268 A LONG RAMBLE IN QUEENSLAND 



Our newly-found chums directed us to a well where 

 there was plenty of water, but when we arrived there we 

 found some swagsmen (tramps) had carried away the 

 bucket, and we had to draw the water and fill the trough 

 with our billys, which was slow work. 



The swagsmen are often a great nuisance in all parts 

 of Australia. They now (unless really honest men in 

 search of work) keep on the outskirts of the settlements ; 

 and if they take offence at the refusal of a squatter or 

 stockman to give them food and lodging, they never fail 

 to commit some outrage to show their displeasure. They 

 fire the outhouses, break down the fences, open the stock- 

 yard gates, and commit a dozen other acts of mischief. 

 Of course if they are caught the punishment is sharp, and 

 even for the minor charge of vagrancy they seldom get 

 off with less than six months' hard labour ; but it is very 

 difficult to bring home the graver charges of incendiarism 

 and wanton destruction to them. It is one thing to be 

 convinced that you know the offender, quite another to 

 prove in a court of justice that he is an offender. 



This petty annoyance of carrying away the bucket 

 from a well is very common among swagsmen. In the 

 case just mentioned, we found the broken bucket ten 

 miles away. The fellow had evidently carried water to 

 his next camping-place, and having used it, had wantonly 

 smashed the bucket. 



In this plain there are no rivers, and water cannot be 

 found at a less depth than fourteen to eighteen feet ; but 

 in summer, when violent rain-storms occur, there is plenty 

 of surface water. Then the herbage is very luxuriant, 

 and there is a moderate quantity of grass all the year 

 round. 



The object of the expedition being thought to be 

 now accomplished, the party proposed to return home 

 immediately. Accordingly, on the 27th the majority of 

 them started on the return journey, but I and the 

 gentleman who had been my particular chum or friend, 

 and whose tastes were similar to my own, agreed to 

 examine the country more closely than could be done in 



