CHAPTER FOUR.
We had already, according to our calculation, performed the distance toMr Strong's station, but no signs of it could we discover. The heatwas oppressive, and seeing a wood on our left, we were assured from thenature of the trees, that either a water-hole or a stream would befound. We agreed to camp there for a couple of hours to let our horsesfeed and to take our dinner, hoping then by pushing on that we shouldbefore evening at all events arrive at the station. I had riddenforward to look out for the water, when just as I caught sight of theglitter of a pool, I saw two persons emerge from the shade. They werewhite lads with a couple of dogs and had guns in their hands. So intentwere they on some object before them that they did not perceive me. Oneof them fired at an opossum which they had, I concluded, driven out ofits hole. The animal fell to the ground, when they dashed forward tosave it from being torn to pieces by the dogs. As they did so, one ofthem looked up and saw me watching them.
"Hallo! Where do you come from?" he exclaimed advancing.
"From England," I answered. "We want to reach Mr Strong's station, andshall be obliged if you will help us to find it."
"That's where we live, so we can take you to it," replied the lad. "Youhave, however, come somewhat out of your way, and must have passed it onyour right."
I thanked him. "And who are you?" I asked.
"We are Mr Strong's sons," he replied. "We came here to look for somestray cattle which are hid in this scrub, so we shall first have todrive them out, but that won't take us long. We left our horses hobbledclose at hand while we stopped, intending to take our dinner, as we havebeen out since the morning."
"We were going to do the same," I observed. "Here comes my brother Guy;if you haven't eaten your dinner you'll join us, won't you?"
"Of course!" he said laughing. "And I conclude that you are Guy andMaurice Thurston, our cousins we have been expecting out from the oldcountry for some months past. My name is Hector. That is my brotherOliver. I suppose you have heard of us?"
I had to confess that I had not before heard their names, though I didnot like to say how little I knew about them.
Guy, Toby, and I, having dismounted and allowed our horses to drink atthe pool, hobbled them and let them go away to feed, while we sat downin a shady spot to discuss our provisions. Our cousins produced damper,cold beef and cheese from their pockets; while Toby placed before us apiece of a kangaroo which we had shot the previous day and somebiscuits, while we all contented ourselves with a draught of water fromthe pool.
The meal was quickly despatched, when our cousins jumped up saying thatthey must look out for the cattle, and that as soon as we saw the herdrounded up and clear of the scrub, we might follow in the rear. Theyadvised us to take care should any of them charge us, as they were aptto be vicious, and Toby might have a difficulty in escaping. "You neednot hurry yourselves," they added, "but when you hear the sound of ourstock whips, you had better mount and be ready to start."
Guy and I agreed that it was very fortunate we had fallen in with ourcousins, who seemed to be wonderfully hardy fellows, and we hoped mightprove good companions.
We waited a short time, when we heard, coming from some distance,apparently, the sharp report of the whips, like the sound of crackers.Now the sounds, mingled with a chorus of lowing and bellowing, reachedus from one side, now from the other, every moment approaching nearer,so that we agreed that it would be wise to catch our horses and mount.We were quickly in our saddles, when several bulls burst out of thescrub a short distance from us. We rode forward to get out of their wayas they looked very much inclined to charge us. Presently othersappeared in different directions, and then our two young cousins,cracking their long whips, followed, rounding up the cattle in the mostscientific manner, and turning several cows which with their calves wereevidently intent on bolting back into the scrub.
We soon got excited with the scene, and although our horses weresomewhat tired and we had no stock whips, we managed so effectually toturn the cattle with our ordinary riding-whips, that our cousinsdeclared we assisted them very much. The mob once collected went onsteadily until we got them into the paddock, an enclosure half a mile inextent, into which, some bars being removed, most of them eagerlyrushed. A few however tried to bolt, but were sent back by the stockwhips, and all were fortunately turned in; some to be used for beef,others for branding, while the cows were wanted for milking.
"Where is the station?" I asked. "I can see only this immensepaddock."
"There!" answered Hector, pointing to where I caught sight of the roofsof several low buildings. "We shall soon be there."
We put our horses into a canter, and in a short time arrived before acollection of buildings like Indian bungalows, the centre of which wasthe dwelling house, which had slab walls and shingled roof, with apretty verandah in front.
