In April, 1885, I left Winton by coach on my way to England. Mr. J. D.
Wienholt, of Warenda Station, and Mr. J. B. Henderson, late Hydraulic
Engineer, were fellow passengers. About 10 miles from Muttaburra we were
met by a cavalcade of people on horse back and in buggies to meet Mr.
Henderson. The coach having stopped, some bottles of champagne were
opened, and Wienholt and I were invited to join in. Mr. Henderson
accompanied the procession to town. Later in the day we were invited to
the dinner to him, to celebrate the completion of the town dam and tank,
which were still quite dry. Muttaburra had not had rain for nearly a
year. Mr. Henderson left us here to be conveyed by private buggy to
Aramac, where we again met. I travelled down the coast from Rockhampton
by the old "Keilawarra," afterwards sunk in a collision.
The Russian war scare was on, and passing Lytton we had to undergo a
strict examination to prove that we were not spies. It can be imagined
with what prayers a number of sunburnt, outback Queenslanders paraded to
satisfy the defence authorities that they were peaceful and law-abiding
citizens. I remained three days in Brisbane, the evenings of which I
spent at the Exhibition, which was frequented by ladies and gentlemen
indulging in the pleasure of roller-skating. I resumed my journey to
Sydney, and left this city by train a few days later for Melbourne. This
was my first visit to the latter city, and I enjoyed perambulating
through its streets. I joined the s.s. "Sir John Elder" here, and sailed
for England.
Passing through the Red Sea, we met the New South Wales contingent
returning from Suakim, where they had joined the Imperial troops, just
too late to take any active part in the Soudan campaign.
When we reached Lake Timsah, half-way through the Suez Canal, we were
detained because of a dredge having sunk in the Canal and blocked the
channel. A party from the ship, having its headquarters at Shepheard's
Hotel, was formed to visit Cairo and the Pyramids.
The dinner at 9 p.m. was held in a quadrangle of the hotel.
The after-dinner scene was very charming. Chinese lanterns were hung in
the trees, the ladies in evening dress, the officers of the Imperial
Army in mess dress of different colours.
Among those present were Lord Wolseley and General Macpherson.
Coming down the Pyramid of Cheops, I had an Arab holding each hand, and
a boy with a gourd of water behind. The boy had unwound his cummerbund
to place under my arms by which to steady me in jumping down from one
ledge to the other. Half-way down I suggested a halt, when one of the
Arabs accosted me--"Which fella country you come from?" "America?"
"No!"
"England?"
"No!"
"Australia?"
"Yes!"
"Ah!" he said, "very good kangaroo, you!"
We visited all the places of interest, including the battlefield of
Tel-eh-kebir.
We reached our ship, which was still blocked in the Lake. The French
people in Ismailia sent their launches out to the ships, so we continued
putting time in going ashore every day and riding on donkeys. These
animals were generally called after beautiful women celebrities. Mine
was called "Lillie Langtry." When we got clear, 40 steamers were
blocked. Our ship led the procession through the Canal. There was only
just room for us to pass where the accident had happened, and when we
leached Suez 200 ships, including several men-of-war, were awaiting our
arrival to pass south.
We spent a day at Naples, and in time I arrived in Plymouth Sound in
mid-summer, having left it 23 years before in mid-winter. As I had
accepted an invitation to visit my cousin, Mr. S. P. Newbery, who
resided at Plympton St. Mary, six miles out from Plymouth, so I left the
ship. This relative was land steward to Lord Morley. He had been
selected to judge the cattle at the Royal Agricultural Show at Preston,
Lancashire, and I accompanied him. The warm, genial weather added to my
enjoyment. We took up our quarters at Blackpool, as there was no
accommodation to be had in Preston. The Prince of Wales (late King
Edward the VII.) attended the show, and Mr. Newbery was appointed to
show him round. I followed as if in the Prince's retinue, and enjoyed
the novelty of the situation. Returning to Devonshire I spent a glorious
time keeping my cousin's horse in condition, and occasionally following
the hounds. Whilst there I made a trip to the Isle of Wight, and was
present in Fotheringham Church when Princess Beatrice was married to
Prince Henry of Battenburg. I need hardly say I was not present by
invitation.
During my stay at Plympton St. Mary, the 1886 elections were held, and
my relative being in politics a conservative, took an active part in the
return of Sir John Kennaway (who died a few years ago, father of the
House of Commons). Mr. Newbery was chairman of many of his meetings at
which I attended. A polling booth was at the school house at Plympton,
and on the day of the poll, I was much amused to see gentlemen's
carriages being driven to the poll with the coachmen and footmen in
livery, and men in their working dress stepping out to vote. Presently
a Devonshire farmer drove up in his donkey cart. I noticed the donkey
was dressed in the Liberal colours. The farmer recorded his vote, and
came out on the porch, when he was accosted by another farmer, thus:--
"Wull! Farmer Symes, you been an' voted?"
