_WESTERN AUSTRALIA._
_Monday, May 9th._--At 3 A.M. carried away the clew of the mainsail,
and at 7 A.M. set more sail. At 10 A.M. we made West Cape Howe,
Western Australia, our first land since leaving the Allas Strait. It
was with great joy and relief, as well as with, I think, pardonable
pride in Tom's skill as a navigator, that I went on deck to see these
rock-bound shores. It was certainly a good landfall, especially
considering the difficulties which we had met with on account of the
chronometers. The instrument which for years has been considered the
most trustworthy suddenly changed its rate, and has been losing three
seconds in the twenty-four hours. The navigators have been taking
great pains. Observations have been frequent. Fifteen sights were
taken daily, in three sets of five at three different periods.
Tom's estimated average run of 1,000 knots per week under sail has
come out pretty well, and my own daily estimates of the run have been
also surprisingly near the mark. In fact, Tom thinks them rather
wonderful, considering that they have been arrived at simply by
watching and thinking of the vessel's ways all day and part of the
night, and often without asking any questions.
At 11 A.M. we lowered the mainsail and raised the funnel. At noon we
had run 190 miles, and were half a mile to the northward of Eclipse
Island, the barometer standing at 30.19, and the thermometer at 59 deg..
At one o'clock we passed inside Vancouver's Ledge. The coast seemed
fine and bold, the granite rocks looking like snow on the summit of
the cliffs, at the foot of which the fleecy rollers were breaking in a
fringe of pale green sea, whilst on the other side the water remained
of a magnificent deep ultramarine colour.
About two o'clock we rounded Bald Head, soon after which the
harbour-master of King George Sound and a pilot came on board, and
were the first to welcome us to Western Australia. Over the lowland on
one side we could see a P. & O. steamer, with the Blue Peter flying.
Accordingly we sealed up all our mails and hurried them off, having
previously hoisted the signal to ask if they could be received. By
four o'clock we were at anchor in King George Sound, which reminded us
much of Pictou in Nova Scotia.
Albany is a clean-looking little town, scarcely more than a village,
built on the shore of the bay, and containing some 2,000 inhabitants.
We were soon in the gig, on the way to the P. & O. steamer 'Shannon'
to see our old friend Captain Murray. After looking round the familiar
decks, and having tea on board, we exchanged good wishes for a fair
voyage, and rowed ashore, landing on a long wooden pier.
Carriages are not to be hired in Albany, but we found an obliging
carter, who had come to fetch hay from the wharf, and who consented to
carry me, instead of a bundle of hay, up to the house of Mr. Loftie,
the Government Resident. We have decided to remain a week in order to
give me a chance of recruiting; besides which the 'Sunbeam' needs a
little painting and touching-up to make her look smart again after all
the hard work and buffetings she has gone through.
Most of the party stayed on shore to dinner, for the kitchen-range on
board the 'Sunbeam' has got rather damaged by the knocking about of
the last few days. I went back, however, in my primitive conveyance as
far as the end of the pier, and then returned straight on board,
feeling very tired with even so short an expedition. In the course of
the afternoon a large sackful of letters and newspapers from England
was delivered on board, much to our delight.
_Tuesday, May 10th._--A busy morning with letters and telegrams. Dogs
are not allowed to land in any part of Australia until they have
performed six months' quarantine, but I was able to take mine ashore
at Quarantine Island, which we found without much difficulty with the
aid of a chart. A little before one o'clock we landed at the pier,
where Mr. Loftie met us, and drove us to the Residency to lunch. It
was a great treat to taste fresh bread and butter and cream once more,
especially to me, for these are among the few things I am able to eat.
After lunch several ladies and gentlemen came to call on us.
I was sorry to hear that a terrible epidemic of typhoid fever seems to
be ravaging this little town. Built as it is on the side of a hill
overlooking the sea, and with a deliciously invigorating air always
blowing, Albany ought to be the most perfect sanatorium in the world.
