Sept. 16, 1911.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
443 
AN AUSTRALIAN’S ADVENTURE. 
My occupation—shearer, drover, etc.—in the 
western part of Queensland, says a correspond¬ 
ent of the Sydney Angler, made the possession 
of a good turn-out a necessity, and I always 
traveled with three good saddle hacks (with a 
“take-down” among them), and a pack horse. 
On the bank of the Landsborough I had once 
in drouth time struck green feed a foot high, 
and the horses being tired and weak, I selected 
a shady clump of gidgia and turned out. I 
noticed, about 150 yards away, a tilted dray, 
whose owner was stretched underneath, smoking 
and had not been long in my camp when he 
came over for a yarn. He was as sinister look¬ 
ing a fellow as I ever met, and quite unable to 
look me in the face when talking. In course of 
conversation he inquired my intentions, and when 
I said my stay there would probably be for a 
couple of weeks, he abruptly left my camp, went 
off into a clump of trees, and presently returned 
with two draft horses, which he proceeded to 
harness to his dray. After removing the tilt he 
went into a patch of gidgia down the river, 
where he put on a load of fire wood, which he 
threw off about thirty yards from his camp, and 
went back for a second load, hoppled the horses 
again, replaced the tilt, and proceeded to clean 
up a Winchester rifle which had been standing 
against a tree. I left my camp and went down 
the river, when I commenced fishing, and in 
about half an hour had three very nice yellow 
belly perch of about a couple of pounds weight 
each which I caught with grubs chopped from a 
tree. It was still early in the day, and having 
nothing else to do I sat in the shade with my 
back against a tree reading. Every time I looked 
up I caught the man’s eyes turned in my direc¬ 
tion, but he instantly withdrew his gaze as I did 
so. In conversation he had stated his intention 
to leave the camp next morning, en route for 
Landsborough Downs, about thirty miles away. 
I could not help feeling uneasy at his move¬ 
ments, and it dawned on me that I might be 
more concerned in his plans than was quite 
agreeable. Anyway, as no other travelers came 
along, and it was nearing sundown, I decided 
to shift my camp a mile or two; at least, away 
from such a disquieting neighbor, and accord¬ 
ingly went for my horses. I had hardly gone 
200 yards when I heard two shots in quick suc¬ 
cession, but took no notice of this, gave the 
horses a drink and returned to camp. 
Great was my consternation on walking toward 
the tree under which I had been sitting to see, 
just level with the spot where my head had been 
when reading, a fresh mark, as though the bark 
had just been knocked off. On closer examina¬ 
tion I found that two bullets were embedded in 
the tree not an inch apart which accounted for 
the two shots I had heard. They had been fired 
from the direction of the dray. This left no 
doubt in my mind, and I took the precaution 
to load my revolver (it had stood me in good 
stead many times in the Northern Territory, 
where the blacks were troublesome), and strap 
it on the saddle. 
Packing completed, I rode up to the dray—the 
man underneath had been watching me closely 
all the while. 
“I thought you said you were going to give 
your blanky horses a spell?” he said. 
I replied, that I had changed my mind. 
“Some blanky men don’t know their blank 
mind for five minutes at a time—after all my 
blanky trouble, the blanker is going to clear out!” 
said he. 
I did not stay to argue, but the disappointed 
scowl on the fellow’s face, as he eyed the re¬ 
volver, strengthened my conviction that the heap 
of fire wood was intended for my cremation. I 
rode about four miles further up the river, 
turned out, and grilled one of my fish for sup¬ 
per, and next morning went back to my former 
camp to investigate. The dray had gone, and 
the two bullets in my tree had been chopped 
out, but the heap of fire wood remained. I con¬ 
gratulated myself on a narrow escape. 
SPORTSMENS BOOTS 
Half the pleasure of shootingand fishing and 
most of the comfort depend on the kind of boots you wear. Above all 
else, you want a pair you can depend upon, and that’s exactly what you 
get when you buy 
WOONSOCKET Elephant Head 
RUBBER BOOTS 
We have been making rubber boots for 45 years and have the only mill 
in the United States making them exclusively. Our output runs as 
high as 10,000 pairs a day. “Woonsockets” are built for hard wear. 
