Reggy had by this time learned to make himself almost as useful as
Harry. Their great delight was riding after stray cattle and horses,
which afforded them constant occupation.
Occasionally they visited the sheep-stations, to see that all was right,
or to give directions to the shepherds.
Sometimes they drove one of the drays carrying provisions and stores, a
task which was not so pleasant as galloping over the country. Now and
then Hector was persuaded to join them in the former duty, but he would
never even attempt to learn to drive a dray.
"If I could manage to get hold of a well-built dogcart from London, I
should have no objection to turn out a tandem," he said, as he
contemptuously surveyed the dray.
As the captain was convinced that "all work and no play makes Jack a
dull boy," he occasionally allowed all hands who could be spared to go
out hunting, the game being kangaroos or emus, when Bruce and the other
dogs at the station had an active part to play. Hector, who rode pretty
well, had no objection to join in it. Even Rob and Edgar were at times
allowed to go out.
The damage caused by the storm having been repaired, about a week after
Paul left home a hunting party was organised, the captain and Mr Haward
joining it, with all the boys. Sandy, on such occasions, always
remained at home, although he had learned to stick to the saddle as well
as any man. Hunting was not to his taste; besides which, he considered
it his duty to look after the ladies at the house and the cattle at the
station.
It was a lovely morning; not a cloud was in the sky. The air was so
pure, and so fine a breeze was blowing, that no one felt the heat. The
boys were in high spirits as they rode along on their sturdy little
horses, with the dogs barking and frisking around them. They had not
gone far before a large kangaroo was sighted--an "old man," as the big
kangaroos are called by the settlers. He was employed in plucking the
leaves from some shrubs which partly concealed him. So busily engaged
was he, that he did not at first notice their approach, but as they got
near his quick ear detected the sound of their horses' feet, and taking
one glance at them over his shoulder, he bounded off to seek safety in
flight.
The dogs gave chase, the horsemen followed close upon their heels. The
kangaroo appeared to move but slowly, and to be making his long bounds
with deliberation.
"We shall be up to him in three minutes!" cried Reggy.
"Not so fast as that, by a long way," answered Harry; "he is now going
at double the speed you suppose, and will soon increase it."
Harry was right. On went the kangaroo towards a creek in which there
were two or three deep water-holes, a couple of miles to the northward.
Hector and Reginald could not help laughing as they saw the wonderful
bounds he made, holding his little front claws close to him, as a man
does when running a race, with his knowing head held upright.
Sometimes, when passing through high grass, the head and shoulders alone
were visible, and the dogs could not be perceived except by the waving
grass, while often they could not see the chase; still they kept on in
its tracks. At last a large water-hole was reached, the kangaroo leapt
into it, and having gained the centre, turned round and watched for the
approach of the dogs. Bruce--knowing old fellow--was well aware that
the kangaroo would have him at a great disadvantage, and contented
himself by standing at the edge and barking, as he knew the animal must
in time abandon his present position and again take to flight. All the
older dogs imitated Brace's example; but two young ones, thinking
themselves braver than their companions, swam out, expecting to catch
the kangaroo by the neck and bring him down. The first which approached
was caught in his short arms before the dog could seize his throat, and
was held down under the water, the kangaroo looking round all the time
with perfect unconcern. In vain the dog struggled: the greater its
efforts to free himself, the more rapidly the water entered its mouth.
The second dog attempted to make a diversion in its favour, but the
kangaroo managed to give it a blow with the sharp claw of one of its
hinder feet, and, with a yelp of pain, it swam back to the shore,
leaving a ruddy stain in the water, while the body of the first dog
which had been seized floated up deprived of life.
Harry and Reggy, with Mr Hayward, who were leading, now came up, but
the kangaroo observing one side of the water-hole unguarded, suddenly,
with a few bounds, reached it and made off before the dogs could get
round to seize him. Away he went, bounding on as before towards the
scrub in which he might have hoped to obtain shelter. The horsemen lost
some little time in first getting the dead dog out of the water-hole and
by crossing the creek; but they soon recovered their lost ground, as the
kangaroo was becoming wearied with his exertions.