Later in the afternoon I went for a drive with Mrs. Loftie all round
the place, seeing the church, schools, and new town hall, as well as
the best and worst parts of the town. It was no longer a mystery why
the place should be unhealthy, for the water-supply seems very bad,
although the hills above abound with pure springs. The drainage from
stables, farm-buildings, poultry yards, and various detached houses
apparently has been so arranged as to fall into the wells which supply
each house. The effect of this fatal mistake can easily be imagined,
and it is sad to hear of the valuable young lives that have been cut
off in their prime by this terrible illness.
In the course of our drive we passed near an encampment of aborigines,
but did not see any of the people themselves. We also passed several
large heaps of whales' bones, collected, in the days when whales were
numerous here, by a German, with the intention of burning or grinding
them into manure. Formerly this part of the coast used to be a good
ground for whalers, and there were always five or six vessels in or
out of the harbour all the year round. But the crews, with their usual
shortsightedness, not content with killing their prey in the ordinary
manner, took to blowing them up with dynamite, the result being that
they killed more than they could deal with, and frightened the
remainder away.
The steward's report on the resources of the place from a marketing
point of view is more curious than encouraging. There is no fresh
butter nor milk to be had, except through the kindness of a few
private individuals. Mutton abounds, but there is very little beef or
veal. Good York hams are to be procured from England only. Fruit and
vegetables are brought down from Perth or come over from Adelaide, and
the most eatable salt butter is brought from Melbourne.
[Illustration: Kingia]
_Wednesday, May the 11th._--It had been settled that to-day should be
devoted to an excursion to the forests which are now being opened up
by the new line of railway in course of construction. The special
train of ballast-trucks which had been provided for us was to have
started at ten o'clock, soon after which hour we landed, some delay
having been caused at the last moment by the receipt of a message
requesting us to send ashore every rug we possessed, in order to make
the truck in which we were to travel as comfortable as possible. The
required wraps and furs had accordingly to be got up from the hold,
where they had lain for months past. On landing we found a pleasant
party assembled to receive us, including the engineer of the new line,
Mr. Stewart, and his wife. In due course we were all seated on two
long planks, back to back, in open trucks, behind an engine and
tender. We commenced our journey by slowly passing the enclosures,
gardens, and courts adjoining the houses of the town. About
three-quarters of a mile out of Albany we stopped to water the engine
at a primitive trough in a cutting about twelve feet deep--the deepest
on the whole line, which in the main is laid over a surface as flat
as a pancake.
The morning was simply perfect--one of those days which make mere
existence a pleasure; the air felt light and invigorating, the sun was
bright and warm; all seemed so different from the damp muggy air or
fierce burning sunshine of which we have had so much experience
lately.
Our route lay over a sort of moorland, sprinkled with rare ericas such
as we carefully preserve in greenhouses at home. Other flowers there
were, too, in abundance, and of many kinds, including scarlet
bottle-brushes, large white epacris, and mimosa covered with yellow
balls of blossom. The trees seemed to consist chiefly of white gum,
peppermint, and banksias, and all looked rather ragged and untidy. One
great feature of the vegetation was what are called the 'black-boys'
(_Xanthorrhea_), somewhat resembling tree-ferns, with a huge black
pineapple stem, at the top of which grows a bushy tuft of grass-like
foliage.
About nine miles out we came to a broad stretch of water known by the
very prosaic name of 'Nine-mile Lake.' It looked lovely this bright
morning, with the opposite hills and a fine group of blue gum-trees
sharply mirrored in its glassy surface. The train stopped for a few
minutes to enable us to admire the view and to take some photographs.
In the course of another mile or so we quitted the main line to Perth,
and proceeded along a branch line leading into the heart of the
forest. The undergrowth was nowhere very thick, and where it had been
cleared by burning, fine grass had sprung up in its place. As we left
the moorland and got into the real forest of grand gum-trees the scene
became most striking. The massive stems of many of the eucalypti were
between thirty and forty feet in circumference and over a hundred feet
in height. The glimpses which we caught between these tall trees of
Torbay, with the waves breaking in huge rollers on the shore or in
angry surf against the steep cliffs of Eclipse Island, were quite
fascinating.