"Yus," he replied.
"Wull, but how's this, I allus thocht ye was a Conservative?"
"So I be."
"But look at yer dunkey ther' all dress'd up in the Liberal colours?"
"Ah!" he said, "I'm a man, but that's an ass."
On returning to London I delivered my letter of introduction to Mr.
William McIlwraith, by whose kindness I met many leading business
people, as well as Lord Randolph Churchill, who appeared to be built up
of fine live wires.
I left England in May, 1886, taking my passage through Cook and Son,
_via_ America. From New York I made trips to Baltimore, Philadelphia,
and Washington. After a week or so I joined the overland train for
Albany, visiting Niagara Falls, and other interesting places in that
locality. Going on to Chicago, I spent a few days visiting the meat
works. Wonderful energy had been shown in re-building the city after the
destructive fire which happened a short time previously. From Denver I
travelled by the narrow gauge "Denver and Rio Grande" line to Utah. Here
I spent a week amongst the Mormans, who are a remarkably industrious and
energetic, as well as peculiar people. One of the elders introduced me
to a daughter by his tenth wife. I had frequent dips in the Salt Lake,
in company with the Mormans, their wives and families. The water of the
lake is so buoyant that one might throw up one's hands and remain
upright. The body would sink only to the chest.
The trains were crowded with men belonging to the grand army of the
Republic who were going to San Francisco, where the 20th anniversary of
peace, after the Civil War was to be held. The Americans were all very
friendly to me. I was invited to join them, and as I was much sunburnt
easily passed as one of the veterans.
I took up my quarters at the Palace Hotel, which occupied about four
acres of ground. I believe it was at that time the largest hotel in the
world. I managed to get a room at four and a-half dollars a day. When I
entered it I could see nothing but "Corfield." There were mirrors all
round excepting where the furniture stood. In the quadrangle, just below
my balcony, a band played continuously.
'Frisco was _en-fete_. Arches were erected in Market Street, and bunting
was flying everywhere. I spent a week in the city, having for a
companion a young doctor, for whom I had brought a parcel from his
parents in England. He obtained a _locum tenens_, and gave up the time
to pilot me round. We visited every point of interest, including the
Chinese gambling dens, in and around 'Frisco, which has a very
interesting history dating from the time of the Spanish missions.
On the trip across the Pacific we had a nice complement of passengers. A
day at Honolulu was spent enjoying the beauty spots. We tried to call on
the "King," but as he was enjoying a carousal, he could not receive us.
We called at Apia, in the Samoan Islands, and when crossing to New
Zealand, we noticed that the sea was covered by what appeared to be
pumice stone. On our arrival at Auckland we heard of the eruption of
Mount Tarawera. Mr. Rutherford, a gentleman well-known throughout N.S.W.
and West Queensland, the principal of Cobb and Co. in Australia, was a
passenger with his daughter from 'Frisco. I accompanied them during the
three days the boat remained in Auckland. Shortly after our arrival at
the Star Hotel, Mr. Rutherford, who had picked up a "Queenslander," said
to me, "Who is driving the coach from Muttaburra to Winton?" I said,
"Macpherson." "Well," he said, "he won't drive it long when I get back."
"Why?" I asked. "Well, here is a paragraph in this paper, which says he
capsized the coach in Elderslie Street, opposite your office."
We duly reached Sydney in August, 1886, and after spending a week there,
I sailed for Rockhampton, and proceeded to Peak Downs Station, which my
brother-in-law, Edmund Casey, was then managing for the Messrs.
Fairbairn. I found he had broken in to harness for me two Arab ponies
which would trot their 12 miles an hour. I trucked these and a buggy I
had purchased in Sydney to Alpha, the then terminus of the Central
railway line, where my other horses--brought from Winton--met me. Good
rains had fallen in July, thus breaking up the long drought which had
commenced three years before. I had plenty of grass and water all the
way to Winton. I camped a night at Mount Cornish, and met Mr. and Mrs.
Edkins for the first time for 20 years, having last met them on the
Flinders River when they were on their honeymoon trip, as I have already
related. They now had quite a large family, and made me very welcome. I
arrived at Winton driving four grey horses, the two Arabs Mr. Casey
broke in for me being splendid leaders.
