"Come let us fill the flowing bowl
Until it doth run over;
For to-night we'll merry be,
To-morrow we'll get sober."
OLD SONG.
Some time had elapsed since the events mentioned in the foregoing
chapter had transpired; but few changes had come over the scene of our
narrative. Kate Ferguson had settled down into the circle of her
domestic duties with a spirit that charmed her brothers and enchanted
every one about her. Mr. Wigton had, at an early date, left Fern Vale
for Brisbane. The blacks had entirely disappeared from the country, and
Mr. Rainsfield had almost, if not entirely, forgotten their existence
and the dreadful means he had adopted for their expatriation; while Tom
Rainsfield, if he continued to remember it, never allowed any mention of
the circumstances to pass his lips. The whole of the events were of
course, by "the thousand tongues of scandal," speedily noised about the
country; but the general feeling exculpated Rainsfield from any blame,
and the judicial enquiries were extremely superficial. The government
being perfectly satisfied with the report of the magistrates of the
neighbourhood; who in their turn were content with the unsubstantiated
version of their colleague Mr. Rainsfield. Tom Rainsfield was a constant
visitor to his friends at Fern Vale; while William Ferguson and his
sister made repeated visits to "the Hill," though their brother John
rarely moved off his own run.
The spring had set in with its calm salubrious atmosphere, and plenty
and contentment pervaded all nature. At nearly every station shearing
had been completed; and, except at some of the remote localities where
labour was only with difficulty obtained, the excitement and bustle
incidental to that time had subsided, and the squatters had settled down
into the monotony of their usual routine.
At a pretty little spot on a tributary creek of the Gibson river, about
ten miles from Brompton, was situated the station of Clintown, the
residence and property of a retired medical man of the name of Graham.
This gentleman was rather a portly individual of stupendous dimensions;
with a body rather obese, and limbs of great power. His face was
decidedly rubicund, and, kept scrupulously free from hairy excrescence,
displayed a pair of pendent cheeks. His nose was not much out of the
common, except that it was possessed of a certain erubescence, which,
increasing in intensity towards the extremity, gave some indication of
the owner's predilection for spirituous comforts. His cranium on the
summit had a decided tendency to sterility, notwithstanding the
continual exudation of an unctuous nourishment; and, but for the stamp
of the voluptuary which was unmistakably impressed upon his visage, and
other slight defects, would have been considered by phrenologists a fine
head.
If not respected in the district Dr. Graham was at least tolerated;
perhaps more from dread than any other feeling his presence or society
was likely to create. Among the lower orders he was generally detested;
he was abhorred by the shepherds whom he employed, and who never could
be induced to stay with him longer than they were absolutely compelled;
while many were the charges of rapacity brought against him, by those
who had been in his service, and had been defrauded of their wages on
some unjust pretext. His bellicosity was well known; and bold indeed was
the man who would dare to risk an encounter with the self-dubbed
"champion of the Downs." He was reputed wealthy; or rather his means
were supposed to be considerable, though there was a story attached to
their acquisition, which, if true, reflected lasting opprobrium on this
worldly medicus.
He was said to have been located at one time as a practitioner in a
distant part of the colony, and to have conceived the idea of
establishing an hospital in a certain town, centrally situated in the
bush. To accomplish this end he travelled the country soliciting
subscriptions; and such was the confidence reposed in the individual,
whose disinterestedness and zeal were generally admired, and the
desideratum that such an edifice was considered, that he was eminently
successful in his canvass. The squatters readily and munificently
subscribed to the project, and Dr. Graham soon found himself in
possession of a considerable sum of money.
That this money was applied to the purposes for which it was contributed
is more than doubtful; for the hospital was never erected, while Dr.
Graham shortly afterwards became possessed of the station of Clintown.