We steamed slowly along the lightly ballasted line--only laid
yesterday, and over which no engine has yet travelled--two men running
on in front to tap the rails and joints, and to see that all was safe.
About three-quarters of a mile of rail is laid each day. It is being
built on what is called the land-grant system; that is to say, for
every mile completed the Government give the railway company 6,000
square acres of land, to be chosen at the completion of the line by
the company's agent, the Government reserving to themselves the right
of alternate frontage to the railway. The distance from Albany to
Beverly (a town standing about 120 miles equidistant from Perth and
Fremantle, which will be the terminus of the line, at any rate for the
present) is 220 miles. The line was commenced and should have been
carried on from both ends, but the contractors find it much cheaper to
work only from the Albany end. It ought to be a very cheap line, for
it requires scarcely any earthworks and no rock-cuttings or bridges,
the soil being loose and gravelly with a granite foundation. There are
few rivers to cross; and timber for the sleepers is to be had in
abundance, and of the best quality, from the trees which must
necessarily be cut down to clear the forest for the passage of the
line. The entire road was to have been completed in three years from
the time of commencement; but it will probably be finished in about
two, as a good deal of the work is already done.
[Illustration: Black-Boys]
We were taken by another branch line to some saw-mills, where the
sleepers for the railway are prepared. Here some of us got into a
light American buggy drawn by a fine strong pair of cart-horses, in
which conveyance we took our first drive through the bush. To me it
seemed rather rough work, for in many places there was no track at
all, while in others the road was obstructed by 'black-boys' and by
innumerable tree-stumps, which the horses avoided or stepped over
most cleverly. Still the wheels could not be expected to show quite so
much intelligence, and we consequently suffered frequent and violent
jolts. From the driver--a pleasant, well-informed man--I learnt a good
deal respecting the men employed on the line. There are about 130
hands, living up here in the forest, engaged in hewing down, sawing,
and transporting trees. These, with the women and children
accompanying them, form a population of 200 souls suddenly established
in the depths of a virgin forest. They have a school, and a
schoolmaster who charges two shillings a week per head for schooling,
and has fourteen pupils. He was dressed like a gentleman, but earns
less than the labourers, who get ten shillings a day, or 3_l._ a week,
the best hands being paid regularly under all conditions of weather,
and only the inferior labourers receiving their wages for the time
during which they are actually at work. There are four fine teams of
Australian-bred horses, and a spare pair for road or bush work.
Communication with Albany, the base of operations, is of course
maintained by means of the line, some of the navvies even coming from
and returning thither each day in the trucks. The married men who live
in the forest have nice little three-roomed cottages, and those I went
into were neatly papered and furnished, and looked delightfully clean
and tidy. The single men generally live in a sort of tent with
permanent walls of brick or wood, and mess at a boarding-house for
eighteen shillings a week. This seems a good deal for a labourer to
pay for food alone, but it really means five good meals a day. The
little colony has a butcher attached to it, from whom meat of the
finest quality may be purchased at sixpence per pound, all but the
prime parts being thrown away.
The rest of the party having walked up the line, I waited for them at
the house of the District Manager, who with his wife received me most
hospitably. On the walls of the apartment I was interested to notice
the portraits of some of those who had been connected with my
father-in-law in business, and who are now in the employ of Messrs.
Miller, the contractors for this line.
As soon as Mr. Stewart and the rest of the party had joined us, we
proceeded to the saw-mills and watched some great logs of jarrah being
cut into sleepers. There were no elephants to assist in the operation
as in Burmah, so that all the work had to be done by steam, with a
little help from men and horses. Quantities of fragrant rose-coloured
sawdust, used for stable litter, were lying about. Tons of wood not
large enough for sleepers were being burned in order to get rid of it.
It seemed a terribly wasteful proceeding, but there was more material
than was wanted, and space after all was the great thing needed.
