broken to both saddle and harness, but 

 others remain incorrigible "outlaws," in spite of 

 the forcible methods of the horse-breaker. 