A thick scrub was ahead, and directly in front were some large trees.
The dogs got almost near enough to catch hold of the tail of the
kangaroo, when renewing his exertions, he managed to jump up close to
one of the big trees, and to turn round with his back to the trunk.
Here he stood at bay, showing, however, not the slightest sign of fear.
As the dogs came barking fiercely round it, Reggy, wishing to display
his courage, leapt off his horse, and was on the point of running up to
the kangaroo when Mr Hayward shouted to him to stop; and he had soon
good reason to be thankful that he had done so, for another of the young
dogs getting within reach of the kangaroo, it struck out with one of its
hind-claws and inflicted a terrible wound on its assailant. The dog,
uttering a yelp of pain, endeavoured to crawl away, but before it did so
another blow stretched it dead in front of the kangaroo as a warning to
its companions.
It seemed cruel, after the animal had so bravely fought for his life, to
destroy him; but, as he would probably have killed more of the dogs, Mr
Hayward fired and finished his career.
The kangaroo was quickly skinned, his long tail being secured to one of
the saddles. The best part of the meat, being wrapped in large leaves,
was hung up in the shade, to be carried home on their way back. The
remainder was left as a trap to the dingoes, whom it was hoped would
remain feasting, and be shot by the party on their return.
The object of the expedition, however, was to hunt emus. Leaving the
scrub, they reached some open downs of wide extent. Keeping, by the
captain's directions, on the lee side, they rapidly advanced, with a
bright lookout ahead. The emu will run from human beings, especially
from blacks. It is not, however, afraid either of horses or drays. It
greatly resembles, in size and shape, the ostrich; but its colour is of
a uniform brownish-black with feather-like hairs in lieu of feathers,
and it has no wings, but its legs being very strong it can run at a
rapid rate. As its head reaches seven feet or more from the ground it
can obtain a wide view over the plain.
Mr Hayward, who well understood the habits of the bird, rode on in
front. At length he made a sign that he saw emus in the distance, when
the whole party, as had been arranged, dismounted and led on their
horses, keeping them between themselves and the emus. They were thus
able to get within a couple of hundred yards, when the wingless birds
showed signs of alarm. Mr Hayward gave the signal to mount, and
leaping on his horse the rest followed his example, and the emus set off
running at a speed calculated to try the mettle of the fleetest horse
and the endurance of the dogs. The pack, with loud yelps, bounded after
them, followed by the horsemen, whose object was to keep them together.
The emus had no intention of being caught, but they had the wind against
them, which somewhat impeded their progress. Two, however, showed signs
of flagging, and the dogs got up to them. It would have been better for
them had they kept at a respectful distance, for the hindmost emu
kicking out struck one of them on the chest, and sent it flying among
its companions. The rest of the pack taking warning kept out of reach
of the bird's powerful feet. At length one of the hard-pressed
creatures dropped to the ground, where it was speedily despatched by the
captain, while Mr Hayward and the boys galloped after the remainder of
the flock. Two more were run down and killed in the same manner. The
skins were soon taken off and thrown across the horses' necks. A
portion also of the flesh was secured, as Harry, Reggy, and Edgar
expressed a strong wish to taste it.
The party then commenced their return home. On reaching the spot where
the kangaroo had been killed, they caught sight of a pack of dingoes, to
which they gave chase. Bruce and his companions pulled down several of
these pests to the settler, and others were shot. Not a particle of
kangaroo remained on the ground. The dingoes had been unable to reach
the meat hung up among the branches, although, from the appearance of
the trampled ground beneath, they had evidently made great efforts to
get at it. There were numbers of flies, however, buzzing around, and in
a very few hours it would have been uneatable. This was only one of
several kangaroo and emu hunts in which the boys took a part. Even
Hector acknowledged that there was some fun in the sport, though he
should like to have turned out in a red coat and riding-cap.
"With the thermometer at ninety in the shade?" remarked Harry. "I don't
think you would ride out a second time in such a fashion."