From the saw-mills we penetrated further into the forest, in order to
see more large trees cut down, hewn into logs, and dragged away. Some
of the giants of the forest were really magnificent. We followed a
double team of sixteen horses drawing a timber-cart composed of one
long thick pole between two enormous wheels some seven or eight feet
in diameter. Above these wheels a very strong iron arch is fastened,
provided with heavy chains, by means of which and with the aid of an
iron crowbar, used as a lever, almost any weight of timber can be
raised from the ground. The apparatus is called a 'jinka.' The men
engaged in the work sit upon the pole with the greatest _sangfroid_ as
it goes bumping and crashing through the forest, striking up against
big trees, or knocking down small ones; sometimes one wheel and
sometimes another high on the top of a stump, or sometimes both wheels
firmly fixed in one of the numerous deep holes. The scene was
altogether most picturesque, as well as interesting; and it must be
remembered that the top of each stump was larger than the surface of a
large dining-table. The trees were from eighty to one hundred feet in
height, all their branches springing from near the summit, so that the
shadows cast were quite different from those one is accustomed to see
in an ordinary wood. The day was brilliant, the sun shining brightly,
and the blue sky relieved by a few white fleecy clouds moving softly
before a gentle air. The timber-cutters were of fine physique, with
brawny limbs and sunburnt faces.
We watched the adventures of one enormous log. A team of fourteen
horses were yoked to a strong chain attached by large hooks to a trunk
of such vast proportions that it seemed as if all the king's horses
and all the king's men could never make it stir an inch. Twice the
effort was made, and twice it failed. First, the hooks slipped off the
end, and as the horses were pulling and tugging with all their might,
directly the weight was removed away they went helter-skelter down the
steep hill, up which they had just climbed with so much difficulty,
being utterly unable to stop themselves on the steep slippery ground.
Next time the chain broke as the horses were straining every muscle,
and the same tantalising process was repeated with even more striking
effect. The whole of the long team of the fifteen horses (for they had
added another this time) became hopelessly entangled, two of the poor
animals either falling or getting hampered and knocked down in their
headlong gallop. The third time the log was got into position; the
'jinka,' with only one horse attached to it, was brought close, the
pole was lowered, and the levers applied with such force that they not
only raised the log but very nearly the unfortunate horse also into
the air. When all was satisfactorily arranged, the other horses were
attached to the jinka, and away they all went merrily down the hill,
but only to come into collision with a big tree. The horses had again
to be taken out, and harnessed this time to the other end of the
jinka, so as to pull it in the opposite direction. At last the big log
reached the saw-mills in safety, about the same time as we got there
ourselves. We visited the village shop, which appeared to be well
supplied with useful stores, and also the butcher's and carpenter's
shops, and the smithy. They have never seen a clergyman or doctor up
here, but by railway there is easy communication with the town if
necessary. In the course of our rambles we heard the disheartening
intelligence that, owing to some misunderstanding, our train had
already gone back to Albany, taking with it not only our luncheon, but
all the wraps. We proceeded, however, to the trysting-place, only to
be greeted by blank looks of disappointment as each new arrival
received the unpleasant news that the report of the train's erratic
proceeding was only too well founded. Everybody was tired, cold, and
hungry, and the conversation naturally languished. At last Mr.
Stewart, who had been down the line to reconnoitre, brought back the
welcome news that the distant snort of the engine could be heard. In
due course it arrived, and the baskets and boxes containing the
much-desired food were transferred from the truck to the bank and
quickly unpacked by willing hands. Never, I am sure, was a luncheon
more thoroughly appreciated than this in the depths of an Australian
forest. The wraps, too, were most acceptable, for the air became keen
directly after the early sunset. When we started on our return
journey, taking back two truck-loads of workmen with us, it really
seemed bitterly cold. Care had also to be taken to shelter ourselves
from the shower of sparks from the wood fire of the engine, which flew
and streamed out behind us like the tail of a rocket. We went back
much more quickly than we had come, and stopped nowhere, except to
take in a fresh supply of wood and water and to drop some of our
passengers at their wayside residences.
