The Kangaroo Hunters; Or, Adventures in the Bush

by Clarence Young

  CHAPTER II.

  Departure from Wendon.--Embarkation in the _Amoor_.--Ruth'sAdventures in London.--The Deverell Family.--The Pleasures of theVoyage.--Tropical Wonders.--The Flying-fish.--The Stormy Petrel.--TheAlbatross.--Deverell's Plans.--The Indian Ocean.--A Storm.

  Finally the successor of Mr. Mayburn arrived, was initiated in hisoffice, introduced to his new parishioners, and had promised to supply,as well as he was able, the loss which the mourning poor must sustain inthe departure of the charitable family. Mr. Mayburn's old friend, theBishop of ----, himself accompanied the family to London, directed themin the mode of fitting out for the voyage, and for their new residence,and supplied them with letters of instruction as well as of introductionbefore he left them. Some weeks of delay followed, and severaldisappointments; but at length they were induced to embark, with nurseWilson, Ruth, and Jack, on board the _Amoor_, a good sailing vesselbound to Melbourne, with many passengers; and from thence to Calcutta,with cattle and merchandise; Captain Barton, who commanded the ship,being an old acquaintance of Mr. Mayburn. Established in a large andcommodious cabin, Margaret begged that nurse would keep Ruth always withthem, for the girl was distracted with the strange objects around her.

  "Sit ye down, lass, and hem that apron," said Jenny, in a tone ofauthority. "Truly, Miss Margaret, I wouldn't go through the last weekagain to be Queen Victoria herself, God bless her; and all owing to thatunlucky lass. Jack is a decent lad, and it's unknown what a help he wasabout getting the things here safe; but all the folks in London seemedof one mind that _she_ was fitter for a 'sylum than for a creditablegentleman's family. It's no good blubbering about it now, girl; just seeand mind what you are about, for there's no police here to look afteryou."

  "Did the police really get hold of her, nurse?" asked Gerald. "Whatfun!"

  "I never took her out for a walk, Master O'Brien," answered Jenny, "butthey had their eye on her; they marked her at once as one that neededwatching--a simpleton! Why, it was no later than yesterday morning whenshe worked on me, fool-body as I was, to go with her to see St. Paul's;and what did she do then but start from my arm and run right across astreet thronged with cabs, and wagons, and omnibuses. I just shut myeyes and screamed, for I never thought to see her again living; andthere was such a hallooing among coachmen and cabmen, and such screamingof women, as was never heard. How they got all them horses to stop isjust a miracle; but when I looked again, there was a lot of policeholding horses' heads, and one man was hauling Ruth right across; and hehad his trouble, for when she heard all that hullabaloo, she was forturning back to me through the thick of it. Oh! Miss Marget, wasn't Ishamed out of my life when they fetched her back to me at last, and onefine fellow said I had better lead my daughter in a string."

  Ruth giggled hysterically at the recital of her adventure, and whenMargaret said to her gravely,--"You behaved very improperly, Ruth, whydid you leave your kind friend, Mrs. Wilson?"

  "Please Miss Marget," sobbed the girl; "it was a window full of bonniebabbies."

  "She's just a babby herself, Miss Marget," said Jenny, wrathfully. "Itwas a fine toyshop she saw, and she had no more sense but run amongcarriages to it. She's hardly safe shut up here; see if she doesn'ttumble into the sea some of these days."

  But when Ruth's curiosity and astonishment had somewhat subsided, thequiet and firm government of Margaret, and the watchful care of Jack,had great power over her; though still the wild boys Hugh and Geraldsometimes tempted her to pry into forbidden places, or to join them insome mischievous frolic.

  The greater part of the accommodation of the _Amoor_ was given up to agentleman of good birth and property, who was emigrating to Australia.He had obtained a grant of an immense tract of land in the very midst ofthe country, further north than the steps of the colonists had yetreached. To this remote district he was taking his mother, his youngsister, and a younger brother who had studied medicine; and besidesthese, a number of male and female servants, carpenters, smiths,builders, drainers, shepherds, and various workmen likely to be usefulin a new colony. These men were accompanied by their wives and children,forming a considerable clan, all depending on their worthy and energeticchieftain. The vast amount of goods brought out by all these emigrants,much that was useless, as must ever be the case, among the useful, hadheavily laden the vessel.