It was said that some of the subscribers, not relishing the manner in
which they were taken in, insisted upon a return of their money, or its
legitimate application; and in some few instances, to quiet the
importunities of those who were disposed to be turbulent, the money was
returned. But in the majority of the cases the parties were too timorous
or indifferent to make any demands; and the subscriptions and hospital
scheme remained in _statu quo_, the one in the pocket, or rather
represented in the sheep of Dr. Graham, and the other in the fond
expectation of the deluded subscribers. Whether this tale be true or
false we are not in a position to say; but it was darkly brooded about,
no one daring to venture an open assertion, in consideration of the
pugilistic accomplishment of the party most concerned. One thing,
however, is certain that the Doctor, prior to the scheme, was always
supposed to be in debt, from the difficulty "those little accounts"
could be extorted from him, while after the successful ruse, he suddenly
became possessed, to a remarkable extent, of a laudable desire for
honourable liquidation.
The general characteristics of Dr. Graham's nature were as peculiar as
his personal appearance. He was parsimonious and exacting in his
intercourse with his neighbours, and inhospitable to those not his boon
companions; to whom again, he was lavish and profuse. Nothing gave him
greater pleasure than the society of a companion who could join him in
copious libations; and upon one occasion he carried out his principle in
a remarkable manner. He was detained on business for a short time in
Sydney, and was disposed to enjoy himself in "a little bit of a spree;"
though, unfortunately for his happiness, he could not fall in with a
concomitant spirit to join him in the way of friendship. None who knew
him were disposed to submit to his imperiousness; so he was driven to
the necessity of procuring, by engagement, the companionship of some
congenial nature. He, therefore, hired a man who was recommended to him
for the purpose; an individual who was famous in his generation for his
bibulous capabilities, and willing to submit to any indignity for a
gratuitous supply of the inebriate's nectar. The debauch commenced and
was conducted with considerable spirit so long as it lasted; but the
principal and his co-adjutor soon parted, owing, as the former used to
say, to the fellow's incapacity to take his liquor. His contentment in
loneliness was another feature in his character; which was also
exemplified by another tale often told about him. He was an enthusiastic
lover of whist, and when he could make up a rubber with three of his
choice spirits he was content; though still without them he was equally
partial to his hand, and was actually discovered on one occasion sitting
with his usual solace, his grog and his pipe, silently going through the
formula of playing with three dummies.
In the sitting-room pertaining to the dwelling of this worthy
individual, who, we may mention, had never thought it advisable "to
settle in life," sat three specimens of the genus homo--the proprietor
of the station, a neighbouring squatter of the name of Brown, and our
old acquaintance, Bob Smithers. At the moment of our intrusion upon this
triumvirate, they were assiduously attentive to a dark-coloured opaque
receptacle, containing a brown stimulating fluid, and which was
circulated (to use an antithesis) in a triangle from one to the other of
this trio, and followed by its usual concomitant, an earthenware vessel
of a porous nature (containing a more translucent liquid), and vulgarly
denominated "a monkey." In fact these gentlemen were what steady, sober,
and sedate people would call drinking; but what they, choice sons of
Bacchus, simply designated "taking a nobbler." They were also emulating
the example of the first potent initiator, and "blowing a cloud," from
three diminutive and jetty instruments, that were retained in their
dental position, irrespective of any inconvenience to expectoration or
without any hindrance to the conversation, which was carried on in an
animated manner; the only proceeding that called for a removal from
their ivory fetters being that which was necessary to alleviate thirst.
At the moment which we have chosen to introduce this company to our
readers a head was thrust into the room, and a voice called the master
of the establishment, who instantly left the apartment, after telling
his visitors not to mind his absence. This was an injunction which was
perfectly needless, for, in the presence of the before mentioned
stimulator, the parties addressed seemed in nowise disconsolate at his
leaving them.
The Doctor's absence was only of short duration, for in a few minutes he
returned with a bottle in his hand, which he set down upon the table
with the following aphorism: "May we never want a friend, and a bottle
to give him;" while he continued addressing Smithers: "Here, Bob, old
fellow, here is a spiritual visitant in the shape of as good brandy as
ever you drank. I have plenty more, so don't be frightened of the
liquor. I am obliged to keep it in my bed-room, or I would not have a
drop in the house in twelve hours; those confounded rascals of mine
would rob a church if they could get any drink out of it;" and then
turning to his other friend he said: "How are you getting on, Brown?
take another 'nip,' and don't shirk your grog;" at which little
pleasantry of his own he burst into a laugh.