Tab started off on horseback early this morning for Kendenup, a large
station about forty miles inland, where we are to join him to-morrow,
having been invited to stay for a day or two and judge for ourselves
what station life is like. We accordingly sent all our luggage ashore
to-night, in readiness for an early start in the morning.
_Thursday, May 12th._--Half-past nine was the hour appointed for our
departure, and soon afterwards we were all assembled on the pier,
where we were met by a little group of friends who had come to see us
off. Mr. Roach, the landlord of the 'White Hart,' was to drive us in a
comfortable-looking light four-wheeled waggonette with a top to it,
drawn by a pair of Government horses. The latter are generally used
for carrying the mails or for the police service, but the Governor had
telegraphed orders that they were to be lent to us for this
expedition, as we could not have made it without them. Mabelle, Mr.
des Graz, and Mr. Pemberton packed in behind, whilst I climbed up in
front next the driver. There was a little difficulty at first in
starting, but once that was overcome it was indeed a case of 'off.' We
galloped four miles without stopping or upsetting, the one fact being
perhaps quite as wonderful as the other. Up hill, down dale, round
corners, over stumps, along rough roads, through heavy sand--on we
went as hard as our horses could gallop. Fortunately there is not much
traffic on the road, and during this mad career we only met two men
walking and passed one cart.
About seven miles from Albany we had to climb a long steep incline,
called Spearwood Hill, from the top of which we had a fine view over
Albany, King George Sound, and the lighthouse on Breaksea Island.
There were a great many flowers and a few trees quite unknown to us in
the bush. Some of the blossoms were extremely pretty, but it was
hopeless to think of stopping to gather them, for our horses were
warranted not to start again under half an hour at least. They went at
a good pace, however, passing another cart, and one colonist on
horseback, very much encumbered with parcels, but not sufficiently so
to prevent him from politely making room for us.
Chorkerup Lake Inn, our first change, fifteen miles from Albany, was
reached in rather less than ninety minutes. It is a long, low,
one-storeyed wooden building, but everything was scrupulously clean.
In a few minutes the table was covered with a spotless cloth, on which
fowls, home-cured bacon, mutton, home-made bread, potted butter,
condensed milk, tea, Bass's beer, and sundry other articles of food
and drink were temptingly displayed. We could not help regretting the
absence of fresh milk and butter; and it does seem wonderful that
where land is of comparatively little value, and where grass springs
up in profusion the moment that land is cleared, people should not
keep a cow or two, especially when the family comprises numerous small
children, and there is a constant though scanty stream of passing
travellers to provide for, whose number will be increased when the
railway passes within a couple of miles of the inn.
Just as we were starting I discovered that the old smith living close
by had been engaged on one of my father-in-law's contracts in South
Wales, and had worked for four years in the Victoria Docks in London.
He was delighted to exchange greetings with us; and it was quite
touching to hear his protestations that he 'did not want nothing at
all, only just to shake hands,' which he did over and over again,
assuring me of his conviction that our visit was 'certain to do a
power of good to the colony.' I suppose he gave us credit for having
inherited, or at all events profited by, some of my dear
father-in-law's good qualities.
The next stage was a long and weary one of another fifteen miles,
mostly through heavy sand. Luckily, we had rather a good pair of big
black horses this time, which took us along well. It was a fine warm
afternoon, like a September day in England; but the drive was
uneventful, and even monotonous except for the numberless jolts. We
only met one cart and passed two houses, one of which was uninhabited
and falling into decay. We also passed a large iguana, a huge kind of
lizard about two feet long, lying sunning himself on the road. The
aborigines eat these creatures, and say they are very good; and I have
heard that white people have also tried them successfully. Their eggs
are delicious, and when roasted in hot embers taste just like baked
custard. They lay from twenty to thirty in the large ant-heaps which
one constantly meets with in the bush, and which when rifled, in
January or February, yield a rich harvest of these eggs. A shrub very
much like dogwood, with a lilac flower rather like a large thistle,
but with the leaves turned back, was plentiful, and is a valuable
product, horses being able to live upon it for many weeks without
water, though it does not look especially succulent. We saw beautiful
parrots of all colours flying across the road, besides magpies and
'break-of-day' birds, a species of magpie. Our driver was very
obliging in pointing out everything of interest, including the
Pongerup and Stirling Ranges in the blue distance.
