Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1867-04-24
The Brave Sheppard.
A TRUE STORY OF HE AUSTRALIAN BUSH.


and Edward Ladbury, had charge of an ou.
lying shoep-stdtion, belonging to Mr.. Johl
Hassall, wealthy Australian squatter. TIL,
first named vas the sheppard, the second til,
hut-keoper. Their hut stood in the midst o
a scene Of primitive nature. Except th'
folds for the liocks, there were no ENCLOSURES
Of any description. The country was al
open eypanse Of grass, with few undula
tons dotted sparcely. with evergreen trees
mostly Of the stringy-bark species TIL,
walls Of the hut were built of rough stakes
with mud and reeds between them; othe
long poles formed the roof, which was GOV
cred with rushcs. The Fireplace was con
structed Of stones collected from the neigh
borhood, ard in this the mer. Lsked thei
daily damper composed q. -Four and watc1
and salt, and boiled their kettle oftea. Theil
store consisted of salt beef aud pork, fcul
and rice in casks, chest Of tea, some sugal
and raisins, and few other articles. Tin
cups and plates, and two or three knives and
JrSs, formed their dinner and tea service
a kettle and saucepan and gridiron were
their chief cooking utensils; some rough
slabs Of the stringy-bark trees on tressels,
ticking filed with wool, couple OF blankets,
and asangaroo-skin rug apiece, formed theil
beds.
Such a life as they led, in spite of its
samcncss, its solitude, and danger, has it,
charms for many men. They were conten.
ted. May be, their early days had been
spent in poverty and starvation ia scmo
crowded city, amid scenes of proaigacy,
squalor, and suffering. Here they enjoyed
pure air, a bright sky, and abundance Of
food, ard were removed from the tcmpta.
tions which oncc bcsct them Those who
have once occupied nearly every position in
life will be found amCng the shepherds and
hut-keepers Ct Australia brought to pow
erty either through their own faults or the
faults Of others. Few like tc SPEAK cf their
early lives Whatever had been the posi-
ton of Storey and Ladbury, they were row
steadily performing their duty. Having
dispatched thcir carly breakfast, the two
men counted and examined their sheep as
they came out of the fold, and picked GU.
those requiring any particular treatment
Storey thor started with the flock tc dis
tand pasture.
Ladbury had no lack of duties. There
was the folds to repair here and there, some
sick sheep to doctor, the roof of the hut to
patch and 4 piece OF garden ground which
he had wisely begun to cultivate, to attend
to. His dinner was quickly dispatched
His usual companion n favoritc dog had
Disappeared he could not tell how but
much feared i. had been bitten by a snake
and died in the bush. lie lit bis pipe, and
smoked and thought awhile. Again he
busted himself out of doors, and once more
returned to the hut to prepare the evening
meal for himself and his companion. lie
was about to hook the freshly y-malc dampers
out Of the ashes, when hc heard q low
moan. lie listcned-the sound was repeat.
ed. lie hurried cut and locked about him
1t must have bec2 fancy, he thought, and
was abou. to return to the Int, when the
same sound again reached LIS ears. it
came from cluster of bushes at little dis.
tance off. With az anxious heart he ran to
the place ard there found his companion
lying en- the g;ogaa, bleeding from nulner-
Gus wounds, and with a spear. head still
sticking in the body. Lifting Storey in his
arms, he carried dim to the hut and laid
him On his bed
It's the work Of those black fellows"
SAID I.adbury, looking out round the hut.
None were in sight. He came back, aud
warming some water, h,hed poor Stcrey's
wounds; then he carefully cut out the barbel
head Of the spear, and continued bathing
Inc wound, except for short tine, when he
poured some warm tea down tle sulfercrs
throat. Every moment while thus employ
I'd he expectedsthe natives to attack the
nut. He had no longer Rover to give him
warning Of the approach of foe. There
vas little doubt that his poor doc also had
ocen speared. The pain being soothed.
Storey at length, to Ladbury's great joy,
'etarned to consciousness, and explained
hat he had been attacked early in the day
by natives lie had run. .from. .aem after
'cceiving' several wounds, but had been
,pearcd again half a mile or so from the hut,
md had crawled the rest Of the distance,
ill he tainted from the lost of blood and the
pain he was suffering.
Sad indeed was the condition of these two
Door fellows, with no white nan nearer
han twenty miles, and no surgeon within
two hundred. Night at length
ame on, when, as the natives never move
lbout in the dark, they knew they were
afe. But they both felt certain the attack
would be renewed by daylight, and the event
proved they were right.
Soon after dawn Ladbury, who, ovcrc, me
With fatigue, had dozed off, was startled by
he sound of spear being forced throogh
he rced-made door Of the hut. Another
md another followed through the slightly
ormed walls. I'VE shall be murdered,