June  i 1893.] 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST, 
749 
would  find  existence  impossible.  It  makes  one  serious 
to  think  of  the  perils  of  a stranger  here.  Those 
familiar  paddocks  round  the  very  homestead  are 
deathtraps  indeed  to  the  stiarger  where  the  boun- 
dary rider  steers  his  course  almost  unconsciously.  I 
often  stroll  away  into  the  silent  bush  and  try  to 
realize  the  firenzied  agony  oi  a lost  man  in  these 
terrible  thirsty  solitudes,  I picLure  the  various  stories 
I have  heard  lately.  That  one  of  ihe  parson  and 
bis  friend,  b .th  blew  Chums,  whote  horses  both  jibbed 
with  them  and  refused  to  proceed  further  because 
they  had  been  ridden  too  rapidly  and  too  far 
without  water.  They  were  reduced  to  such  straits 
that  although  they  were  on  a coach  track  and  near 
(comparatively)  s'atious.  Yet  they  were  so  far  reduced 
that  one  man  lay  down  half  urrcoutcioue,  while  the 
p.rson  cut  the  shoulder  cf  his  borBe  and  drank  the 
blood.  By  the  time  the  coach  came  along  a few  days 
had  reduced  them  almost  to  maniacs  solely  by  the 
want  of  Wa'er.  Then  ihe  story  of  old  Dan  who  was 
paraized  by  a kick  from  a horse  so  that  his  legs 
were  usel<  ss.  Dm  had  been  lett  in  charge  of  part  of 
a contractors  team  an  1 camp  while  the  contractor, 
his  men,  and  the  rest  tf  the  team  bad  gone  lor 
supplies.  He  bed  dismounted  about  three  miles  from 
the  camp  and  somthow  had  beeu  vic.ously  kicked 
by  the  horse  which  deprived  him  ol  the  use  of  his 
legs.  Then  the  tough  old  fellow  started  for  the 
camp  on  hi-*  feliy — the  only  means  of  locomotion 
being  his  arms  and  hands.  Four  days  later  he  arrived 
at  the  camp.  It  was  no  easy  strull  though  but  three 
miles.  It  was  no  light  stepping  Marco,  but  the 
toes  of  bis  bouts  w>ru  through  and  part  of  the  fit sh 
from  his  feet,  the  doilies  ou  his  stomach  were 
matted  with  bioo  t and  torn  flesh,  and  clay, — while 
Ins  arms  Irom  the  elbow  down  aud  the  palms ot  his 
bands  were  law  and  bleeding.  What  a wonder  of 
determination.  The  instinct  of  self-preservation  is 
strong,  tint  how  many  persons  would  have  foot  by 
foot,  inch  by  inch  steered  for  tbres  miles,  without 
fo  id  or  drink — yes  he  had  wat  r at  the  place  where 
he  was  kicked- but  during  the  journey  he  was 
without  food  or  drink.  The  men  in  search  came  across 
a curious  trail  was  it  a sheep  with  a broken 
leg,  was  it  a lame  kangaroo  - Such  a trial 
had  never  before  been  in  the  bush.  Let  my  readers 
try  to  make  progress  across  the  carpet  of  the  diuing- 
toom  entirely  by  mems  of  the  fore-arms  and  elbows, 
and  they  will  realize  id  some  manner  how  these  four 
days  were  spent.  Old  Dan  only  made  progress  during 
the  Dight — guiding  himself  by  the  stars.  Had  he 
attempted  to  do  so  by  day  the  excur  iou  would  have 
created  a thirst  that  would  have  killed  him.  Think 
of  him  lying  under  a mulga  bush  hie  body  deadened 
not  only  by  paralysis,  but  by  striping  over  sticks 
and  stones  and  yielding  sand.  What  patience,  what 
enduring  to  the  end.  Then  there  was  the  balmy 
swjgsmau  who  stripped  naked  and  ran  ronnd  the 
horse-paddock.  This  casting  awoy  of  not  only  the 
swag  but  also  the  very  clothes  themselves  is  a 
very  common  symptom  of  this  madness,  He 
was  seen  afterwards  at  an  abandoned  camp. 
Thin  he  turned  np  at  a camp  away  on  the  other  side 
of  the  run.  Then  his  hat  was  found  far  away  from 
track,  or  tank,  camp  or  hut,  and  farther  on  the 
overseer  deolared  that  he  and  the  mau  with  him 
whiffed  a ghastly  odour.  They  looked,  but  not  too 
closely.  They  reached,  but  none  too  narrowly,  and 
to  this  day  it  is  believed  that  there  lies  g skeleton 
in  that  far  outlying  corner.  Thirst,  whether  on  those 
boundless  plains,  or  in  the  traokle6s  ocean,  it  overcomes 
all  the  natural  instincts  of  the  animal.  It  makes  a man 
hanker  after  the  life-blood  of  his  mate,  it  makes  a 
ewe  leave  her  Jamb,  It  is  getting  time  again  for  rain. 
We  have  had  none  since  November,  and  there  is  the 
lambing  to  consider.  It  is  to  be  hoped  it  will  not  be 
like  last  year.  Already  r&ip  is  banking  up  and 
threatening. 
By  the  coach  which  has  just  left  I have  received 
another  letter  from  Mr.  Henry  Poett.  I sent  him  a 
copy  of  my  Mildura  Report  feeliDg  sure  that  he  would 
say  I had  over  coloured  it  though  I honestly  tried  t ot 
to  do  bo— Hut  so  many  baye  accused  me  of  that  that  I 
heard  Poett  would  do  so  also.  His  testimony  is  more 
valuable  in  that  he  has  seen  the  place  as  a permanent 
resident  Dot  as  as  a visitor  of  a few  hours  like  my- 
self. He  says  “ I was  very  pleased  with  your  report. 
