_THE STREAM OF LIFE FLOWS QUIETLY ON._
One day a grand gift arrived from England, being nothing less than a
couple of splendid Scotch collies and a pair of Skye terriers. They
had borne the journey wonderfully well, and set about taking stock,
and settling themselves in their new home, at once.
Archie's pet kangaroo was an object of great curiosity to the Skyes
at first. On the very second day of their arrival Bobie and Roup, as
they were called, marched up to the kangaroo, and thus addressed him:
"We have both come to the conclusion that you are something that
shouldn't be."
"Indeed!" said the kangaroo.
"Yes; so we're going to let the sawdust out of you."
"Take that then to begin with!" said Mr. Kangaroo; and one of the
dogs was kicked clean and clear over a fern bush.
They drew off after that with their tails well down. They thought
they had made a mistake somehow. A rabbit that could kick like a
young colt was best left to his own devices.
The collies never attempted to attack the kangaroo; but when they saw
the droll creature hopping solemnly after Archie, one looked at the
other, and both seemed to laugh inwardly.
The collies were placed under the charge of Craig to be broken to
use, for both were young, and the Skyes became the vermin-killers.
They worked in couple, and kept down the rats far more effectually
than ever the cats had done. They used to put dingoes to the rout
whenever or wherever they saw them; and as sometimes both these game
little animals would return of a morning severely bitten about the
face and ears, it was evident enough they had gone in for sharp
service during the night.
One curious thing about the Skyes was, that they killed snakes, and
always came dragging home with the loathsome things. This was very
clever and very plucky; nevertheless, a tame laughing-jackass that
Harry had in a huge cage was to them a pet aversion. Perhaps the
bird knew that; for as soon as he saw them he used to give vent to a
series of wild, defiant "ha-ha-ha's" and "hee-hee-hee's" that would
have laid a ghost.
The improvements on that portion of Burley New Farm more immediately
adjoining the steading had gone merrily on, and in a year or two,
after fencing and clearing the land, a rough style of agriculture was
commenced. The ploughs were not very first-class, and the horses
were oxen--if I may make an Irish bull. They did the work slowly but
well. They had a notion that every now and then they ought to be
allowed to go to sleep for five minutes. However, they were easily
roused, and just went on again in a dreamy kind of way.
The land did not require much coaxing to send up crops of splendid
wheat. It was a new-born joy to Bob and Archie to ride along their
paddocks, and see the wind waving over the growing grain, making the
whole field look like an inland sea.
"What would your father say to a sight like that?" said Bob one
morning while the two were on their rounds.
"He would start subsoiling ploughs and improve it."
"I don't know about the improvement, Archie, but I've no doubt he
would try. But new land needs little improving."
"Maybe no; but mind you, Bob, father is precious clever, though I
don't hold with all his ways. He'd have steam-ploughs here, and
steam-harrows too. He'd cut down the grain to the roots by
steam-machines, or he'd have steam-strippers."
"But you don't think we should go any faster?"
"Bob, I must confess I like to take big jumps myself. I take after
my father in some things, but after my Scottish ancestors in others.
For instance, I like to know what lies at the other side of the hedge
before I put my horse at it."
The first crops of wheat that were taken off the lands of Burley New
Farm were gathered without much straw. It seemed a waste to burn the
latter; but the distance from the railway, and still more from a
market-town, made its destruction a necessity.
Nor was it altogether destruction either; for the ashes served as a
fertilizer for future crops.
As things got more settled down, and years flew by, the system of
working the whole station was greatly improved. Bob and Harry had
become quite the home-farmers and agriculturists, while the cattle
partially, and the sheep almost wholly, became the care of Archie,
with Gentleman Craig as his first officer.
Craig certainly had a long head on his broad shoulders. He did not
hesitate from the first to give his opinions as to the management of
the station. One thing he assured the three friends of: namely, that
the sheep must be sent farther north and west if they were to do well.
"They want higher and dryer ground," he said; "but you may try them
here."
I think at this time neither Bob nor Archie knew there was anything
more deadly to be dreaded than foot-rot, which the constant attention
of the shepherds and a due allowance of blue-stone, served out from
Harry's stores, kept well under.
They gained other and sadder experience before very long, however.
At first all went as merrily as marriage bells. The first
sheep-shearing was a never-to-be-forgotten event in the life of our
Bushmen.
The season was October--a spring month in Australia--and the fleeces
were in fine form, albeit some were rather full of grass seed. They
were mostly open, however, and everyone augured a good clip.
