38 Australian Life 



with Sydney Bob, facing the wrong way, vigor- 

 ously twisting his tail with the uninjured hand. 

 As the maddened beast tore down the street, his 

 rider could be heard shouting his war-cry of 



Blow me, dontcher know me ? 

 I 'm Sydney Bob, the rider. 



From that freak, he escaped without injury, 

 although I believe he met his death as a result of 

 one of these mad wagers. In his day, this man 

 was a notable rider of "buckjumpers," and a well- 

 known character at horse-sales. 



Among the most skilful of horsebreakers are 

 the rough-riders attached to the Australian police 

 departments, which annually purchase large 

 draughts of valuable young horses for the use of 

 the mounted police. Among a draught I once saw 

 handled by the police rough-riders, was a buck- 

 jumper which gave a most extraordinary exhibi- 

 tion of his accomplishments. He did not look the 

 part at all; otherwise, he would never have been 

 purchased for the purpose of a trooper's mount. 

 This horse allowed himself to be saddled with a 

 meekness that his experienced rider evidently con- 

 sidered suspicious, for he was obviously prepared 

 for the performance which followed. No sooner 

 had he thrown himself into the saddle than the 

 horse sprang into the air, ducking his head and 

 arching his back with a ferocious energy. Four 

 times he leaped into the air, bucking until it 

 seemed that the stout girth would break. Find- 