A stout gentleman, a few grey hairs sprinkling his head and large bushybeard, came out to meet us, and on hearing from Hector who we were,welcomed us cordially.
Our cousins took our horses, which they turned into a small paddockcontaining a shed at one end to afford shelter to the animals.
We then entered the house, where we were introduced to the hostess, atall lady, somewhat sallow and careworn, but with considerable animationin her manner. We were next made known to three young ladies, two ofwhom we understood were Misses Strong and a third Clara Mayne, a friend;besides these there were three young children. In a short time, twotall lads, sunburnt, and sinewy, made their appearance with stock whipsin their hands and broad-brimmed hats on their heads.
"You have not seen them all yet," observed our hostess.
Two more young men came in, one somewhat older than Guy, the other aboutmy own age, and I found that they also were cousins. Altogether agoodly company sat down to the evening meal. We all waited onourselves, there being no female helps in the household.
A rattling conversation was kept up, the young men describing to theirfather the events of the day, while we had to give an account of ouradventures from the time of our landing. They were all highlyinterested in hearing of Bracewell being stuck up by bushrangers and howwe had rescued him.
"We must put a stop to the career of those gentlemen," observed MrStrong. "We have heard before this of their doings, and I have evenconsidered it prudent not to leave the ladies alone in the house withouttwo or three men as guards; a most abominable inconvenience, and yet,from knowing the atrocities of which they are capable, I consider itabsolutely necessary."
The blacks, he said, had also been troublesome. A large mob who hadbeen wandering about in that part of the country, might, he thought itpossible, take it into their heads, to pay the station a visit; thoughit was not likely that they would do harm should they find his peopleprepared for them.
After a pleasant evening, we were shown to the room we were to occupy inone of the other sheds where three of our cousins also slept. One ofthe elder ones was called in the night to mount guard, and we found thata watch was regularly kept in case either bushrangers or blacks shouldmake their appearance.
Next morning our cousins invited us to accompany them to drive inanother mob of cattle for the purpose of mustering and branding thecalves. We proposed riding our own horses, but they laughed at thenotion.
"You'd get run down to a certainty," said Hector. "As we go along I'lltell you what you'll have to do, for there's nothing like beginning atonce."
We were in the saddle before daylight, having first breakfasted, when wefound a mob of sixty or eighty tame cattle, a short distance from thestation.
"What are they for?" I asked.
"They are coaches!" answered Hector. "We use them to entice the wildones, who take shelter among them, and then the whole are more easilydriven into the stock yards."
The animals quietly pursued their way, going wherever their driverschose to direct them. We mustered a dozen horsemen. On arriving closeto the run where the wild cattle were known to be, three of the menremai
ned with the coaches, and the rest of us rode forward, dividinginto two parties, the one going to the right, the other to the left, soas to encircle the whole camp,--the name given to the spot where thewild cattle congregate. The country had a very wild appearance, therewere rocks and hills and fallen trees in all directions, and I guessedthat we should have a pretty rough ride. Our object was to drive thecattle towards the coaches and to prevent any of them turning back andbreaking through the line we formed in their rear. We were accompanied,I should have said, by a pack of dogs, of a somewhat mongrel appearance,of all sizes and shapes. On arriving at the camp one of the bestmounted stockmen went ahead to lead the cattle, which curiously enoughalways follow where they see another animal going, and now the workbegan.
Cracking our whips and shouting at the top of our voices, off we startedover the rough ground, now dashing up a hill, now descending the steepside of another, our animals springing and dodging about to avoid rocksand other obstructions. Now we leaped over trees, twisting and turningin every direction to avoid the standing stumps and jumping overscattered logs; now we had to force our way through a thick patch ofsaplings which caught us as in a net. Not occasionally but _every_moment some of the cattle would turn and attempt to break through, someof our party having immediately to wheel round, with loud cracks oftheir whips, and make the beasts head the other way. None of us seemedto think of the danger we were running. Though Guy and I were goodhorsemen it was pretty hard work for us, and our whips were but oflittle use as we could not make them crack like the rest of the party.The cows gave us most trouble, but the dogs hung on to the animals, somecatching them by the nose, others by the heels or tails, not ceasing toworry them until they took the required direction.
As we were riding along, after we had got free of the bush, a huge bullmade a dash out, attempting to escape. I galloped after him,belabouring him with my whip, and in spite of his continuing to try andtoss me, turned him back into the herd.