  The Mayburns and Deverells were drawn together as much by kindred tasteas by inevitable circumstances, and they soon became as true friends asif they had been intimately acquainted for years. Edward Deverell, withpromptness and practical knowledge, managed the affairs and smoothed thedifficulties of the Mayburns; while Mr. Mayburn instructed the ignorant,and, at the desire of the captain, a right-minded man, daily read themorning and evening services publicly--a most beneficial practice,producing order and decorum, and implanting in the minds of the youngthe seeds of future blessing.

  "How truly I should rejoice, dear Margaret," said Deverell, "if we couldinduce your excellent father to join our expedition. I would thenundertake to build a church; and might hope for a blessing on my newcolony, if the foundation were so happily laid. The climate is declaredto be exceedingly salubrious, much more likely to suit you all than theunhealthy air of India. It would be an inestimable advantage to my dearsister Emma; she has never known the care and tenderness of a sister;she needs a more cheerful companion than her good mother, who hasdelicate health; and you, Margaret Mayburn, are the model I should wishher to imitate."

  "I need a sister quite as much," answered Margaret, "to soften my roughpoints, and your gentle, gay little Emma charms and interests me; but,alas! papa has accepted a duty which he must not relinquish without atrial to fulfil it. I regret that it should be in such a locality forthe sake of my brothers."

  "You are right, my dear friend," replied he; "observe how happily theyare now engaged. Arthur has looked over the dried plants, and he is nowdissecting rabbits with my brother. Hugh and your ingenious Jackare at work with my carpenters, making models of broad-wheeledtravelling-wagons and canoes for the rivers. Even the mischievous urchinO'Brien is out of danger when he is engaged with my grooms and herdsmen,in attendance on my valuable horses and cattle. What can these ardentboys find to interest and amuse them in the arid and enfeebling plainsof India?"

  Margaret knew that if her father heard these arguments, they wouldcertainly agitate him, and might even shake his determination to proceedin the undertaking, which she and Arthur were of opinion he was bound tocomplete. She therefore begged Deverell to use no further persuasions;but she promised him, that if the Indian mission was beyond the physicalor mental strength of her father, she would try to induce him to returnto Melbourne, and from thence they would endeavor to make their way tothe station of Mr. Deverell, who had promised to leave directions fortheir progress with his banker at Melbourne, which he proposed to makehis mart for business.

  It was truly the fact, that in pleasant employment no one found the longvoyage tedious. Jack was especially charmed with his increase ofknowledge. "You see, sir," said he to Arthur, "I was qualified to make afour-post bedstead, or a chest of drawers, as well as the best of thesechaps; but they tell me them sort of things isn't much needed in themforrin parts. But what they've brought along with them is quite anotherthing: frames for wooden houses, ready to nail up in no time; mills andthreshing machines; great, broad-felloed wagons for their rough roads,and boats of all makes. Just look, Mr. Arthur, I've made bits of modelsof all them things, you see. We can't say but they may turn up usefulsome day."

  Even Ruth the unlucky lost her cognomen, and became popular among theemigrant women; for when kept quietly at regular employment, she couldbe steady and useful; it was only when she was hurried, or thrown uponher own responsibility, that she lost her head, and blundered intomischief. She nursed the babes tenderly and carefully, helped the poorwomen to wash their clothes, and for the first time in her life began tobelieve she might be of some use in the world. Gerald, who alwaysinsisted on it that Ruth was not half so bad as she was represented,assu
red Jenny that all the girl's errors arose from improper management."You do not appreciate her talents justly, nurse," said he. "She isquite a genius, and ought to have been Irish, only she was born inEngland. You have wronged poor Ruth; you see she has never drowned a_babby_ yet."

  "Well, Master O'Brien, wait a bit, we're not through our voyage yet,"said Jenny, oracularly.

  "The Ides of March are not gone, she would say," said Hugh.