At the end of the thirty-one miles we came to one of the advanced
railway villages inhabited by the pioneers of civilisation. It was
very like the one we visited yesterday; in fact, I suppose they are
all similar, experience having taught that a certain style of
arrangement is the most convenient.
[Illustration: A Breakdown in the Bush]
A couple of miles further brought us--in two hours forty minutes from
Chorkerup--in sight of a tidy little house and homestead standing in
the midst of a small clearing, surrounded by haystacks and sheds, and
really looking like a bit of the old country.
Right glad we all were to get out and stretch our weary limbs after
the shaking and jolting of the last sixteen miles; and still more
welcome was a cup of good tea with real cream, home-made bread, and
fresh butter, offered with the greatest hospitality and kindness, in a
nice old-fashioned dining-room. Everything was exquisitely clean, and
nicely served. The sitting-room contained several books, and the
bedrooms all looked comfortable. The outside of the house and the
verandah were covered with woodbines, fuchsias, and Marechal Niel
roses, whilst the garden was full of pink and white oxalis and other
flowers. I ought, in sheer gratitude, to add that the mistress of this
pretty hostelry absolutely refused all payment, and indeed sent out
her two nice daughters to gather some roses and other flowers for a
nosegay for me.
If it had been difficult to reach this inn from the high road, it
seemed ever so much more difficult to get away from it by quite
another route. It was like leaving the palace of the Sleeping Beauty,
so dense was the forest and so impossible to find the ancient track,
already quite overgrown. A little perseverance, however, brought us
once more to the main road, along which we bowled and jolted at a
merry pace for about ten miles. We met four wagons, drawn by four
horses each, and laden with sandal-wood, guided, or rather left to
themselves, by a Chinaman. It was with great difficulty that we
succeeded in passing the first three wagons, and in getting out of our
way the fourth collided with a tree, which, I thought, _must_ bring it
to a standstill; but no: after prodigious exertion on the part of the
horses, and a great straining of harness and knocking about of
woodwork, it crashed slowly on, breaking the tree--which was a
tolerably thick one--completely in two, and carrying part of it away.
At the end of the ten miles we again turned off the main road at a
point where a solitary pillar-post and parcel-box stood by the
wayside, and once more plunged into the intricacies of a by-track.
Lucky it was that we had saved the daylight, for some of the holes
were deep enough to have upset any trap, and there was a steep hill,
which our driver seemed to view with great apprehension, though I do
not fancy we should think much of it in East Sussex. Soon after this
we came to a large homestead and farm, near which a number of sheep
were folded. On the opposite bank stood a substantial-looking wooden
house, surrounded by a verandah and by a clump of trees, in the middle
of what might have been an English park, to judge from the grass and
the fine timber; and after crossing a small creek we reached the
hospitable door of Kendenup Station.
[Illustration: TREE-FERNS, AUSTRALIA]
It had turned bitterly cold after leaving Mount Barker, and I realised
the value of the warning which our Albany friends had given as to the
treacherous character of the Australian climate at this time of year.
In fact I felt thoroughly chilled, and quite too miserably ill to do
justice to any of the many kindnesses prepared, except that of a
blazing wood fire.
Tab seemed to have spent a pleasant morning riding through the bush
after kangaroos, of which plenty had been seen, but none killed. The
very beauty of the day interfered with the sport, for the air was so
still and clear that the kangaroos heard and saw the hunters long
before they could get within shot. After supper the gentlemen went out
to hunt opossums by moonlight, and shot two, literally 'up a
gum-tree.' Opossum-hunting does not seem great sport, for the poor
little animals sit like cats on the branch of a tree, with their long
tails hanging down, and are easily spied by a dog or a native.