"Well done, Maurice," exclaimed Hector, "you'll make a first-ratestockman, but you must practise with your whip before you can become asexpert as is necessary."
We visited, in the course of a day or two, other camps in which the wildcattle were collected in the same fashion; when, led by the coaches, thewhole were driven into the yards, as they are called, situated at thehead station. Here they were allowed to remain until next morning whenthe operation of mustering and branding commenced. The yard was sodivided that the cattle required for the various purposes were driveninto different compartments; the calves into one, the cattle to beslaughtered into another, and those to be turned loose again, into athird, while the stockmen from two or three neighbouring stationsattended to claim any of their masters' cattle which had got in amongMr Strong's.
A calf having been lassoed, it was hauled up and its head held down by aplank, when a hot brand was handed to a man standing ready to press itagainst the creature's skin, where an indelible mark was left, when thelittle bellower was allowed to rise and make its escape into anotherpen.
Guy and I were not of much use, but we saw everything going forward, andlent a hand whenever we could.
"Now, my lads," said Mr Strong to us the next day; "I see the stuff youare made of. You'll do, and if you like to remain with me to learn allyou ought to know, you are welcome; after that you can decide whatcourse you will follow."
We had been some days at the station when a person arrived who hadoccasionally been spoken of as Mr Kimber. He acted as tutor to ourhost's younger sons as he did also to another family in theneighbourhood. He was a graduate of one of our leading universities,and had been found by Mr Strong in the humble capacity of hut-keeper ona neighbouring station, a situation he was compelled to take inconsequence of having expended the whole of his means. His presentoccupation was more in accordance with his tastes, although his salarywas, I suspect, not very considerable. He was evidently not cut out foran Australian settler, for though he could manage to stick on horseback,as Hector observed, "he preferred a walk to a gallop;" while hepersisted in wearing a stove-pipe hat and a swallow-tail coat, which heevidently considered a more dignified costume than the straw hat and redshirt generally worn by all ranks in the bush. He was amusing from thesimplicity of his remarks, and as he was honest and well-informed, MrStrong was really glad to retain him.
We had been expecting a visit from Bracewell, as Guy had written to himto tell him that we were still remaining with our relative, who did notappear to have any idea of leaving his station, but he had received noanswer.
Mr Kimber gave two days of the week to the family of a Captain Mason,who owned the station next to Mr Strong's. His plan was to ride overearly in the morning of one day and to return late in the evening of thenext.
After we had become tolerably intimate he invited me to accompany him,and to assist in teaching two of the younger boys. As I wished tobecome acquainted with Captain Mason, and to see his station, I readilyaccepted his invitation. I found a family very similar to that of MrStrong, and quite as numerous; the girls and boys tall and lithe, but asactive as crickets. The girls told me to tell my cousins that theywould ride over some day to see them, as soon as those abominablebushrangers had been captured.
We started somewhat later than usual from Captain Mason's, but the"Dominie," as the boys called him, had frequently traversed the road,and assured me that he knew it perfectly. We pushed on, however, asfast as we could go, wishing to get in before dark, as my companionconfided to me the fact that he felt not a little nervous about thebushrangers, of whose atrocious deeds the young Masons had been tellinghim--the murders they had committed, the huts they had attacked, and thenumber of people they had stuck up. I could not disprove thestatements, though I believe the accounts greatly exaggerated, and Idescribed to him the way we had driven the fellows off by the exhibitionof firmness and courage.
"All very well in daylight," he observed; "but suppose the villains wereto pop up from behind the bushes on the other side of the road, andorder us to stand and deliver, and to threaten to shoot us if weattempted to draw our pistols,--and by the bye I haven't any to draw,--what should we do?"
"Put spurs to our horses and gallop out of their way," I answered."They wouldn't dare to fire, and if they did, the chances are they wouldmiss us. We must run some danger in this country, and the risk is notnearly so great as riding after wild cattle as we have still to do, sopray do not make yourself unhappy on the subject."
Still, I saw that my companion looked anxiously about him, especially asit began to grow dusk, immediately after which darkness came on, and wewere compelled to moderate our speed for fear of getting a knock on ourheads from overhanging branches, or riding against fallen logs.