Our Sportsmen’s and Fishermen’s Boots are especially noted for 
their fine finish and perfect fit. 
Get a pair for this Summer’s outing. All dealers—always 
Look for the Elephant Head Trade-Mark 
All our shoes also have the Elephant Head trade-mark. 
WOONSOCKET RUBBER CO. Woonsocket. R. I. 
IL 
Mm 
III 
Absolutely wind-proof—warmer than any 
sweater—light (weighs only lkj lbs.)—sleeves 
of finest Mocha leather (soft as silk— and 
will not stiffen from wetting) and body full- 
lined with same. Made up with two extra large 
I lower pockets and one narrow, deep pocket up¬ 
per left side; large cuffs—and fits snug at neck 
and wrists. The ideal garment for automo- 
' biling, motor boating, canoeing, hunting, 
fishing, camping, riding, driving, golfing, 
or any outdoor work or sport. 
English Corduroy (brown) - $8.00 
Whipcord (dead grass color) - $6.00 
(With storm collar, $1.00 extra). Write for circulars 
I and sample materials—or order vest, stating size. Satisfaction guaran- 
[ teed or money refunded. L A. NELSON MFG.C0.,3O5MainSt.,LaCrosse,Wis. 
Look for the name "NELSON”— stain pea in every vest. 
UNCLE LISHA’S SHOP 
Life in a Corner of Yankeeland. By Rowland E. 
Robinson. Cloth. 187 pages. Price, $1.25. 
The shop itself, the place of business of Uncle Lisha 
Peggs, bootmaker and repairer, was a sort of sports¬ 
man's exchange, where, as one of the fraternity ex¬ 
pressed it, the hunters and fishermen of the widely 
scattered neighborhood used to meet of evenings and 
dull outdoor days “to swap lies.” 
FOREST AND STREAM PUBLISHING COMPANY 
Book Exchange. 
Advertisements of old books which are out of print, 
or of second-hand books, for sale, exchange or wanted, 
will be inserted in Forest and Stream at 20 cents a line. 
There are about 7 words to the line, and 14 agate lines 
to the inch. 
OUR FANCY PIGEONS, and Rambling Notes of a 
Naturalist. By Geo. Ure. Published 1886. Cover soiled. 
Price, $1.25. Sale price, 60 cents. Address Box 27, care 
Forest and Stream Pub. Co. 
WANTED. 
Coues Furbearing Animals, Washington, D. C. 
Caton’s Antelope and Deer of America. 
Schultz’s My Life as an Indian. 
Apply, with price, W. G. D., care Forest and Stream 
Publishing Company. 
A few copies left of the following books: 
SHORE BIRDS —Six papers reprinted from Forest 
and Stream. Paper. 45 pages. Price, 15 cents. 
SOME NATIVE IJIRDS FOR LITTLE FOLKS— 
By Dr. W. Van Fleet. Illustrated. Cloth. 146 pages. 
With 14 photogravure plates. Price, 50 cents. 
POREST AND STREAM PUBLISHING CO. 
FOR 
GUNS 
THE ONLY 
GUN OIL 
lubricates the mechanism, prevents l ust 
on the metal parts and cleans and 
polishes the stock. For cleaning out the 
residue of burnt powder, especially 
smokeless powder, it is unequaled. 
3-IN-ONE OIL CO., 
112 New St-eet New York City 
HUNTSMi 
Keep^. 
conditif 
52-P 
JOSEF 
\ED DIXON’S GRAPHITE 
Jock mechanism in perfect 
Booklet 
/c^UtiBLE-GcJ 
JERSEY CITY, N. J. 
GOUT & RHEUMATISM 
SB? 
i 
USE GREAT ENGLISH REMEDY 
BLAIR’S PILLS 
SAFE. EFFECTIVE. 50c. & $1.00 
DRUGGISTS, or 93 Henry St., Brooklyn, N.Y. 
Indian Refining Co. 
dealers 
914 Kohl Building 
San Francisco, Cal. 
