The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1875-09-23
Lilldz ssIa5, + l.eIs roam the 8ilEd
black tribes, the aborigines 0f this

Lailus IlD, v tietei tOslIn tiie yy".1se
black tribes, the aborigines Of thi:
strange southern continent. The
stockmen are IN the saddle all day
long, and.lead a rough life, full of ad
venture and peril;
One day wild young bullock be
longing to Billy's division" made q
"bolt;;" that is to say, he put up hcad
tand tail. uttered vicious below, and
dashed off over the hills toward the
scrub. In a moment Billy was fol
lowing him with whoop and halo.
his long whip coiled, ready for 9
singing cast.
But the willy brute gained covert in
ravine full Of tangled grass-trees
which led out of the valley on to the
deserts. To turn him back, Billywas
obliged to make long detour over
the hills. In the meantime the bul'
lock returned to the plain, and ran
from thickct to thicket, darting in
and out Of the tangled scrub, where
it was impossible to follow him on
horseback.
Half a score of miles arc soon gone
over in such chase. The half-wild
Australian cattle are very feet, and
have remarkable endurance; but Bill,
" overlook the runaway at last
Tired out and brcathless, the steer
stumbled and fell heavily. There he
lay palpitating, with the whites Of
his wicked little eyes glaring at MS
pursucr.
"I'll teach YOU lcsson!" cried Bill
ly, galloping alongside and lcaping
ofhis horse. IN take. the auifksout
Of you, siir!' and the heavy lasiicame
cruelty down with a sounding crack,
Which made the hair fly up long
line, and drew n wild below OF pain
from the prostratc animal.
The wild, rough boy had no pity in
his heart. One strokeby no means
satisfcdhis temper. a score oflashes
fell fast and heavy, and when his
arm ached, he rested a few moments,
then commenced afresh: and, to tell
the truth, kept Aogging the poor ami
NAL till the hair was nerrly al off its
book, and not only the hair, but the
hide with it.
Just at this stage of the perform
ance, an unexpected event happened.
Billy's horse native-bred and rath-
er wild creature, named Blinker-
finding his masters attention occu-
pied, concluded to forage for himself,
and so trottcd briSkly away. No
very good understanding existed be-
tween Billy and Blinkcr. There fire.
qucntly arose antagonism bctwixt
them, which Billy generally settled
with 4 few sound cuts of his whip.
The horse took no notice Of Billy's
angry shout of "Whoa, Blinker..'
other than to display both his hind
hoofs, and move away at increased
speed.
Billy threw down his whipand set
off after his faithless steed, cxhorting
him to stop, in very strong terms
But Blinkcr, having got the start,
kept it, and the boy soon lost sight
of him amidst the thickcts and sand
knobs.
To add to the lads discomfort, 4
ascud" had arisen. 1t began to rain
furiously. To escape 4 drcnching,
he crept under a srass-trcc, the long,
dropping leaves of which depended
nearly to the ground.
1t continued to rain-as it rains
only in Australia-foran hour or two.
4 violent wind drove the binding
water. Billy could only remain
where he was, and wait for the show
er to pass. When at length the tor
nado slackened, it was late in the af.
ternoon, and owing to the black, roll
ing clouds, it was rapidly growing
dark. The boy crept out from his
shelter, however, and set Of at a rap
id pace, knowing that if he would
reach the ranch that night, he had
no time to lose.
His thoughts were occupied rather
with the prodigious hogsins he in.
tended to give Blinkerthan with the
course homeward, and it is not sur
prising that in a little timehc found
he had lost his way.
He was on an almost level plain,