Brown did as he was desired with very little show of reluctance, and
asked of his host what had occurred to make him so merry.
"Why," said the Doctor, "I have had a little adventure with one of my
fellows, who wanted to be master; but I soon taught him submission. My
overseer came to tell me that one of the scoundrels had refused to work,
so I quietly went out to him and knocked him down. I hate to have words
with the fellows; that's meeting them on their own ground. I like to
deal with them pointedly; so when the blackguard got upon his legs again
I told him the next remedy I would try would be a stock-whip, and if
that failed I would summon him before the bench. That sent him to work,
for my fellows know it is a bad game to come before the magistrates with
me; so telling him to 'keep his eye on the picture' I left him, and I'll
vow he won't trouble me again in a hurry."
"But," said Brown, "how have you managed to establish such a wholesome
dread of the bench in the minds of your men? For my part, if ever I have
any of my fellows up, I not only rarely obtain any satisfaction, but am
put to a great deal of trouble and inconvenience."
"Oh, I suppose you don't know how to manage it," replied the Doctor. "I
never let any of my fellows have a case against me. If they have at any
time the impertinence to serve me with a summons, or lodge a complaint,
I always prevent them getting any of their own witnesses, by finding
them something to do to keep them out of the way of a subpoena;
whereas that overseer of mine is an uncommonly useful fellow, he always
sees things in the same light that I do."
"But still I can't see," said Brown, "if the fellows are determined to
be troublesome, how you are to punish them unless they commit a breach
of their agreement; and they are generally wide awake enough to keep all
right there."
"Nothing easier in the world," replied the Doctor. "I'll just tell you
how I served one fellow that gave me a great deal of trouble. He was a
'new chum,' just out from home. My agent in Brisbane hired him from the
ship when he arrived, and he was an infernally saucy fellow, as all
those new chums are; for they not only demand higher wages, but are
always more difficult to satisfy, readier with their objections, and
lazier and less handy with their work, than men with 'colonial
experience.' Now, this fellow gave me some cheek one day, and I
thrashed him; but what do you think of his impertinence? he actually
summoned me for assault. Well, Bill, my overseer, very conveniently saw
him raise his hand to strike me, so I was forced, you perceive, to knock
him down in self-defence, and the case was dismissed. But I was
determined to break my fine fellow's pride, and let him see that he had
got into the wrong box when he fancied he could ride rough-shod over me;
and I wasn't long in giving him the lesson. I had him engaged as a
shepherd, in the usual way, 'and to make himself generally useful;' so
one fine Sunday morning, when he had dressed himself in his 'Sunday
go-to-meeting clothes,' I found a nice little job for him that I knew he
wouldn't relish. I had a couple of horses in a paddock at the other side
of the creek; which had been flooded just previously, so that the
paddock was nearly half covered with mud and water; and to get over to
it there was no other way than to ford the creek, which I give you my
word was none of the cleanest to cross. I ordered the fellow to fetch me
one of the horses, knowing perfectly well that, as there was not another
on the station, he would have to accomplish it on foot. I was sure this
would try his metal, and guessed he wouldn't half like the idea of
soiling his clean clothes; and I was right. He didn't like it; and
positively refused to go, saying that he was not obliged to work on a
Sunday beyond what was absolutely necessary, such as tending his flock,
for which he was engaged. I, however, put a boy to mind his sheep, and
then ordered him again to bring in the horse for me; but he still
refused. So I just had him up, under 'the Masters and Servants Act,' for
refusing to obey my lawful orders, and he was fined forty shillings and
ordered to go back to his work. But he declined to do that, and was then
committed to gaol for a month, at the expiration of which he was sent
back to his work, whether he liked it or not. Well, sir, he was always
civil after that; but I determined that he should remember the lesson.
So when his term expired, and I settled with him for his wages, I
charged him with twenty sheep that had been missing out of his flock
while he had refused to work. He was fool enough to decline receiving
the balance of his wages, and actually sued me; but I produced my
stock-book before the bench, when the loss was shown, and my overseer
swore to the deficiency, so my gentleman had to submit; and, being
rather abusive upon his defeat, I quieted him by threatening another
thrashing, and told him to 'keep his eye on the picture,' unless he
wished to be still farther treated to a drilling."
