The Drover's Wife

by Leah Purcell

  DANNY becomes a little anxious. DROVER’S WIFE enters.

  DROVER’S WIFE: Danny, you can collect ya brothers and sister this mornin’. After breakfast, you head out.

  DANNY: I just got back, Ma.

  DROVER’S WIFE: By God, Daniel Johnson, I’ll take a stick to ya!

  On your way back call into Mr William’s for some vegetables. Trade him one of the corned meats.

  Give that hide another stretch too please.

  I’m off to the graves. Sit for a while. I’ll be back to get breakfast on.

  [To YADAKA] You. Split those logs and get goin’.

  She looks out at the woodheap.

  Don’t worry about stackin’ the heap out there. Snow be settin’ in soon. I’ll start a new one under the awnin’ here.

  YADAKA: Snakes, missus.

  DROVER’S WIFE: Least of my worries.

  She leaves. DANNY is still a little anxious.

  YADAKA goes back to the workbench, looking for the whetstone.

  DANNY: How long ya think before that hide is ready to make sheaths out of?

  YADAKA: Big bullock like that, another week to dry. Time to soften …

  Ya ma’s a good steady shot to bring him down.

  DANNY: She sure is, mister.

  YADAKA: I’ll be mindin’ myself then, will I?

  DANNY: If ya know what’s good for ya.

  They share the moment.

  YADAKA wets the stones and starts to sharpen the axe.

  I’d love some boots out of that hide.

  YADAKA: Pretty cold on the snow.

  DANNY looks at YADAKA’s bare feet.

  DANNY: What do you do in the winter?

  YADAKA: We travel as far out of the snow country as we can. We start our walkabout just before the leaves start fallin’.

  DANNY: Autumn.

  Beat.

  You got children?

  YADAKA: Did have.

  DANNY: Where are they?

  Beat.

  YADAKA: I’ll show ya how to make a spear tip for fishin’ with that spear. Three prong.

  DANNY: I can have it?

  YADAKA: Once ya know how to throw it proper and never at your brothers.

  YADAKA takes the spear and begins a mock spear dance to demonstrate the throwing technique. He starts to mumble a song. The dance gets more aggressive.

  … Dumburr gor galga thambourra!

  YADAKA strikes a pose, spear held high. DANNY is impressed.

  I did mala dumdoon, good magic, so whenever ya throw it, it will be straight and strong for ya, always.

  YADAKA hands it back to him.

  DANNY: Kaw! Thank you.

  DANNY enthralled by the spear. YADAKA goes back to the sharpening of the axe.

  DANNY copies some of the movements YADAKA did in the spear dance. He’s not very good.

  Is it hard bein’ you?

  YADAKA: It’s hard for any man in these times, Danny. Just tryin’ to get by is hard enough, let alone looking after a family.

  DANNY: Especially when ya got no boots.

  YADAKA: What ya mean?

  DANNY: A decent man has boots.

  YADAKA: What’s that make you and me then?

  They both look at their feet and laugh. DANNY’s mood changes.

  DANNY: [sombre] I’m supposed to be gettin’ Da’s boots this winter.

  YADAKA clocks this. DANNY feels YADAKA watching him and makes light of the moment.

  I’ll have to chock the heel though.

  DANNY demonstrates his da’s badly bowed left leg.

  YADAKA: Shouldn’t disrespect ya da, Danny.

  My fathers and their fathers and all the fathers before them needed no boots to be men.

  He demonstrates with dance-like moves.

  They walked soft upon this earth. Tread lightly for huntin’. Bare foot—quick to take off and run, no hard hide to rub ya feet raw.

  It’s not what you have on your feet, Danny, but how you carry ya’self, is what makes a decent man.

  Looking with admiration at YADAKA, DANNY nods. YADAKA goes back to sharpening the axe.

  DANNY: I wanna be a decent man.

  YADAKA: You are a good man, Danny.

  DANNY: Ain’t no man, I got no hairs on me balls.

  YADAKA: Pardon?

  DANNY: Da reckons, ya ain’t a man until ya got hairs on ya balls.

  YADAKA: That’s what I thought ya said.

  Smiles to himself.

  You’re almost a man.

  DANNY looks down the front of pants.

  DANNY: Still nothin’ there.

  YADAKA smiles.

  YADAKA: That walkabout you’ve been on, and now this one, shows ya ready.

