Wild Life and Adventure in the Australian Bush: four years personal experience. With ... illustrations, etc

Front matter

WILD LIFE AND ADVENTURE IN THE AUSTRALIAN BUSH. ii. </ [See p. 162. THE CAMP SURPRISED. Frontispiece, Vol. ii.] > WILD LIFE AND ADVENTURE IN THE AUSTRALIAN BUSH: FOUR YEARS' PERSONAL EXPERIENCE BY ARTHUR NICOLS, F.G.S., F.R.G.S., AUTHOR OF "ZOOLOGICAL NOTES," "NATURAL HISTORY OF THE CARNIVORA," KTC. WITH EIGHT FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOHN T. NETTLESHIP. IN TWO VOLUMES.— Vol. II, LONDON: RICHARD BENTLEY AND SON, Publishers in ©tiinarg to p?cr JHajrstg tfje ©urrtt. 1887. {All rights reserved.) PAGE 1 60 CONTENTS OF VOL. II.

Chapter I

On the Road with Cattle — At the First Camp — Watching all Night — A Baking Day and a Drowsy March — The Rush for the Water-hole — Burnt Country — Thunderstorm and Stampede of the Cattle — A Headlong Gallop in the Dark — A Lightning-struck Tree — The Effects of a Tornado — Prospecting for Gold — Jimmy's Christmas Pudding — Home to Wallaroo — Hardships on the Journey — A Night with a Dead Horse — Johnny Cakes and Bear's Grease — Swimming the Flooded Maranoa

Chapter II

The Brush-turkey's Mound-nest — Kangaroo Hunting ; the "Flyer" — The Big Doe takes Refuge in the Water — A Stand-up Fight with an "Old Man" Kangaroo — A Crippled Hound — The Overseer makes a Raid on the " Scrubbers "—Wild Cattle Shooting— A Bull-fight by Moonlight — Joe's Horse gets Horned — A Desperate Encounter with a Bull, and a " near thing " for Harold CONTENTS. VI PAGE 97 134 194

Chapter III

Unexpected News and a Consultation upon it — To Brisbane on Business — Bill Humphreys' Advice — Harold goes to the Barcoo — " Burra-Burra " Station — Round the Run- Teaching a Buck-jumper "Manners" — A Storm of Locusts — The Mighty Dead — " Chin-chin," the Chinese Cook — A Small Tragedy in the Bush — An Attack by Land Leeches .....

Chapter IV

Singular Capture of a Bushranger — Trouble with the Blacks — Murder of a Shepherd — A Night Ride of Forty Miles — Dandy's Grave — Raid on the Camp — Retribution — Death of " Murray Jack "—Harold takes a Flock at the Seven-mile Hut — A Prowling Thief caught in the Act — The Home of the Platypus — A "Duck-bill" brought to Bag, examined, skinned, and eaten — Don discovers a "Native Porcupine," which proves another Puzzle — Unsuccessfully " stalked " by a Black Fellow — Garrisoning the Sheep-yard .

Chapter V

Charlie Keene's Letter, and what came of it — Harold becomes a Partner in Burra-Burra — Off to the Expedition Range — Meets an old Rugbean — Edendale — Mustering Sheep for the Journey — The Start — A Snake in the Fire — Tom's Supper — Packs and Pack-horses — A Sandy Desert — Crossing the Mooloolah .

Chapter VI

The Flood coming down the River— Imprisoned on the Island— Making the best of it — A Page from a Newspaper, and Tom's Opinion on it — Starved Sheep, and CONTENTS. VII PAGE how they were fed — An Anxious Time — The Scramble across the Western Branch of the Biver — Taking it Easy and Drying up — The March Home — The Welcome at Burra-Burra — Letter from Brisbane — A certain Photo graph, and Harold's Reflections on it . . . 235 ILLUSTRATIONS. The Camp Surprised ... ... ... Frontispiece Off 1)uty, at the Camp Fire ... To face page 35 The Champions of the Herd .... ... ,, 91 "Dandy" killed by the Blacks ... „ WILD LIFE AND ADVENTURE IN THE AUSTRALIAN BUSH.