A few evenings after my arrival I was the guest at a smoke concert given
by the Dramatic Club in Steele's hall in my honour. Mr. Dodd,
postmaster, the president of the club, was in the chair. There was some
fine speeches, and a splendid display of wit and repartee. On entering
the room, my attention was attracted by the drop-scene on the stage
representing the Catskill Mountains in America. The members had given a
rendering of "Rip Van Winkle," previous to my leaving for England. The
scene was a daub of colours with a hole cut in the sky, to which a piece
of calico had been affixed at the back to represent either the sun or
the moon, I forget which. On returning thanks to the toast of my health,
I related many of my experiences since I left them in 1885, but
apparently I made a hit when I described my sailing up the Hudson River
from New York. Seeing a mountain in the distance, with numerous houses
here and there, the afternoon sun shining and throwing different shades
over mountain and river, I inquired from a fellow passenger if he could
tell me the name of that beautiful mountain? He replied the "Catskill
Mountains." I said, "Are you sure?" "Sure enough," he said. "Why?"
"Well, because I have seen a painting of it in Steele's Hall at Winton,
and it's not a bit like that." The laughter that followed easily made me
feel at home with the company during the remainder of a very pleasant
evening. Dr. Hawthorne made a great hit in his speech in explaining the
anomaly of a bashful Irishman.
I found many changes had taken place during my seventeen months'
absence. The Schollicks' had left Oondooroo, which had become the
property of Messrs. Ramsay Brothers and Hodgson, with Mr. M. F. Ramsay
as manager.
Winton also had grown quickly. The _Winton Herald_ newspaper, with Mr.
Maxwell as proprietor, was issued as a weekly.
Roller skating was the rage. I remember one afternoon when passing the
Court House, I went over to see what was causing a noise there. Looking
through the window I saw all the benches stacked on one side, and the
police magistrate practising on skates. He had a pillow strapped at the
back of his neck, and another on a lower portion of his body for
buffers. He stumbled, and I saw the use for the pillows.
The growth of grass in 1886 occasioned extensive bush fires in the end
of this and the beginning of the following year. A very large fire
occurred at Vindex. I called for volunteers to join in putting it out.
The call was readily responded to, and I headed a large party composed
of all classes of men to assist the station hands. By our combined
efforts we succeeded in putting the fire out, but not until it had burnt
many miles of country. In those days there was no ill-feeling between
labour and capital, or employers and employee. All united to work for
the common good. Subsequently the same generous help was extended to
Elderslie and Ayrshire Downs Stations.
In 1887, I can say the residents of Winton were as if all were of one
family. They made their own pleasures, at which all classes were
welcome, and invitations were unnecessary. This proved one of the
happiest times of my life.
The new owners of Oondooroo were developing their property regardless of
cost. Amongst the many innovations introduced by them, but which now
have become necessaries, was the system of private telephone lines over
the run. In connection with this system was an ingenious idea, something
like a compass card, by means of which bush fires were located, and
which saved a great deal of unnecessary work and riding. With the
exception of Norman, the youngest, who went "west" in France during the
late war, I believe the Ramsays are still in the land of the living. It
is a pity that Queensland is the loser by not having more men of the
same high character as the Ramsay's, of Oondooroo.
In November, 1887, John Bartholomew, who was travelling manager for Cobb
and Co., asked me--as their Winton agent--to accompany him to Croydon,
to which place he was bound in connection with some coach accident which
had occurred in that district, and I accepted the invitation. We
travelled by coach to Hughenden 150 miles, thence down the Flinders to
Cloncurry, distant 265 miles, and on to Normanton, 240 miles.
This latter portion was completed under great difficulties, the early
wet season necessitating our working day and night to keep contract
time. On our way we saw where a bullock-dray loaded with explosives had
been blown up. How the explosion happened was never known, but after it
occurred nothing remained of the bullocks; some of the iron work of the
dray was picked up a mile away.
Before we reached Normanton we were reduced to three horses, and the
rains having been heavier, we were continually digging the coach out of
bogs. At dark one evening I walked on to lessen the load, and on
crossing a plain I saw a log on the side of the road on which I decided
to have a rest. I sat on it in the dark, and feeling something move, I
put my hand down on the cold, clammy tail of a snake. His lordship
evidently had his head in a hole, or might have bitten me. The shock
gave me increased energy, and I reached the groom's change at 10.30 p.m.
The coach arrived an hour later. We were all thoroughly done up, and had
a supper of stewed galahs. The stage-keeper was without flour.
When we arrived at Normanton we were in a sad plight from our rough
experiences. The next day Bartholomew and myself were the only
passengers on the coach for Croydon. Unusually heavy rain had fallen
during the night, and the road was bad. We reached Creen Creek, half-way
to Croydon, that evening. Here we met the coach from that place on its
way to Normanton. The driver of this coach gave a bad account of the
road ahead. It was decided that Bartholomew and the driver should ride,
and pack the mail on horses to Croydon. Mr. Bartholomew arranged with
the other driver to take me back to Normanton. The coach was full, and I
had to sit on the splash board with my legs hanging over the two mules
which were in the pole. We had not gone far before we got into a bog.