"Well," said Brown, "but suppose a fellow like that should persist in
giving you trouble, his services would not at any wages be worth having,
considering the nuisance of continually dragging him before the bench;
and he might get a lot of your men as witnesses against you; and even if
he did no good for himself, he would do you considerable injury, by
drawing the men away from their work."
"I never have any bother in that way," replied Dr. Graham. "I told you I
never allow any of my fellows to have witnesses, if I can help it, and I
generally can; so you see I don't lose their time in that way; and as to
their being of any service to the fellow who wants to complain, I don't
believe it, for I get it all arranged before their case is heard. You
know, I am generally on the bench myself; and before we commence
business, I, and whoever may be sitting with me, have a talk over the
cases on the sheet; and, of course, there being one in my name, I just
explain the matter to the other fellows, and we easily settle between us
what the chap shall have. So that when my case is called, I sink the
magistrate for the time, and leave the bench for the witness box, where
I give my evidence and obtain the sentence I require. Only the last case
I had was one brought against me by a bullock-driver I had employed, and
who, not having done his work as he ought to have done, I gave a
thrashing to, and he summoned me for assault. Now it happened, the day
my case came on, I was on the bench with Ned Telford, who had a case
against one of his men; and we arranged between ourselves, that while he
sat to hear and dismiss my case, I would hear his, and give his fellow a
fortnight in the lock-up. The thing was done as easily and quietly as
possible, without any trouble or annoyance to either of us. What is the
use of 'the Master and Servants Act' if we can't make the fellows
obedient? It is high time that the blackguards were brought to their
senses, for they have had their own way far too long, and I don't half
so much trouble myself with them now as I used to do; they begin to know
me, and understand that I will not put up with any of their nonsense."
"You certainly," said Brown, "manage to keep them pretty subordinate so
long as they stay with you, which, I imagine, is not longer than they
can help; but, for my own part, I am not so fortunate, for I am
continually having trouble with my men. They are principally 'fresh
emigrants,' and are always grumbling and growling, notwithstanding that
they get higher wages than other men, and have less to do than usually
falls to the lot of older hands. I begin to find that 'new chums' are
the worst class of men that can be had; I would sooner have black
fellows if they could be got to stick to their work."
"So would I," replied the Doctor, "if we could only make the black
devils work, but that no one on earth can do. You see we are obliged to
get new chums, at least I am, for the old ones disappear somehow; as
soon as ever they get paid off, they bolt off down the country, and we
see no more of them."
"Just so, Graham," said the other, "I find it equally as difficult to
get men that have colonial experience as you do. The fact of the matter
is simply this, some fools particularly busy themselves in spreading
reports down the country that the blacks are fearfully troublesome in
this district, and that no man's life is safe; the consequence of which
is, that no one will engage to come out here but 'new chums,' who have
not had time to hear the idle stories. I hear that emigration from home
is likely to cease from the representations of a set of scoundrels in
Sydney and Melbourne that the destitution there is great. If emigration
is stopped, I don't know what we, in the outlying district, are to do
for labour; what do you think Smithers?"
"I think," replied that individual, "that if the people in the large
towns complain of the scarcity of work it is only because they won't go
into the country to look for it. The fools won't stir out of the town,
notwithstanding that there are too many of them there, and that their
labour is wanted in the country. If the blackguards will not come into
the bush when work is offered to them I would send them to work on the
government roads."
"Yes, by Jove! you are right," said Brown; "but then that can't be done
without some stringent enactment of government; which I am certain
would be afraid to go in so heavily. One thing is very certain, labour
we must have of some sort or another; for at present we are not only at
the mercy of our men, but we have to pay them ruinously high wages, to
be treated with contumely, have our work neglected, and our property
sacrificed."
"For my part," said the Doctor, "I would sooner have the old convict
times back again; then we could compel the fellows to do their work, and
keep very civil too, unless they wanted a little buttering with the
lash. Besides, it was far more satisfactory to have the scoundrels under
our control, and not so expensive as paying the men, as now, forty and
fifty pounds a year and their rations; but, halloo! who have we got
here?"