Chapter I

On the Road with Cattle — At the First Camp — Watching all Night — A Baking Day and a Drowsy- March — The Rush for the Water-hole — Burnt Country — Thunderstorm and Stampede of the Cattle — A Headlong Gallop in the Dark — A Lightning-struck Tree — The Effects of a Tornado — Prospecting for Gold — Jimmy's Christmas Pudding — Home to Wallaroo — Hardships on the Journey — A Night with a Dead Horse — Johnny Cakes and Bear's Grease — Swimming the Flooded Maranoa. It being now the middle of December, and little doing on the station, Humphreys decided to carry out the order of the butcher near Allora, for a mob of prime steers from the rich Wal laroo pastures. A hundred and fifty head of fat beasts were accordingly drafted out from the best mobs, and confined in the paddock until 21 vol. n. ON THE ROAD WITH CATTLE the next morning, when the overseer intended! to start, with Harold, Joe, and another stock man as his assistants.

Meanwhile, certain m necessary preparation had to be made. . Threes working bullocks were brought up, and largjp bells attached to their necks. These old stagers, well accustomed to the road, would help to keep the youngsters steady, and their bells would indicate any movement of the cattle at night. Keene was busy all day weighing and measur ing out the rations, which were to be loaded on two pack-horses, together with a frying-pan and a galvanized iron bucket, for cooking purposes, and an axe and a gun. Each man carried his own blanket strapped on his saddle bow, and his billy and tin pannikin slung at the side. " "We can't smother the horses with thing's, Bertram," remarked the overseer. " The cattle will take all their time to manage. If you roll up a shirt in your blanket, for a change after a wet day, that'll be about all you want."

Harold thought this certainly a scanty equip ment for a journey of two hundred miles, which TO THE FORD ON THE MARANOA. would occupy some seventeen days; but the experience of his chief was not to be gainsaid. In case of accident to any of the mounts, three spare horses were placed in charge of the man, whose sole duty it would be to look after the pack animals, load and unload them, hobble them out at night, and bring them up in the morning, and do the cooking of the expedition. In consideration of these services (no light task, either), Jimmy would be exempt from all night watching, and get a small increase on his ordinary pay. By the first streak of dawn, Jimmy had got the horses securely packed, and started on the road for the camping-place, nearly twenty miles from the head station, where he was to make the fire and get supper ready for the arrival of the drivers.

The overseer planned a long march for the first day, in order to tire the cattle, and, crossing the Maranoa by the ford, intended to camp them some miles lower down, where a deep and wide stretch of the river separated them from the home to which they would make every possible effort to return. BREAKING BACK As soon as the mob were clear of the paddock gate, they made a desperate rush in the direction of their old feeding-grounds ; and at one moment it seemed as though they would have succeeded in crossing the creek and join ing their former companions on the flats, but the efforts of the drivers and dogs, and some of Joe's men, retained to see them well off the run, kept them among the timber, while the working bullocks, perfectly well aware now that they were on the way to the ford, led the van with their clanging bells at a steady trot.

At frequent intervals throughout the day, the cattle, animated by a sudden impulse, broke back, and made a determined charge through the drivers, with their heads turned homewards. Whenever this took place, the overseer, after bringing them round, gave the mob a " buster " at a severe pace during the next half-hour, to take the wind out of them. Thus, by the middle of the day, tongues hanging out, and sweating skins, betokened some abatement of their vigour. Every now and then they would turn their heads in the direction of Wallaroo, AT THE FIRST CAMP. 5 and set up a concert of bellowing which made the forest ring. But the word was ever " on ward ; " no indulgence in regrets could be allowed. Never more would they drink of the limpid waters of Myall Creek. Their destiny was now the market at Brisbane, or possibly a voyage to Europe, soldered down in six-pound tins, labelled " Prime Australian Beef."