  DANNY: Ready for what?

  DANNY, very interested, gives his undivided attention to YADAKA.

  YADAKA: … Manhood Ceremony.

  DANNY: … Right.

  YADAKA: Ya walkabouts are part of it.

  You get ya brothers and sister home safely. Do ya tradin’ along the way, and then there would be one more ask of ya.

  DANNY: Yes?

  YADAKA: Ya first kill.

  DANNY stares wide-eyed. YADAKA does spear throwing actions to demonstrate.

  To kill swiftly, no sufferin’.

  DANNY becomes slightly anxious again.

  Killin’s a part of life, Danny.

  DANNY: Is that why ya had that collar?

  The men hold each other’s look. YADAKA decides not to answer and goes back to sharpening the axe.

  YADAKA: I don’t want to bring trouble to ya ma. Best I finish this, be gone before ya da gets home.

  DANNY becomes anxious again. YADAKA’s focus is on sharpening the axe.

  Long beat.

  DANNY: [quietly and with trepidation] There’s boots under the woodheap.

  YADAKA stops what he is doing.

  YADAKA: What was that?

  Beat.

  DANNY: I better go bring Dilly in.

  DANNY goes to run off but stops.

  YADAKA: Yes, Danny?

  DANNY turns and sees his mother standing not far off, she is aware of the tension.

  DROVER’S WIFE: Have you stretched that hide, yet?

  DANNY runs off.

  Ya spoilin’ him.

  My Joe hasn’t got time to be pickin’ up the pieces of a boy wallowin’ for attention.

  Those troopers would’ve crossed the mountain by now.

  YADAKA: I’ll get to it then.

  He starts for the woodheap.

  DROVER’S WIFE: They will be upon us at any time, Black.

  YADAKA: I’ll slip into the shadows, missus.

  He exits.

  She watches him for a moment.

  We hear the chopping of the wood.

  She heads toward the shanty.

  Early morning becomes late morning (day two).

  Chopping of the wood continues.

  SCENE SIX

  DANNY comes from the house, he has his duffle bag swung over his shoulder.

  DANNY: Ma, if Alligator comes home, tie him up for a bit?

  DROVER’S WIFE: I will, son. I’m worried about him.

  DANNY: Me too. He’s getting’ old.

  DROVER’S WIFE: Straight there and back and no talkin’ to anyone.

  DANNY: No, Ma.

  DROVER’S WIFE: I mean it, Danny. No mention of Black.

  DANNY looks out to where YADAKA chops the wood.

  DANNY: [seriously] Promise.

  But Miss Shirley’ll ask about the baby, Ma.

  YADAKA appears and gets himself some water from the barrel.

  DROVER’S WIFE: Tell her. Tell them all then, but gently, Danny, for Delphi’s sake.

  DANNY: Yes, Ma.

  She heads off.

  I look forward to the manhood test when I’m back.

  YADAKA: I won’t be here, Danny.

  DANNY: Ya have to be.

  YADAKA offers his hand.

  YADAKA: Travel safe.

  They shake hands
.

  DANNY: I can keep a secret, Yadaka. I can.

  YADAKA: I trust you.

  DANNY hugs him.

  DANNY: [in a whisper] While I’m gone, can ya treat me ma to a cup of sweet tea. Water’s on the boil. Four sugars. She hides the sugar behind the flour. Her white gold she calls it.

  DROVER’S WIFE: [offstage] Danny, come on! The day’s getting’ away, son!

  DANNY: Don’t leave before I’m back, please? Late tomorrow.

  He runs off to his mother. YADAKA watches him go. Then he gets more water.

  DROVER’S WIFE: [backing on, calling off] Be sure to tell Miss Shirley thank you. Safe travels, Danny. Love ya, son.

  YADAKA heads back to the woodheap. She stumbles, dizzy spell.

  Wooow.

  YADAKA sees this and runs back to help, but she waves him away.

  Don’t know what came over me.

  YADAKA: You just gave birth, missus. Dealin’ with sorry business. Ya need ya rest.

  She sits.

  Beat.

  Can I fix ya a cuppa?

  DROVER’S WIFE: What?

  YADAKA: Cuppa tea?

  DROVER’S WIFE: Me?

  Beat.

  YADAKA: … yes.

  DROVER’S WIFE bursts out laughing.