Sarah was very busy indoors superintending everything; for there was
extra cooking to be done now. Wee Diana, who had developed into
quite a Bush child, though a pretty one, toddled about here, there,
and everywhere; the only wonder is--as an Irishman might say--that
she did not get killed three or four times a day. Diana had long
since abjured gumrings and rattles, and taken to hoops and whips.
One of the collie dogs, and the pet kangaroo, were her constant
companions. As previously stated, both collies had been sent to
Craig to be trained; but as Bounce had a difference of opinion with
one of the shepherds, he concluded he would make a change by the way
of bettering himself, so he had taken French leave and come home to
the steading. He would have been sent off again, sure enough, if he
had not--collie-like--enlisted Sarah herself on his behalf. This he
had done by lying down beside little Diana on the kitchen floor. The
two kissed each other and fell asleep. Bounce's position was assured
after that.
Findlayson, who did not mean to commence operations among his own
fleeces for another month, paid a visit to Burley, and brought with
him a few spare hands. Harry had plenty to do both out of doors and
in his stores; for many men were now about the place, and they must
all eat and smoke.
"As sure as a gun," said Findlayson the first morning, "that
Joukie-daidles o' yours 'ill get killed."
He said this just after about three hundred sheep had rushed the
child, and run over her. It was the fault of the kangaroo on one
hand, and the collie, Bounce, on the other. Findlayson had picked
her off the ground, out of a cloud of dust, very dirty, but smiling.
"What is to be done with her?" said Bob, scratching his head.
"Fauld her," said Findlayson.
"What does that mean?"
Findlayson showed him what "faulding" meant. He speedily put up a
little enclosure on an eminence, from which Diana could see all
without the possibility of escaping. So every day she, with her dog
and the pet kangaroo, to say nothing of a barrow-load of toys,
including a huge Noah's ark, found herself happy and out of harm's
way. Diana could be seen at times leaning over the hurdle, and
waving a hand exultingly in the air, and it was presumed she was
loudly cheering the men's performance; but as to hearing anything,
that seemed utterly out of the question, with the baa-ing and maa-ing
of the sheep.
When the work was in full blast it certainly was a strange sight, and
quite colonial. Archie had been at sheep-shearings before at home
among the Cheviot Hills, but nothing to compare to this.
There was, first and foremost, the sheep to be brought up in batches
or flocks from the distant stations, men and dogs also having plenty
to do to keep them together, then the enclosing them near the
washing-ground. The dam in which the washing took place was lucidly
well filled, for rain had fallen not long before. Sheep-washing is
hard work, as anyone will testify who has tried his hand at it for
even half a day. Sheep are sometimes exceedingly stupid, more
particularly, I think, about a time like this. The whole business is
objected to, and they appear imbued with the idea that you mean to
drown them, and put every obstacle in your way a stubborn nature can
invent.
The sheep, after being well scrubbed, were allowed a day to get dry
and soft and nice. Then came the clipping. Gentleman Craig was
stationed at a platform to count the fleeces and see them ready for
pressing, and Archie's work was cut out in seeing that the fellows at
the clipping did their duty properly.
It was a busy, steaming time, on the whole, for everybody, but merry
enough nevertheless. There was "lashins" of eating and drinking.
Findlayson himself took charge of the grog, which was mostly rum,
only he had a small store of mountain dew for his own special
consumption.
Harry was quite the Whitechapel tradesman all over, though you could
not have told whether the grocer or butcher most predominated in his
appearance.
The clipping went on with marvellous speed, a rivalry existing
between the hands apparently; but as they were paid by the number of
fleeces, there was evident desire on the part of several to sacrifice
perfection to rapidity.
When it was all over there was still a deal to be done in clearing up
and getting the whole station resettled, one part of the resettling,
and the chief too, being the re-establishing of the sheep on their
pasturage after marking them.
The wool was pressed into bales, and loaded on huge bullock-waggons,
which are in appearance something between an ordinary country
wood-cart and a brewer's dray. The road to the distant station was
indeed a rough one, and at the slow rate travelled by the bullock
teams the journey would occupy days.
Craig himself was going with the last lot of these, and Archie had
started early and ridden on all alone to see to business in Brisbane.
He had only been twice at the town in the course of three years, so
it is no wonder that now he was impressed with the notion that the
well-dressed city folks must stare at him, to see if he had any
hay-seed in his hair.
Winslow was coming round by boat, and Etheldene as well; she had been
at home for some time on a holiday.