Too much excited to feed, the beasts shambled on before the relentless stock-whips, and took their last taste of water in a small creek bordering the ground selected for the camp just as the sun was about to dip below the horizon. Jimmy had already got the horses unpacked and hobbled out, the fire lighted, the water boiling, and a cut of damper and salt beef ready for each of the men to take in his hand and eat without dismounting. " They're pretty well baked, eh, Joe ? " said the overseer ; " but we can't trust 'em to-night, anyhow. I expect it'll be watch all night for the three of us ; though they might camp down a bit towards morning. Round 'em up now, " HOME, SWEET HOME." and let's see how they take it — you" (to Harold) " keep about where you are." The two men rode round to the head of the mob and turned them slowly.

The working bullocks, seeing at once by this manœuvre that the day's journey was over, began con tentedly cropping the grass in the little valley, only too glad to have a chance of eating something before dropping down to sleep, which they did in about an hour's time. Not so the others, however. They moved about in all directions, requiring the constant attention of the men, who rode slowly round them, letting their hungry horses take a bite now and then at the tufts of long wiry grass which grew in moist places. " They're dead nuts on going home, Ber tram," said Bill, cramming the damper and junk into his mouth at intervals, " but they won't tackle the river, that's certain ; and when Jimmy's lighted three or four fires on this side, as I told him — ah, that's right, he's doing it now" (as a glimmer of light appeared at some little distance) — " we shall keep 'em together easier.

ON THE NIGHT WATCH. But it's always risky work with strong cattle the first night. If anything startled them — they're that nervous, a rotten branch falling on the back of one of 'em might do it — we should have a handful in no time. That brindled dog of Joe's is first-rate — he's as good as another man any day, and quiet at his work, too. It's no use thinking of turning in to-night ; so you go and get a drink of tea, and when you've had it come back, and I'll get one, too." " What are my instructions, then ? " asked Harold, on returning. " You've only to keep moving round to the eft till you meet Joe," replied Bill, " then back again here ; and so on. Watch the cattle well. If you see any moving out between the fires, put 'em back gently ; don't gallop, what ever you do ; or shout either, unless you want help.

Every now and then you will meet me at this end of the beat." And the overseer, leaving Harold in charge of the easiest place, went round to meet Joe, who reported the cattle a little easier, but none of them as yet lying down. RESTLESSNESS OF THE MOB. By this time the last glimmer of twilight had disappeared, a thin young moon glinted low down through the trees, and overhead the stars bedecked the dark sky. For some con siderable time nothing occurred to interrupt Harold's meditations on the beauty of the night, the novelty of the situation, and the pleasure of this free Bush life. His horse walked backwards and forwards at its own pace, and certainly dozed, if it did not go to sleep altogether at times. Just when he was thinking all these precautions a trifle excessive, he suddenly found himself confronted with a dark, slowly moving mass ; and for the moment could not realize that it was a small bunch of cattle stealing out from the mob.

They had heard only the sound of the horse's tread, which caused them no alarm ; but at Harold's involuntary, suppressed exclamation, the beasts started back and disappeared in the darkness. He listened ; but beyond some muffled mooing there was no indication of further disturbance. They had retreated to the main body. Joe looked to the burning of the fires from A STRIKING CONTRAST. 9 time to time, and exchanged a whispered word or two with Harold when they met. So the night wore on. Warned by the cracking of twigs, he frequently found a few cattle en deavouring to make their way past him, but on his approach they returned to their com panions. How was it possible, he thought, that any one could fail in watchfulness when engaged in such an interesting duty as this ! Men had gone to sleep on the look-out at the masthead, and the ship had been wrecked.

Many a soldier, worn out with fatigue, had paid the penalty of a moment's drowsiness with his life. And thus musing in the hot, still night, his thoughts wandered over the sea to Manor Farm, where at this moment probably the Yorkshire wolds lay deep in snow. How wonderful the contrast ! Here the blue-black vault of heaven bespangled with stars shining mistily in the soft air ; the weird forms of the tree tops stretching upwards to the sky ; in a few hours to be flooded with the refulgence of the midsummer sun. And there, on the bleak, wind-swept hills of his native land — but, what's SNEAKING OFF. that great shout ? He drew the reins tight, and strained his ears. It was no shout. The bellowing of a steer calling to his companions, " Come on, boys ; now's your chance ; nobody hereabouts." Mr. Harold Bertram, you did not know it, but the horse stopped, hung its head, and you (for how long, who can say ?) fell to musing and dozing !