  "I didn't mean to say no such thing, Master Hugh," replied she; "you'reso sharp with one. I'm not so daft, but I know March is gone, andMay-day ought to be at hand; not that we can see any signs of it,neither leaves nor flowers here, and I cannot see days get any longer.How is it, Master Arthur? Is it because we're atop of the water?"

  Arthur endeavored to make Jenny comprehend the natural consequences oftheir position, now within the tropics, and daily drawing nearer to theequator; but he only succeeded in agitating the mind of the old woman,without enlightening her.

  "God help us!" she exclaimed. "Nigher and nigher to the sun! It'sdownright temptation and wickedness, my dears; and my thought is, oneought to stay where it has pleased Him to plant us. And think ye, MasterArthur, we shall all turn black, like them niggers we saw in Londonstreets."

  "No; certainly not, nurse," answered Arthur. "It requires hundreds ofyears, under a tropical sun, to change the color of Europeans. Besides,the negroes, although we are all children of Adam, are of a distinctrace from us. We are certainly not, like the thick-lipped negroes, thedescendants of Ham."

  "Likely he had been the plainest of Noah's family," said Jenny, "forbeauty runs in the blood, that I'll stand to," continued the attachednurse, looking round with complacency on her handsome young nurslings.

  To the young voyagers there was an indescribable charm in the noveltieswhich the sea and the air offered to them in the tropical region theyhad now entered. Now for the first time they beheld the flying-fish risesparkling from the waves, to descend as quickly; escaping for a shorttime from its enemies in the waves to expose itself to the voracioustribes of the air, who are ready to dart upon it. And sometimes theelegant little Stormy Petrel, with its slender long legs, seemed to walkthe waters, like the fervent St. Peter, from whom it derives its name.

  "But is not this bird believed to be the harbinger of storms?" askedMargaret of her father, as he watched with delight the gracefulcreature he had so often desired to behold.

  "Such is the belief of the sailors," answered he, "who have added theill-omened epithet to its name. It is true that the approach, or thepresence, of a gale, has no terror to this intrepid bird, the smallestof the web-footed tribe. It ascends the mountainous wave, and skimsalong the deep hollows, treading the water, supported by its expandedwings, in search of the food which the troubled sea casts on thesurface:

  'Up and down! up and down! From the base of the wave to the billow's crown, Amidst the flashing and feathery foam, The Stormy Petrel finds a home,'

  as a poet who is a true lover of nature has written. Yet it is notalways the harbinger or the companion of the storm, for even in thecalmest weather it follows a vessel, to feed on the offal thrownoverboard, as fearless and familiar in the presence of man as the pertsparrow of London."

  "Here, papa!" cried Hugh, "here is a new creature to add to yourcollection. I know him at once,--the huge Albatross."

  With the admiration of a naturalist, Mr. Mayburn looked on the giganticbird, continuing its solemn majestic flight untiringly for hours afterthe ship, its keen eye ever on the watch for any floating substancewhich was thrown from the vessel, and then swooping heavily down tosnatch the prize voraciously, and circling round the ship, again toresume its place at the wake.

  "I see now," said he, "why Coleridge wrote,--

  'The Albatross did follow, And every day, for food or play. Came to the mariner's hollo!'

  But the poet mistook the habits of the bird entirely when he added, that'on mast or shroud it perched.' The difficulty of expanding its wing offive joints, so immensely long, would impede its rising from the mast ofa ship; it scrambles along the waves before it can rise above them; andit has been well said, 'The albatross is the mere creature of the wind,and has no more power over itself than a paper kite or an air balloon.It is all wing, and has no muscle to raise itself with, and must waitfor a wind before it can get under sail.'"

  The family were assembled on deck in the close of the evening, after thefervid heat of an equatorial sun, and they beheld with enjoyment thewonders of the deep; but the old nurse seemed disturbed and awe-struck.

  "Every thing seems turned topsy-turvy here," said she. "Days far hotternor ever I mind them, and May-day not come; fishes with wings, flying asif they were birds, and birds walking atop of the water, as if it weredry land. It's unnatural, Miss Marget, and no good can come on it, Isay."