Why was it, I wonder, that Archie paid a visit to several outfitters'
shops in Brisbane, and made so many purchases? He really was well
enough dressed when he entered the town; at all events, he had looked
a smart young farmer all over. But when he left his bedroom on the
morning of Winslow's arrival, he had considerably more of the English
Squire than the Australian Squatter about his _tout ensemble_. But
he really looked a handsome, happy, careless young fellow, and that
bit of a sprouting moustache showed off his good looks to perfection.
He could not help feeling it sometimes as he sat reading a paper in
the hotel hall, and waiting for his friends, and was fool enough to
wonder if Etheldene would think him improved in appearance.
But Archie was neither "masher" nor dandy at heart. He was simply a
young man, and I would not value any young man who did not take pains
with his personal appearance, even at the risk of being thought proud.
Archie had not long to wait for Winslow. He burst in like a fresh
sea-breeze--hale, hearty, and bonnie. He was also a trifle better
dressed than usual. But who was that young lady close by his left
hand? That couldn't be--yes, it was Etheldene, and next moment
Archie was grasping a hand of each.
Etheldene's beauty had matured; she had been but a girl, a child,
when Archie had met her before. Now she was a bewitching young lady,
modest and lovely, but, on the whole, so self-possessed that if our
hero had harboured any desire to appear before her at his very best,
and keep up the good impression by every means in his power, he had
the good sense to give it up and remain his own natural honest self.
But he could not help saying to himself, "What a wife she will make
for Rupert! And how Elsie will love and adore her! And I--yes, I
will be content to remain the big bachelor brother."
There was such a deal to ask of each other, such a deal to do and to
say, that days flew by before they knew where they were, as Winslow
expressed it.
On the fifth day Gentleman Craig arrived to give an account of his
stewardship.
Etheldene almost bounded towards him.
But she looked a little shy at his stare of astonishment as he took
her gloved hand.
"Baby," he exclaimed, "I would hardly have known you! How you have
improved!"
Then the conversation became general.
When accounts were squared, it was discovered that, by the spring
wool, and last year's crops and bullocks, the young squatters had
done wonderfully well, and were really on a fair way to wealth.
"Now, Archie Broadbent," said Winslow that night, "I am going to put
you on to a good thing or two. You are a gentleman, and have a
gentleman's education. You have brains, and can do a bit of
speculation; and it is just here where brains come in."
Winslow then unfolded his proposals, which were of such an inviting
kind that Archie at once saw his way to benefit by them. He thanked
Winslow over and over again for all he had done for him, and merely
stipulated that in this case he should be allowed to share his plans
with Bob and Harry.
To this, of course, Winslow made no objection.
"As to thanking me for having given ye a tip or two," said Winslow,
"don't flatter yourself it is for your sake. It is all to the memory
of the days I spent as steward at sea with your good old uncle. Did
you send him back his fifty pounds?"
"I did, and interest with it."
"That is right. That is proper pride."
Archie and the Winslows spent a whole fortnight in Brisbane, and they
went away promising that ere long they would once more visit the
station.
The touch of Etheldene's soft hand lingered long in Archie's. The
last look from her bonnie eyes haunted him even in his dreams, as
well as in his waking thoughts. The former he could not command, so
they played him all kinds of pranks. But over his thoughts he still
had sway; and whenever he found himself thinking much about
Etheldene's beauty, or winning ways, or soft, sweet voice, he always
ended up by saying to himself, "What a love of a little wife she will
make for Rupert!"
One day, while Archie was taking a farewell walk along Queen Street,
glancing in here and there at the windows, and now and then entering
to buy something pretty for Sarah, something red--dazzling--for her
black servant-maid, and toys for Di, he received a slap on the back
that made him think for a moment a kangaroo had kicked him.
"What!" he cried, "Captain Vesey?"
"Aye, lad, didn't I say we would meet again?"
"Well, wonders will never cease! Where have you been? and what have
you been doing?"
"Why I've gone in for trade a bit. I've been among the South Sea
Islands, shipping blacks for the interior here; and, to tell you the
truth, my boy, I am pretty well sick of the job from all I've seen.
It is more like buying slaves, and that is the honest truth."
"And I suppose you are going to give it up?"
The captain laughed--a laugh that Archie did not quite like.
"Yes," he said, "I'll give it up after--another turn or two. But
come and have something cooling, the weather is quite summery
already. What a great man you have grown! When I saw you first you
were just a----"
"A hobbledehoy?"