Meanwhile a score of those cattle were creeping past your post, and very nearly eluded the sentinel. By good luck, he turned the horse in the right direction, and the contemplated flight was stopped. " They seem fidgety here," said the overseer, riding up almost immediately ; " but Joe tells me they are mostly lying down on the other side. If you like to go to the camp fire and roll up in your blankets for a couple of hours till daylight we can manage, I think, now." " No, no-o, thank you," was the hesitating reply. " I can do very well — not at all sleepy," with a lurking suspicion that this ought to be taken strictly in the present tense. The light of one of the watch-fires burned up for an instant behind Humphreys, throwing A HASTY BREAKFAST. his massive frame into relief as he sat squarely in the saddle, smoking his short pipe.

Not for a moment had this man's watchful attention abated since he mounted his horse, nearly twenty-four hours ago, and he was still keenly on the alert with all his energies braced for any emergency. Jimmy was up, and had breakfast ready at dawn, each of the watchers taking his turn at snatching a pannikin of tea and something to eat before the cattle began to move off the camp. The pack-horses and spare mounts, all closely hobbled during the night, were soon driven in, and the saddles placed on the fresh nags, while those used on the previous day were allowed to take their place among the cattle. The overseer gave directions to Jimmy to follow along* the bank of the river when he had loaded up the pack-horses, and the mob was soon wending its way towards the next halting place — a short stage of ten miles.

Tired and hungry, the cattle now devoted themselves to making up for the previous day's fast. The calm morning promised to be followed TEDIOUS TRAVELLING. by a hot day. So abundant had been the dew, that, in riding through a grove of wattle scrub, showers of drops were shaken from the feathery branches, drenching the men's shirts and trousers ; but soon after the sun got fairly up the moisture vanished like magic from the grass and trees, and their clothes became dry as tinder. The cavalcade crawled on through the fierce heat, now over rocky ridges which supported a scanty growth of stunted grass-trees, now across open flats covered with long, parched, wiry grass, and occasionally through ti-tree swamps, which contained only black, sticky mud and patches of broad-bladed grass, with edges as keen as knives.

They had left the fertile valley of the Maranoa for a tract of barren country stretching hun dreds of miles to the north and south, which must be crossed before they reached the wooded ridges of the next watershed. Every one felt the tediousness of the march. Even the mono tonous clanging of the bullock-bells was irri tating, while swarms of sand-flies added to the THE RUSH FOR THE WATER-HOLE. 13 discomfort of the dust raised by the cattle and the sweltering heat. Very welcome, then, was the sight of rising ground in the distance as the afternoon drew to a close. The overseer rode on ahead to make certain of striking the lagoon — the only water within the next five miles — and, on returning, called a halt, that Jimmy might get on and prepare for camping at the spot marked by a circle of ti-trees, whose white stems could be seen from afar.

In an hour's time the mob was moved slowly on ; but they soon began to quicken their pace until it became a gallop ; and Humphreys ex claimed, " They're off, by jingo ! They smell the water." Away, helter-skelter, went the whole mob, flourishing their tails, in a race for the lagoon. They dashed into the water in a solid body, crowding and goring each other to get their muzzles down to the refreshing fluid, and when the horsemen came up, " Divil a bit of the water-hole, but it was only backs of cattle could be seen," as Joe observed, pulling up his horse. FILTHY WATER. Owing to the dry weather, this favourite resort of travellers (usually a sheet of clear water, several acres in extent) had shrunk to a fetid puddle, filled with a mixture of slime and cattle-droppings, which scarcely covered the fetlocks of the mob now trampling about in it, and adding to its filthy condition.