  Did I say something wrong, missus?

  DROVER’S WIFE: [laughing] No-one’s … ever asked … me that before!

  I’ll get it.

  She goes to get up but stumbles again.

  YADAKA: [indicating to go inside] Can I?

  DROVER’S WIFE: Thank you. A cuppa be lovely. Four—

  YADAKA: Sugars. Behind the flour, I know.

  DROVER’S WIFE: That boy will be the undoin’ of me.

  YADAKA goes to make the tea.

  After a moment he returns, handing her a cup of tea.

  Silence.

  Ya spoilin’ me for my Joe, Black.

  She drinks.

  I really need ya to be on ya way. If anyone comes it wouldn’t be right … seein’ ya here … Joe not bein’ home … with what’s goin’ on in the district.

  I don’t want people comin’ here diggin’ in my business. I don’t need the attention.

  YADAKA: Me neither.

  DROVER’S WIFE: And my children will be home soon.

  YADAKA: Ya tribe is strong, missus

  DROVER’S WIFE: Didn’t start out that way though.

  YADAKA: Three sons, a daughter. The bigger the tribe the better. In my tribe you would be treated like a … queen.

  DROVER’S WIFE: I’ll have to tell that to my Joe.

  She steps away.

  He was away for eighteen months once; I think it was one of his Queensland drives. I was sixteen. Three months pregnant when he left. Our first drove as husband and wife.

  My da dyin’. Died. I buried him. That same old gin helped me.

  Cried a river she did. Wailed like the howlin’ wind in a storm. She frightened me a little … but, there was also this beauty and comfort to the sound …

  It’s not like she knew him.

  YADAKA looks to her curiously, like he’s heard this before.

  Not long after my precious firstborn, Jack, died, six months old.

  I rode for nineteen miles looking for help with my dead son in my arms … buried him too.

  Then, my two cows died. I truly was alone then …

  Finally, Joe came home … and that same old gin nursed me back from …

  YADAKA: Another ailment.

  Shakes his head in slight disbelief.

  Sounds like our medicine woman. Ginny May. She talked up all her success stories. She spoke of a woman she helped with a … ‘no good man’.

  DROVER’S WIFE a little self-conscious on hearing this.

  Ginny May spoke of two births as well?

  DROVER’S WIFE: Joe Junior and Henry James.

  Joe Senior was quite nasty to the woman after each birth.

  He was drunk … on both occasions. A man celebrating the gift of sons … but very nasty to her. Told her to clear off … he didn’t want the others to come around, cause trouble. Bless her though; she stayed close for a bit.

  I could see her firelight at night … that was a comfort. Ginny May, eh? Nice to put a name to her face. She was gettin’ on in age by Henry James’ birth.

  … A very … very, very hard couple of years …

  Beat.

  YADAKA: This big wind picked up, I was huntin’ … blew all around but never touchin’ me. I could see the Duewangung in it as it … [making a hand action of spinning up] … straight up. No good.

  I ran all the way back to camp … didn’t stop until I was holdin’ ’em, my woman and children in my arms …

  Beat.

  Women, children and the old people … all dead.

  Poisoned. Waterhole.

  The tribe put me out then, ’cause I wouldn’t go with them for payback. I knew no good would come of it. Too many whites, too many guns now …

  I just went then. Finish up. No more. Moved through this land like a shadow.

  Going back to my mother’s country.

  DROVER’S WIFE: Good to know.

  But just then YADAKA stands, he’s heard something.

  What?

  He silences her with a hand gesture. Listens, but nothing.

  He goes to sit, but then … in the distance the sound of a wagon and horses coming to a stop.

  Troopers?

  YADAKA: Doesn’t smell like it.

  DROVER’S WIFE: Smell?

  YADAKA: If it was a wagon full of men, missus, we would have smelt ’em.

  A bellowing sound is heard. YADAKA stands very alert now.

  DROVER’S WIFE: Animal?

  YADAKA: A sick one.

  Bellowing again, closer this time?

  A very sick one.

  DROVER’S WIFE walks with her rifle toward the sound.

  DROVER’S WIFE: If ya be that low-life swaggy, ya dead, ya bastard!

  DOUGLAS MERCHANT, a peddler, enters, in severe pain.

  MERCHANT: Please, kind lady, shoot me!

  He drops to his knees. She lowers her rifle.