"Something like that--very lime-juicy, but very ardent and sanguine.
I say, you didn't find the streets of Sydney paved with gold, eh?"
"Not quite," replied Archie, laughing as he thought of all his misery
and struggles in the capital of New South Wales.
"But," he added, "though I did not find the streets paved with gold,
I found the genuine ore on a house-top, or near it, in a girl called
Sarah."
"What, Archie Broadbent, you don't mean to say you're married?"
"No; but Bob is."
"What Bob? Here, waiter, bring us drinks--the best and coolest you
have in the house. Now, lad, you've got to begin at the beginning of
your story, and run right through to the end. Spin it off like a
man. I'll put my legs on a chair, smoke, and listen."
So Archie did as he was told, and very much interested was Captain
Vesey.
"And now, captain, you must promise to run down, and see us all in
the Bush. We're a jolly nice family party, I can assure you."
"I promise, my boy, right heartily. I hope to be back in Brisbane in
six months. Expect to see me then."
They dined together, and spent the evening talking of old times, and
planning all that they would do when they met.
Next day they parted.
* * * * * *
The end of this spring was remarkable for floods. Never before had
our heroes seen such storms of ram, often accompanied with thunder
and lightning. Archie happened to be out in the forest when it first
came on.
It had been a hot, still, sulphurous morning, which caused even the
pet kangaroo to lie panting on his side. Then a wind came puffing
and roaring through the trees in uncertain gusts, shaking the hanging
curtains of climbing plants, rustling and rasping among the side-long
leaved giant gums, tearing down tree ferns and lovely orchids, and
scattering the scented bloom of the wattle in every direction.
With the wind came the clouds, and a darkness that could be felt.
Then down died the fitful breeze, and loud and long roared and
rattled the thunder, while the blinding lightning seemed everywhere.
It rushed down the darkness in rivers like blood, it glanced and
glimmered on the pools of water, and zigzagged through the trees.
From the awful hurtling of the thunder one would have thought every
trunk and stem were being rent and riven in pieces.
Tell--the horse--seemed uneasy, so Archie made for home. The rain
had come on long before he reached the creek, but the stream was
still fordable.
But see! He is but half-way across when, in the interval between the
thunder peals, he can hear a steady rumbling roar away up the creek
and gulley, but coming closer and closer every moment.
On, on, on, good Tell! Splash through that stream quicker than ever
you went before, or far down the country to-morrow morning two
swollen corpses will be seen floating on the floods!
Bewildered by the dashing rain, and the mist that rose on every side,
Archie and his trusty steed had but reached high ground when down
came the bore.
A terrible sight, though but dimly seen. Fully five feet high, it
seemed to carry everything before it. Alas! for flocks and herds.
Archie could see white bodies and black, tumbling and trundling along
in the rolling "spate."
The floods continued for days. And when they abated then losses
could be reckoned. Though dead cattle and sheep now lay in dozens
about the flat lands near the creek, only a small percentage of them
belonged to Burley.
Higher up Findlayson had suffered, and many wild cattle helped to
swell the death bill.
But it was bad enough.
However, our young squatters were not the men to sit down to cry over
spilt milk.
The damage was repaired, and the broken dams were made new again.
And these last were sadly wanted before the summer went past. For it
was unusually hot, the sun rising in a cloudless sky, blazing down
all day steadily, and setting without even a ray being intercepted by
a cloud.
[Illustration: "Bush fires were not now infrequent. One of the
strangest sights in connection with it was the wild stampede of the
panic-stricken kangaroos and bush horses."]
Bush fires were not now infrequent. While travelling in a distant
part of the selection, far to the west, in company with Craig, whom
he had come to visit, they were witnesses to a fire of this sort that
had caught a distant forest. Neither pen nor pencil could do justice
to such a scene. Luckily it was separated from the Burley estate by
a deep ravine. One of the strangest sights in connection with it was
the wild stampede of the panic-stricken kangaroos and bush horses.
To work in the fields was now to work indeed. Bob's complexion and
Archie's were "improved" to a kind of brick-red hue, and even Harry
got wondrously tanned. There was certainly a great saving in clothes
that year, for excepting light, broad-brimmed hats, and shirts and
trousers, nothing else was worn by the men.
But the gardens were cool in the evening, in spite of the midday
glare of the sun, and it was delightful to sit out in the open for an
hour or two and think and talk of the old country; while the rich
perfume of flowers hung warm in the air, and the holy stars shimmered
and blinked in the dark blue of the sky.