_Friday, May 13th._--It was a very cold night, the thermometer falling
to freezing-point. Woke at six, to find a bright, clear, cold morning,
with a sharp wind blowing from the south, which is of course the
coldest quarter in this part of the world. At seven a delicious cup of
tea was brought up, and at eight we breakfasted, the table being
charmingly decorated with fresh flowers and fruit. Afterwards a stroll
round the house, gardens, and orchard, and a gossip over the fire,
occupied the early part of the morning very agreeably.
The difficulty of housekeeping here must be extreme. It is almost
impossible to keep servants in the far-away bush; they all like to be
near a town. I would earnestly advise everybody thinking of going to
any out-of-the-way part of our colonies to learn to a certain extent
how to do everything for himself or herself. Cooking, baking, and
washing, besides making and mending, are duties which a woman may very
likely have to undertake herself, or to teach an untrained servant to
perform. I should be inclined to add to the list of desirable
accomplishments riding, driving, and the art of shoeing and saddling a
horse in case of emergency; for the distances from place to place are
great, and the men are often all out on the run or in the bush.
About half-past nine Mr. Hassall took me for a drive round the station
and clearing. We saw the remains of the old gold-workings, not two
hundred yards from the house. Up to now they have been unprofitable,
but hopes are entertained that, with better machinery for crushing the
quartz, larger results may be obtained. At present the expense of
working is so great that the gold is not found in paying quantities.
From the deserted gold-field we drove through some enclosed land where
corn and 'straw-hay' had been grown, but had been given up because it
did not pay. Then through more enclosures for cattle and sheep, and
finally over some virgin land, across what might have been an English
park if it had not looked so untidy from many of the trees having been
'rung'--an ugly but economical method of felling timber, by cutting a
deep furrow round the bark so as to stop the circulation, and thus
cause the tree to die. Then we crossed a now dried-up river, and
climbed the opposite bank of a creek, to a point from which we had a
lovely view of the distant Stirling Range.
I was interested to hear that, with the aid of a foreman from Suffolk,
the system of rotation of crops had been tried here with great
success, as far as production went. Never were such wheat and
'straw-hay' crops seen in the colony; but, after all, the farm did not
pay, for flour from South Australia could be purchased cheaper; and as
teams are constantly going into Albany with loads of sandal-wood and
wool, the carriage out costs very little.
I was told that the land here only carries one sheep to ten acres. On
these extensive sheep-walks good dogs are much wanted; but they are
very rare, for the tendency of the present breed is to drive and harry
the sheep too much. They have one good dog on the run here, who knows
every patch of poison-plant between Kendenup and the grazing-ground,
and barks round it, keeping the sheep off it, till the whole flock has
safely passed. This poison-plant--of which there are several kinds,
some more deadly than others--is the bane of the colony. They say that
sheep born in the colony know it, and impart their knowledge to their
lambs, but that all imported sheep eat it readily and die at once.
The homestead is a nice, large, comfortable place with plenty of room
for man and beast, including any stray bachelors and other wayfarers,
who claim hospitality almost as a right in these isolated localities.
Adjoining the homestead is a well-stocked store, at which everything
can be bought, from lollypops to suits of clothing, and from which the
shepherds obtain most of their supplies. There are also enclosures for
wild horses, which are numerous, and are occasionally hunted and
captured. Last night two were brought into the station. Of course
every accommodation is provided for the care and treatment of sheep in
the various stages of their existence, including the means of washing
and shearing them. An orchard and fruit-garden close by yield tons of
fruit every year for the merest scratching of the soil. To obtain
labour is the difficulty. The birds, especially parrots, are terrible
enemies to the fruit-crops. In the early morning one may see a tree
laden with splendid fruit just ready to be gathered, and in an hour
later the whole may be on the ground--not eaten, but simply thrown
down, bruised and spoilt, by the birds. Although the thermometer fell
to freezing-point last night, we had pomegranates at dessert which had
been grown and ripened in the open air. Oranges and lemons grow well,
and vines flourish, wine-making having been already tried with fair
success in Western Australia.