Harold's stomach heaved at the thought of drinking this loathsome mess, thirsty as he was ; and he shuddered when Joe scooped up some of it in his hand and took a mouthful, which he spat out hastily with a grimace, remarking, " It ain't first-class, I own ; not so bad though as if there was a lot o' dead sheep rottin' in it. It'll be all right when it's biled." Just then Jimmy came up to fill his cooking pot, and observed the satisfied cattle leisurely leaving the puddle. " It warn't much account afore," he growled ; " and now they beasts a' been a muckin' about in it, it's a sight wuss." " Make your tea all the thicker," laughed the overseer. "Anyhow, you'll have to take a precious long tramp to get anything better." Harold managed to gulp down his tea at ON TO WANDLE CREEK. supper-time somehow ; but he could not tackle the lump of boiled beef which Jimmy drew out of the pot where it had been simmering for a couple of hours in some of this nasty fluid ; and he mounted his horse to keep the first watch, until midnight, with the reflection that, as the others seemed to make light of it, he himself would probably soon become accustomed to these chances of Bush life.

The cattle, well blown out with grass and water, gave so little trouble that the watching was a sinecure. It was a pity that the enjoy ment of so serene a night should be spoiled by the swarms of hungry mosquitoes and the stench from the long line of damp mud which marked the bed of the water-hole. Another dawdling day's march of ten miles would bring them to Wandle Creek, on fine timbered country, well stocked with cattle, among which great care must be taken to pre vent their mob from mixing. Indeed, not very long after the start, the overseer noticed tracks, and, borrowing Harold's binocular, rode on to reconnoitre. From the end of a ridge sloping BURNT COUNTRY. down to a small plain he swept the country with the glass, and detected a considerable herd feeding, though at far too great a distance yet to be heard or seen by his own cattle.

Making a wide detour, they avoided the risk of getting " boxed " with this herd, a misfortune which would have delayed them possibly two or three days in getting the beasts drafted out again. If the sun had been hot hitherto, its rays were now positively scorching, veiled though they were by a thin haze. Not a breath of air stirred. Far away on the horizon rose a broad column of smoke, straight as a pillar, from a Bush-fire ; and within the next hour the tra vellers came to a wild belt of country over which it had passed two or three days previously. What a scene of desolation ! Every blade of the dry grass burnt level with the ground ; the fallen timber consumed to the smallest stick. Long lines of grey ashes, the remains of dead trees, lay on the blackened surface, and the charred trunks of the living, with their blistered leaves, betokened the severity of the fiery blast, which had left them still standing but doomed JIMMY MAKES A BIG DAMPER. to perish.

Tramping over this dreary waste, the cattle raised a cloud of fine black dust, which almost hid them from sight, and half suffocated the men and dogs. It was a relief to get into a succession of barren sand-hills, where the fire had met with an effectual barrier in that direction, and soon afterwards the gentle slopes of Wandle Creek, with their fine timber, came into view. The overseer selected a bight of the creek for his camp, which was thus surrounded on three sides by the stream, the other being com manded without difficulty by a single watcher. Jimmy announced his intention of making* a big damper. Harold, who was assigned the morning watch, volunteering to give him a hand, besides unpacking the horses, and doing a number of odd jobs always necessary on a journey. The dogs, and especially Don, had fared badly on salt beef, so he took the gun and sent the colley to drive some patches of fern, where he soon knocked over a half-grown doe kangaroo of about fifty pounds weight, whose " saddle " was grilling on the fire by suppervol. ii.

MOSQUITOES. A SULTRY NIGHT. time, while the dogs had the remainder divided between them. Humphreys, having the middle watch (from midnight till four in the morning, as near as could be guessed), turned in at the same time as Harold, leaving the horses ready to mount, hobbled, and tied to a tree. Harold had scarcely yet become accustomed to the habit, necessary on these expeditions, of sleeping fully dressed, boots and all ; neither had he mastered the art of so managing his head as not to rick his neck when he had nothing but the ground for a pillow ; for, as the cattle could not yet be trusted, it was imperative to keep the horses ready saddled. By rolling his spare Crimean shirt into a bundle, however, and lying flat on his back, he got on tolerably well, and would have slept soundly had not the mosquitoes kept up a constant assault on his hands and face.