It  is  a very  ably  drawn  up  document  and  does  not 
in  any  way  overrate  Mildura  which  is  a very  decided 
success  although  the  sett'ers  through  following  utterly 
bad  and  unprincipled  advice  are  doing  their  level  best 
to  wreck  the  place  and  themselves  too.”  I am 
glad  I am  supported  hy  Mr.  Poett ; because  I felt 
it  a responsibility  to  write  and  advise  peopleto  come  to  a 
place  which  might  not  turn  out  the  success  I foretold. 
Your  readers  should  read  Miss  Shaw’s  letters  to  the 
(London)  Times  about  Australia,  and  I would  be  o-lad 
if  any  of  them  would  send  me  copies  of  the  Times 
containing  same.  (You  have  my  address)  Miss  Shaw’s 
opinions  would  be  crystalized  concise  opinion  in- 
telligible and  to  the  point ; — and,  what  is  more  perfeotly 
reliable.  Of  course  a mere  visitor  misses  a great 
deal  and  is  apt  to  generalize  too  greatly.  Witness  the 
M.P.’s  aud  globe  trotters  who  visit  India;  But 
Australia  is  an  r asier  problem  for  the  globe  trotter  or 
a newspaper  correspondent  than  India. 
ABERUONENSIS. 
U.S, — A camp  was  robbed  in  the  absence  of  the 
Boundary  rider  and  the  sheep  overseer  aud  a station 
hand  started  on  horseback  to  follow  up  the  trail. 
Some  dastardly  sandowner,  some  pitiful  thriving  steak. 
The  meanest  trick  to  rob  a lovely  boundary  rider  of 
his  tobacco  and  moleskins  &c.!  But  nemesis  was  on 
bis  track.  They  found  (be  footmarks  go  away  to  the 
South  and  hit  a fence  a few  miles  off,  but  parolled 
with  the  coach  track  showing  that  the  man  knew  the 
country.  Right  along  for  many  a mile  the  footprints 
were  outside  this  fence  aud  then  crossed  the  fence 
and  travelled  in  the  direction  of  the  next  station 
home  stead  and  near  the  Coach  Track.  After  a while 
in  the  wide  plain  they  sighted  tbeir  quarry  “humping 
his  drum  ” and  raising  a long  line  of  dust.  They 
spurred  their  horses  and  rapidly  neared  him.  As 
they  rode  up  he  threw  his  swag  on  the  grout  d and 
stood  over  it.  This  action  alone  had  a gu!ty  look. 
The  overseer  said  they  were  in  search  of  a thief 
who  had  robbed  the  Camp  and  they  wanted  to  look  ah 
his  swag.  If  they  were  mistaken  he  would  pay  his 
fare  by  the  coach  to  the  terminus  if  necessary.  All 
that  was  wanted  was  that  the  swag  should  be  ex- 
amir  ed.  The  man  eyed  the  two  as  they  sat  on  their 
horses.  “ What  the do  you  mean  stopping  a 
traveller  and  wanting  to  look  in  his  for?” 
“Wen,  in  the  1st  place  we  have  tracked  vou  from 
the  hut  where  the  robbery  took  place  and  m the  2nd 
pl  iCQ  you  are  off  the  track  in  a suspicious  manner. 
What  more  could  you  want  to  make  us  answer  to  do 
to  examine  your  swag  ? However  whether  you  will  or  no 
we  mean  to  do  it.  Murphy,  open  his  swag.  Murphy  open 
bis  swag.  Murphy  alighted  and  sent  his  horse  off  out  of 
reach  and  presently  he  and  the  thief  were  at  it  hammer 
and  toDgs.  Murphy  soon  proved  his  superiority  and  the 
swagman,  se  mg  he  had  no  chance,  suddenly  drew 
knife  and  rushed  at  the  overseer.  “ Ah ! ” shouted 
the  overseer,  as  he  dexterously  wheeled  his  horse 
“ Ah  ! that’s  just  what  I was  waiting  for,”  Whack  t 
went  the  stock  whip,  a truly  formidable  weapon  It 
is  quite  awe  inspiring  to  hear  a bushman  wielding  a 
stockwhip  near  to  you.  Reports  like  rifle  shots  had 
the  hissing  of  the  Jong  lash  like  a huge  snake 
There’s  “the  Sydney  Flash”  three  oracks  like  thunder 
m three  turns  of  the  arm.  There’s  the  flogging  cut 
and  the  up  and  down  cut  &c.  $o.  A very  few  mo^ 
ments  of  the  full  weight  of  the  etockwhips  made 
the  thief  he  down  ana  my  like  a child  Then  the 
swag  was  opened  and  didnt  the  overseer  swear 
There  was  everything  even  down  to  a few  oonnera 
that  the  beast  stole.  You  hound  you  d&erve  m be 
lynched.  “You  blasted  wretch  ! Flown  went  the  full 
force  of  the  stockwhip,  bang”  batg  1 crack!  crack! 
till  the  Overseer  was  weary  and  the  setting  sun  warned 
him  to  desist.  “Go  I yon  brute.  It  is  a pity  we 
haven  6 more  time  or  I would  give  you  another  dose 
when  I have  rested,’’  and  off  the  iwo  started  for  hocra 
at  a handgallop  very  satisfied  with  their  days'  work 
ABERDQNENSIS,'  * 