  "Ah! if you were but going with us, Mrs. Wilson," said Charles Deverell;"then I would engage you should see wonders. You should see beastshopping about like birds, and wearing pockets to carry their young onesin; black swans and white eagles; cuckoos that cry in the night, andowls that scream by day; pretty little birds that cannot sing, and beesthat never sting. There the trees shed their bark instead of theirleaves, and the cherries grow with the stone outside."

  "Now, just hold your tongue, Mr. Charles," answered nurse, angrily."Your brother would scorn to talk such talk; but you're no better thanMaster Gerald, trying to come over an old body with your fairy stories."

  "It is quite true, Mrs. Wilson," said Emma Deverell, "and I wish youwere all going with us into this land of enchantments. Then, Margaret,dear Margaret, how happy we should be. You should be queen, and we allyour attendant sylphs, and

  'Merry it would be in fairy-land, Where the fairy birds were singing.'"

  "Merry for you, little wild goose," said her brother Edward; "butCharles has told you the fairy birds do not sing; and our sylph-lifewill be one of hard labor for many months before we make our fairy-landand court lit to receive our queen. Then we must try and lure her to us.How shall we contrive it, Emma?"

  Margaret smiled and shook her head. "Too bright a dream," said she, "tobe safely indulged in. But you must tell us all you propose to do, andwe will watch your progress in fancy."

  "Oh, do tell us all about it, Edward," said Hugh. "But, first of all,make a dot upon my map, that we may know where you are when we come toseek you."

  "Very prudent, Hugh," answered Edward, "though I doubt the accuracy ofmy dot on this small map; but I suppose I shall not be more than ahundred miles wrong, and that is nothing in the wilds of Australia."

  "But I see you will be close on this great river that falls into theDarling," said Hugh; "so if we only follow up the rivers, we must findyou."

  "You would not find that so easy a task as it seems, my boy," repliedEdward. "Neither are we, as you suppose, close on that river, but fiftymiles from it; but we have a charming little river laid down on ourplan, which we must coax and pet in the rainy season, that it mayprovide us with water in the drought."

  "You have a most extensive tract," said Arthur, looking on the plan.

  "Oh, yes," said Charles, "we propose, you know, to build a castle forourselves, and a town for our vassals."

  "There lies my castle," said Edward, pointing to some large packageswhich contained the frame of his future abode. "As for the town, I amnot without hopes to see it rise some time, and do honor to its name."

  "Deverell, I conclude?" observed Arthur.

  "So my mother wishes the station to be called," replied he; "but my own'modest mansion,' I should wish to name Daisy Grange."

  "I never understood that the daisy was indigenous in Australia," saidMr. Mayburn.

  "Certainly it is not, sir," answered Edward; "but we have fortunatelybrought out a number of roots of this dear home flower, and will try todomesticate them in our new country; though I fear they will be apt toforget their native simplicity, and learn to flaunt in colors."

  "I know why yo
u wish to call your house Daisy Grange, Edward," saidEmma, nodding sagaciously at Margaret, and the general laughter showedthe little girl had surmised correctly.

  "A very pretty and delicate compliment," said Mr. Mayburn: "our ownglorious Chaucer speaks of the daisy as--

  'La belle marguerite, O commendable flower, and most in minde;'

  and the noble Margaret of Valois, a Christian and a scholar, had thedaisy, or _marguerite_, worn in honor of her name, and is herselfremembered as the 'Marguerite of Marguerites'."

  And thus they amused themselves till, without storm or delay, they hadcrossed the equator, and entered the South Sea, when a new source ofenjoyment was opened to Mr. Mayburn, who had long desired to view theconstellations of the south; and favorable weather enabled them to studyastronomy every night. Never for a moment did the voyage seem tedious inthe cheerful society of the happy families, and all things concurred torender it agreeable. The provisions were excellent, fresh meat andbread, with milk in abundance, prevented them from suffering from changeof diet; and constant employment made the moments fly. In the morningthe young Mayburns, with Emma Deverell, read with Mr. Mayburn, andstudied Hindostanee; and in the evening they walked on deck, listeningto the pleasant anecdotes told by Edward Deverell, who had been a greattraveller. Then they had music, and occasionally dancing; and ifsometimes a light gale tossed the vessel, or swept the dinner from thetable, the _contretemps_ caused mirth rather than wailing. Mr. Mayburnhimself, busily engaged in teaching, lecturing, or in writing anddelivering simple sermons to the poor emigrants, recovered hischeerfulness, and once more began to confide in himself.