Arrangements had been made for a kangaroo-hunt to-morrow. I should
dearly like to see one; but it is impossible to remain for it, as not
only is Tom expecting us to return, but I feel much too weak and ill
to think of riding. It was therefore settled that Mabelle, Tab, and
Mr. Pemberton should stay, and Mr. des Graz and I return to Albany. A
black boy was despatched on horseback to Mount Barker with sundry
telegrams to make arrangements for staying at Albany over next Monday
night, when it is proposed to give a ball in our honour. Posts are so
few and far between in Western Australia, and indeed in many other
parts of the continent, that telegrams generally take the place of
letters. The cost of a message is very moderate within the limits of
each colony, but terribly dear when once those limits are passed.
At twelve o'clock the waggonette came to the door, and I resumed my
place in front, well wrapped up, for it was raining hard. We left the
buggy to bring on the others to-morrow, and started on our way, full
of regret at having to leave so soon, and of gratitude for the
kindness and hospitality we had received.
Just before leaving, we had an opportunity of seeing a native lad
throw a boomerang--or kylie, as they are called here. I could not have
believed that a piece of wood could have looked and behaved so exactly
like a bird, quivering, turning, flying, hovering, and swooping, with
many changes of pace and direction, and finally alighting close to the
thrower's feet.
The horses were tired, and our progress was therefore somewhat slow as
far as Mount Barker, where Mrs. Cooper--the hostess--again received us
cordially, quickly lighted a fire, and made me comfortable in front of
it. Then she produced a regular country lunch, ending with a grape
tart, plenty of thick cream, and splendid apples and pears. I gave her
some books in remembrance of our little visit; and she finally sent me
away rested and refreshed, with a present of fresh butter and flowers.
[Illustration: Boomerangs or Kylies]
It was nearly dark by the time we left Chorkerup--indeed, scarcely
light enough to distinguish the kind landlady's white apron as she ran
out to greet us. Such a warm welcome as she gave us! and such a good
meal of poached eggs, cutlets, bacon, and all sorts of good things, in
spite of our protests that we wanted only a cup of tea! Her children
had gathered me a beautiful nosegay of bush flowers, and she put up
some bunches of 'everlastings,' for which this part of the world is
famous, and which are said to keep fresh for years.
I settled down as best I could in the back of the waggonette before
the horses were put in, so as to be quite ready for the actual start,
which was a work of time and difficulty; for the horses at first
absolutely refused to move forward, though they kept alternately
rearing, kicking, plunging, and standing stubbornly still. At the end
of half an hour's efforts our coachman, who had been exhorted to stick
tight in expectation of a flying start, gave up the attempt, and the
horses were removed. After some discussion the least tired of the past
pair and the least wicked of the present were put in, and off we went,
with a jerk and a jolt, and many injunctions to stick to the road.
This was easier said than done; for when we came to the camp-fires of
the lumberers whom I had seen at work yesterday, the glare frightened
our horses, and caused them to swerve off the road, and dash into the
bush by the side. This happened more than once; but even on the road
itself the jerks and jolts were so bad that we were forced to go
slowly, so that we only reached Albany at half-past eight instead of
at six o'clock, and found everybody very anxious about us. Tom and
Baby waited on the pier until past seven, when cold and hunger drove
them back to the yacht.
_Saturday, May 14th._--When I awoke this morning the fever and ague
from which I had been suffering had all disappeared, and, though still
very tired, I felt decidedly better for the change and the bush life.
I am convinced there is nothing like a land journey to restore a
sea-sick person after a voyage. The news which greeted me on arriving
last night had not been cheering, for several of our men were ill with
feverish colds.
[Illustration: Getting under way]