  He shuffles on his knees toward YADAKA. YADAKA quickly does up the top button on his shirt, not wanting MERCHANT to see the red raw markings from the iron collar.

  Hit me then, kind sir!

  DROVER’S WIFE: What the blazes is wrong with ya?!

  MERCHANT: My tooth!

  MERCHANT begins to wail.

  DROVER’S WIFE: Mister, ya be wakin’ the dead.

  MERCHANT: Help me, please!

  She springs into action, getting cotton or wool from the workbench.

  She places it around the tooth.

  DROVER’S WIFE: Hold ’im.

  A big pull. MERCHANT roars. No tooth. YADAKA laughs. YADAKA has a go, but no tooth.

  How about ya run at him and tackle him away from me?

  They prepare for this.

  As YADAKA starts to run, MERCHANT sidesteps and hides behind her.

  They attempt this twice, each time MERCHANT stepping away out of reach.

  MERCHANT: How about the door?

  They take him inside and prepare him.

  DROVER’S WIFE: Hold ’im. Close ya eyes, mister.

  DROVER’S WIFE slams the door, followed by one almighty bellow and a cheer.

  YADAKA comes out, holding up the string with the decayed tooth on it.

  MERCHANT follows, dabbing his mouth clean.

  DROVER’S WIFE goes to the water barrel to get him a cup of water.

  MERCHANT: Delighted to bring you both entertainment.

  DROVER’S WIFE hands him a cup of water.

  Whiskey?

  DROVER’S WIFE: No liquor here, mister.

  MERCHANT: Thank you, kind lady.

  He takes the cup.

  I’m Donald Merchant. Peddler extraordinaire, all merchandise guaranteed.

  He tests YADAKA by holding out his hand. YADAKA not sure what to do.

 
[To YADAKA] And you are?

  DROVER’S WIFE: He’s my worker. Step away, Black.

  MERCHANT gargles and spits at YADAKA’s bare feet.

  MERCHANT: [to DROVER’S WIFE] And you are?

  DROVER’S WIFE: Mrs Joe Johnson.

  MERCHANT: And where is … Mr Johnson?

  DROVER’S WIFE: Away. Workin’.

  MERCHANT: Occupation?

  DROVER’S WIFE: Ya ask a lot of questions.

  MERCHANT: Just being friendly.

  MERCHANT gargles.

  DROVER’S WIFE: Mr Johnson is a drover.

  You may have seen his flock; bringing sheep down from the high country, to the lower ground along the river. Then to market.

  MERCHANT spits.

  MERCHANT: Yes, I did.

  DROVER’S WIFE: What?

  MERCHANT: They’re down. And gone to market.

  They see her concern. She senses them watching her.

  DROVER’S WIFE: Good. Joe’s gone to town for supplies then.

  MERCHANT: That’s where I’m heading. Town be in full swing with the markets.

  Drovers, buyers, troopers … plenty of troopers actually. A squadron, a day behind me.

  Rest in peace to the Hossnaggles and the others. Terrible tragedy.

  DROVER’S WIFE: Others?

  MERCHANT: A native policeman, no loss there, but the other, a trooper; family man.

  Felon still at large. Was supposed to hang.

  DROVER’S WIFE looks to YADAKA in disbelief. YADAKA looks guilty. MERCHANT sees this.

  DROVER’S WIFE: [covering] We didn’t know.

  MERCHANT: Lots of questions. Conflicting answers. Culprit’s swaggies or blacks?

  Either way, eradication of both wouldn’t hurt the district.

  He looks to YADAKA, gargles and spits again.

  No offence.

  Now, good people, for your help I offer you, my lady, a pick of my wagon. Fifty feet to the right of your woodheap there.

  There is slight hesitation but she heads out to the wagon.

  Need to get that ground levelled there, Jacky.

  [Calling off] Bottom shelf, missus.

  YADAKA looks to him, not impressed.

  What’s that look there, boy? Am I reading that right?

  YADAKA looks down at the ground, his demeanour changes.

  What have you been doin’ around here; lettin’ that heap get low like that.

  MERCHANT seats himself, flipping his suit jacket open to show he has a pistol in a holster.

  On uneven ground. Don’t you know nothin’, Jacky?

  He lights a smoke.

  Hey, you speak English?

  He watches YADAKA closely. YADAKA becomes very uncomfortable.