  And so, in good time, they reached the Cape, and Jenny discovered thatnow, "when May-day was turned," it was far colder than any May-day inEngland, and put on her warm shawl to land with her young charge to seethe town, and to look after that "feckless Ruth." It was a greatpleasure to the ardent young people to set their feet on the shores ofAfrica, to see the vessels of many nations crowding the harbor, and thepeople of many countries thronging the busy streets, to make excursionsto the mountains and vine-covered hills around, and to collect thebotanical treasures of a new and fertile region. Mr. Deverell was moreusefully engaged with his herdsmen and shepherds, in completing hisstock of cattle and sheep, and in making other purchases for his greatundertaking; and thus many days were spent pleasantly and profitably.

  Once more embarked, a shade of melancholy was perceptible--among theyoung especially--as they daily approached nearer to the shores wherethey must be separated; for the two families, so kindred in taste anddisposition, had become truly attached during their long voyage; andnotwithstanding the pleasant prospect of new scenes and pursuits, theywere less cheerful every day. Even Edward Deverell, with his mindcrowded with plans for clearing, draining, cultivating, sheep-shearing,and tallow-melting, felt deep regret at the prospect of separation fromthe lively, intelligent boys, and their amiable and sensible sister; andMargaret herself, usually so composed and contented, sighed to think shemust lose the valuable counsel of Edward, the friendly protection of hismild invalid mother, and the warm affection of the sprightly Emma; andevery evening, as they walked on deck, they indulged hopes, and sketchedplans of meeting again.

  After they had entered the Indian Ocean, they had no longer thefavorable and pleasant breezes they had so long enjoyed, and while Hughand Gerald were anxiously looking out for pirates, and talking ofMalays, of prahus, and of kreeses, the sailors were watching the signsof the sky, wrestling with contrary winds, and guarding against suddengales.

  "How vexatious," said Hugh, "to be drifted about every way but the rightway, and to have all this noise and splashing and dashing, and yetnothing to come of it. Now if we had a grand regular storm, and ashipwreck, and were all cast away on an uninhabited island, it would bean adventure; there would be some life in that."

  "More likely there would be death in it," said Margaret. "Do not be sopresumptuous, unthinking boy!"

  "I should enjoy the thing amazingly myself, Margaret," said Gerald; "sodon't you look grave about it. Or what would you think, Hugh, if a greatfleet of prahus were to surround us and try to board us, while we, armedand ready for them, were to pour our shots into them, and put the roguesto flight. But first we would take care to capture the fierce piratecaptain, and take possession of all his treasures. Then wouldn't weenter Melbourne in triumph, and have the robber hauled up to thegallows."

  "Pirates do not usually carry their treasures about in their prahus,"said Arthur; "nor do I think it is at all desirable that we shouldencounter a piratical fleet. Where are your guns to pour downdestruction on the foe, Master Gerald?"

  "Oh, murther!" cried the wild boy, "wasn't I forgetting the guns! Now,what for did we come in a merchantman, as quiet and dull as a quaker?Well, well, Arty, we have plenty of brave fellows, and our own riflesand pistols, besides knives and dirks. We should defend ourselves likeBritons, I'll be bound."

  But the next day there was no cause to complain of dulness, for a realgale came on, and all was confusion. The wind roared, the waves rosetremendously, the ship rolled fearfully in a heavy sea, and before nightthe maintop-gallant was carried away. Then sail was reduced; but louderand stronger grew the tempest amid the darkness of night. Mast aftermast was rent away, and the crippled vessel continued to drifthelplessly for twenty-four hours, when the violence of the gale began toabate. Signals of distress were made, but long in vain. At length avessel appeared in sight, and distinguishing their signals, made up tothem. It was bound to Melbourne, which was now within a few days' sail,and, with as much kindness as difficulty, the stranger succeeded intaking the disabled _Amoor_ in tow, and bringing her into port insafety.