Jimmy lay as close to the fire as he could get without danger of being roasted, his head completely enveloped in his blanket — the only means, as Harold was not long in discovering, of protecting himself from the insect tormentors ; OMINOUS SIGNS. 19 though the effect was similar to that of a Turkish bath, with the addition of semi-suffoca tion. Consequently, when the overseer roused him for the morning watch, his shirt and coat were wet with perspiration. The atmosphere, too, became more and more oppressive as the night waned and morning drew on. The thin smoke went up from the watch-fires in a straight line, and the smell of the sleeping cattle was stronger than he ever remembered it, even in the stock-yard. An hour, perhaps, of his watch had passed, when he first noticed a darkeningof the southern horizon.

The moon had long since set, but a planet, whose brilliancy he had been admiring from time to time through an opening bet ween the trees, was now obscured, together with several stars in the same direction. He could just make out the Southern Cross de clining to the westward, and, even as he looked, a solid cloud crept up and shut it from view. Higher and higher in the vault of the sky mounted the black line, engulfing* every star to the zenith, and extending northwards until it THE THUNDERSTORM BURSTS. wrapped the ridges of Wandle Creek in a " darkness that might be felt." The tinkle of a bell — one of the working bullocks getting up — called Harold's attention to the cattle ; and, as he turned in his saddle, a stream of vivid lightning illuminated every tree trunk with dazzling radiance, followed instantly by a crash of thunder that seemed to rip open the earth beneath him.

His horse plunged so violently as almost to unseat him. In the momentary silence after the startling peal, he heard the clanging* of bells and a rapid hurrying of feet, and saw dark forms passing across the light of the watch-fires. " The cattle are off!" he shouted with all his might ; and, knowingthat his first duty was to follow them as best he could, he grasped the reins and dashed at full gallop through the darkness in the rear of the flying mob, keeping within distance by the sound of the bells, which could be heard, sometimes near, sometimes far away, in the intervals of the peals of thunder, now deadened by a deluge of rain. Broad sheets of pale blue lightning coming in rapid succession A HEADLONG GALLOP IN THE DARK. revealed the trunks of massive trees, which his horse avoided by wonderful instinct as it galloped onward through the pitchy darkness and flashes of blinding light.

Many a sudden swerve of the horse, and many a slap in the face from a bunch of leaves, sent an unpleasant qualm through the rider's heart, suggesting how nearly he had been swept off by an overhang ing branch or clashed against a solid tree. But these considerations must not now occupy his mind. To keep in touch with the cattle at all risks, to never lose the sound of the bells, taking his chance of dangers impossible to avoid, was enough to absorb all his attention. At one moment he would slide nearly on to the horse's neck, during an unexpected plunge down the side of a gully, and as quickly back when it mounted the opposite side. Any attempt to guide the animal, further than to keep it in the direction of the bells, would be useless. How it kept its feet over the loose stones and among the fallen timber, which he knew were strewn about these ridges, he could not imagine.

On, at the same reckless pace they went, pursuer THE RUNAWAYS STOPPED, and pursued, mile after mile. Where was the terrified mob taking him ? It could not last much longer. There were signs of slackening speed in the greater distinctness of the bells. The lightning was less frequent, the rain fell more gently, and the storm was passing away to the northward. The cattle, at length clear of the forest, began to go at an easy trot over sandy flats ploughed into furrows and seamed by the heavy torrent of the last half-hour. Harold breathed more freely. He took the opportunity of slipping* off his boots and emptying the water out of them, and made himself a degree more comfortable by wringing* his billy-cock hat (one of the shoddy articles from MacNab's store), which presented a sorry appearance after the operation.

A cone of faint white light showing in the eastern sky heralded the coming day, and when the sun rose no trace of the recent war of the elements dimmed its splendour. But he had not the least idea where he was. The line of march, he knew should be to the eastward ; but the cattle, steadily plodding on, refused to be turned in AND BROUGHT BACK. that direction. Presently he heard a shout behind, and Humphreys galloped up, with Joe and the dogs close at hand. The tremendous clap of thunder which started the cattle had, of course, roused the men, who lost no time in getting* off in pursuit, taking the most likely direction, which, the overseer rightly judged, would be towards home. " A nice old time you had, Bertram, over those ranges in the dark, I'll warrant," he remarked. " Good job you stuck to the beasts, though ; else they'd ha' been all over the country at daylight.