The three horses in the lead were floundering so much that we had to
take them out, but the mules stood quietly up to their bellies in the
soft ground. The passengers were all males and turned to. By levering
the wheels on to the cushions, we got the coach on hard ground again.
This happened so often that I decided to walk on. I came upon a bullock
team loaded with timber, bogged. With it was Fred Shaw, who at one time
was connected with Cobb and Co., and who was taking the timber to
Croydon for building. I offered my help to get the waggon out of the bog
by assisting the driver on the off-side with a whip. We succeeded after
some time, but not without the use of some language.
In soft ground bullocks will stand up to their middle chewing their cud
whilst a clear passage is being cut through for the wheels, and if once
got to pull together they will invariably get through. Mules are
practically the same, hence Cobb and Co. using them. The moment a horse
loses his footing he commences to plunge about, and so turns the ground
into liquid in which he has no footing.
The coach camped at a wayside place that night. I walked on in the
morning; the coach overtook me eight miles from Normanton, into which I
rode, and was glad to reach the hotel and comfort once more.
During the week spent in Normanton waiting the return of Mr.
Bartholomew, and also the arrival of a steamer, I made the acquaintance
of Mr. Forsyth, who was the resident manager for Burns, Philp and Co.,
and later on sat in Parliament for many years.
At Thursday Island there was no jetty, so our steamer anchored out in
the channel. Here Mr. (now Sir Robert) Philp joined us from a tour of
inspection of the company's branches. He had not long before been
returned at a bye-election for Musgrave. When leaving, he and I boarded
the steamer in a boat belonging to the company, with a black crew
dressed in white shirts, which gave them quite a picturesque effect. On
reaching Cairns, Mr. Philp included me in his party to go by rail to
Redlynch, the then terminus of the line. The construction of the line up
the range towards the Barron Falls was then going on, but we were unable
to view the Falls.
On our trip down, Mr. Philp mentioned that the McIlwraith party would
require a representative for the Gregory in place of the late Mr. Thos.
McWhannell. He hinted to me that probably my name as successor would be
acceptable to Sir Thomas McIlwraith. I replied, "I know nothing of
politics, and have no desire to take them on."
I remained over Christmas in Townsville, and arrived in Winton to
celebrate the new year of 1888. Election news was the absorbing topic.
I asked Sir Thomas McIlwraith by telegram who was the party's accredited
candidate, giving certain names which were spoken of. He replied, "Know
nothing about the gentlemen mentioned; why don't you stand yourself?"
Mr. J. B. Riley, of Vindex, happened to be in town. I showed him the
wire, which he took, and went away.
In the beginning of March, Mr. Riley, accompanied by others, presented
me with a requisition to become the McIlwraith candidate. This was
signed by nearly all the inhabitants of Winton and pastoralists of the
district. When handing it to me, Riley said, "Now, I give you two hours
to consult your partner, and give me your decision." After consultation
with Mr. Campbell, my partner, I assented to the request, and called a
meeting of the electors, which I addressed in the Court House in April,
1888. I then started in my buggy alone to hold meetings at the different
stations. At Elderslie one was held at the woolshed, where I had a bale
of wool as the platform. At Vindex, the meeting was held in the
blacksmith's shop, I standing on the anvil block of wood, and so on.
Finally, when the nomination day came round, I was the only candidate.
So I was returned unopposed.
During the Easter holidays in April, 1888, a cricket match, Country _v._
Town, was held at Vindex Station. At any rate, this was the name under
which invitations were given by the Rileys, Chirnsides, Ramsays and
Bostocks to the townspeople of Winton, as an expression of the goodwill
and friendship which then existed among all classes throughout the
district.
Vindex was noted for its hospitality at all times, but it now excelled
itself.
A lot of school-boys could not have enjoyed themselves more than did the
many grey heads among the company. Woe betide any one, host or guest,
who shirked, or did not join in the fun. A visitor from town tried to do
so by fixing a nice quiet camp far away from the hurly burly. His
actions were observed by the postmaster, who put his bull dog in the
visitor's bed, instructing the animal not to allow any one into it. When
the visitor who shirked, tried to retire for the night the bull dog
tackled him, tore his pyjamas off, and left him as a subject for much
raillery.
One visitor who had arrived from Rockhampton the previous day, was found
wandering in the vicinity of the big dam, where he said he was enjoying
the salt ozone.
The country won the match easily, but I think they took advantage of the
town.
This will be understood from the fact that a dozen bottles of whisky,
and a two-gallon jar of the same medicine were brought on the ground for
refreshments. The town went into bat first, and by the time their
innings was finished, so were the refreshments.