Eager as the dominie was to get on, not being a first-rate horseman hewent even slower than was necessary. We were passing through a thickishpart of the forest, when, reining in his steed, he whispered to me in atremulous voice--"Pull up, pray do, I hear the tramp of horses' feet.Suppose they should be bushrangers, they might shoot us down before wehad time to escape."
I reined in my steed to listen for the sounds which his sensitive earhad detected. "They may be simply wild cattle, or riderless horses,taking a scamper," I observed, laughing.
"Oh, no; they don't move about after dark," he said; "they must bemounted horses, do let us remain quiet until we ascertain who the peopleare."
"They are very likely some of the young Strongs coming out to meet us,"I remarked.
Scarcely had I said this, however, than I caught sight of two horsemenriding across an open glade some distance off. There was sufficientlight for me to make out the figures distinctly. One was a big fellowin a rough garb, the other was slighter, and both were armed. Presentlyafterwards two others came into view, the moonbeams glancing on thebarrels of their rifles, showing that they also were armed. I fullyexpected that they would discover us, and I intended if they did soboldly to ride up and enquire where they were going. They galloped on,however, without perceivi
ng us. As I alone had arms I felt that itwould be folly to interfere with them, as we might run the risk of beingshot, while we could gain no possible advantage. I therefore remainedperfectly quiet, and in another minute they were out of sight. Theywere going in the direction of Captain Mason's station. They would be,however, mistaken, I hoped, if they expected to surprise our friends;who had assured me that they kept a watch by night and day, and werewell prepared for such gentry.
As soon as they were out of hearing, we rode on; the dominie I sawfeeling far from happy, as every now and then he turned his head overhis shoulder to assure himself that we were not followed.
The moon, which had now risen high in the sky, afforded us ample lightto see our way. As the country became more open, we were able to pushon as fast as we could go.
We were to have another adventure. While still some distance from home,the loud lowing of a cow reached our ears. The animal was evidentlyalarmed at something. Galloping towards it, we found on getting up thatshe was endeavouring to protect her calf from the attack of a dozendingoes. Now she would run at one with her sharp horns, now at another,but the moment she had gone in one direction the brutes would assail herhelpless young one. They were not even deterred by our approach.
"We must put an end to these dingoes!" I exclaimed. Unstrapping one ofmy stirrup irons and using it as a weapon, I singled out one of the wilddogs, and succeeded, after several attempts, in giving it a blow on thehead which brought it to the ground. I then attacked another, which Itreated in the same fashion. The dominie tried to imitate me but verynearly tumbled over on his nose, though he assisted in protecting thecalf by driving off the cowardly brutes. The cow at last pinned one tothe ground with her horns, and then turning round attacked it with herheels until she well-nigh pounded it into a jelly. At length thesurvivors took to flight.
"We have killed three at at all events," remarked the dominie.
"Not so sure of that," I answered as we rode away, and turning my head,I observed that one of the dingoes was beginning to move. I turnedround, when it lay perfectly still, but it had crept on half a dozenyards at least.
I gave it a few more blows with my stirrup iron, and then getting out myknife cut its throat. I treated its companions in the same manner, as Idid not feel sure that the one the cow had tossed was really dead, sotenacious of life are the brutes.
I do not know whether the cow was grateful, but we left her licking hercalf where the dingoes had bitten it. When we drew in sight of thestation we saw Hector and his elder brother Ralph coming to meet us.
"We got somewhat anxious about your being so much later than usual,"said the latter. "We have had a visit from some suspicious characterswho said that they were in search of work and had lost their way, andbegged that they might have a night's lodging in one of the out-houses,and some supper and breakfast, and that one or two of us would ridealong with them in the morning to show them the road to the nextstation. As, however, Hector had detected a brace of pistols under theshirt of the man who spoke, and saw that the others had long knives intheir belts, while their countenances were of the most villainous cast,we refused to comply with their wishes, and told them that they mustride on and camp out as they had evidently previously been doing."
"I did not think all had villainous countenances," said Hector; "therewas one good-looking young fellow among them. He kept in the backgroundand said nothing. However, I had no doubt of what they were, and theyshowed it by riding away when they found that we were not to be takenin. Oliver followed them, when they stopped at a piece of scrub, fromwhich they each drew forth a rifle and several other articles, stillfurther proving that they had some treacherous design in coming to thestation."
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