The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-09-04


this not with the merely innocent object OF en-
Toying u game. lie never seemed to care lot
playing, unless for money stakes and he was
always prepared to play as high as his oppo-
nent would 90. He almost invariably won
and when he did not, it struck me that ne had
his own reasons for it. In fact, he did much
as he liked with such opponents rs he met al
the Willoughby Arms, though they were
slow to see IT. and his fine talent tor the
game no doubt brought him a comfortable
little addition to his income. He employed
his knowledge of cards, whenever opportu-
nifty afforded with the same results
The winter of 1864 is still remembered IN
New South Wales as that in which one OF the
largest floods that the colony had ever been
subjected to occurred. The Hunter river dis
trct suffered especially, and we in Willough-
by did not escape the general destruction
The rapidly with which the food occurs in
Australia is not readily realized by the peo
pie in the home country. The rain began TO
fall at noon Of the day, and by dusk Of the
next day, the river had risen thirty feet By
next morning half the town was submerged,
the water completely covering the ground
floor of many Of the houses. Our bank pre-
misses stood comparatively high, but we were
Obliged to abandon the first floor on the sec
ond morning Of the flood Boats were being
employed all that day in conveying the in.
habitants from the lower parts OF the town.
to the house Immediately CONTIGUOUS to the
river, to those situated on more elevated
ground further back from the stream. or
course. at such time all business is at an
end. Every one who could be of any service
employed himself in manning the boats for
the rescue Of the flooded out families. Welr
and had been hard at work all day with the
boats, and were resting from our eXertions,
in our little s!tting-room, after our six o'clock
dinner. We were both pretty tired, and did
not propose doing anything more that night
unless some urgent demands were made up
on us. AS we sat smoking in silence, Weir
said; "By-the-by, did it ever occur to you
how the Wyandra people may be getting on ~
NO. | answered, somewhat slowly, sit
never struck me; but | suppose they're all
right; they don't lie very low, and they've
the Ooats.'
"They don't lay very high, replied Dick,
rising TO his feet, and standing with his back
to the fire; land as to the boats, if they have
to take to them, who's to man them" You
know Mr. Blaxland never pulls, and the two
gardeners are, | should think, poor hands at
it. There's a good lot OF women-folks about
the place, and very few men at this season Of
the year-one in fact, expect, except the
gardeners and boy. BY Jove! Jack, we
Should have thought Of this before, But
TIERS no time to be lost We must find a
boat and get up to Wyandra tonight. Are
you game for it, old man? Don't go, lfyou
don't feel up to it, shall easily be able TO
pick up crew at the Willoughby Arms
II am quite ready, Dick | answered,
you're right, we should have thought OF 1t
before
We got four men at the hotel, whom we
knew to be all sturdy pullers, and boat.
Wyandra lay up the river, and IN making
tor it We followed the course Of the stream.
Had it been in the daytime we might have
saved something by taking cross cut, bat
there was not sufficient light to make such
course now judicious. 1t was still raining
in torrents from the heavy, low hung heavens,
that seemed to be settling down lower and
lower upon the earth. The current of the
swooen river was very strong, rendering
pulling extremely difficult. We were the
best part of an hour in reaching Wyandra.
Rowing across what was n day or two ago a
smiling garden, we approached the house
from the front, and found the ground floor
completely submerged. There was an omni'
Gus silence about the place, and it was with
no slight feelings OK misglvlng that Weir and
climbed from the boat through the windows
Of the second floor and entered the house.
We found the whole household gathered to.
ge,her in one room-Mr. and Mrs. Blaxland
and their daughter, three women domestlcs,
two men servants, and boy. 1hey were
seated, with white faces and covering forms,
around the dying embers of wood fire, and
the whole group presented pitlaDle slght
As we entered the room, John BlaXland star
tnI 10, 10 a rprnpnlIeu
grasped the hands of both Of us with convul
slve energy.
"My dear boys" he cried, "you are just IN
time; half an hour more, and the water Will
be knee deep IN this room! All our fuel Is
useless, too, and we have been half famished
with cold"
"Dear me, Mr.. Blaxland," SAID, "wenever
imagined you would have been in such
plight; but it was very thoughtless in us
Didn't you think Of trying 10 getaway IN Inc
boats at firstly
ave put 1t off ill 1t was too late. The two
skifIs are such light things, you know, and
none Of us understood much about the man
agement Of boats. We didn't fancy trusting
ourselves 10 them, that's the truth"
"Well, we mustn't put off time now, sir,
| said.
Dick had been meanwhile doing his best to
reassure Mrs. BlaYland and her daughter, the
former of whom was III state OF extreme
nervousness, which the poor lady was in vain
exerting herself to control We got together
such shawls and rugs as were in the house
and still untouched by the water, and wrap.
ping about Mrs. Bla1land, Ella and the other
three women, made them as comfortable as
the circumstances permitted, IN the stern OF
the boat. When all the male portion oil the
party were seated, and the rowers had taken
their places, we found that the boat was near.
ly full. One other person it might hold but
not possibly more. Here was difficulty we
had not contemplated We had taken the
largest boat we could find in Willoughby
What was to be done? Weir was prompt
with remedy. He took me aside moment.
"There is only one thing for 1t, jack he
sand, IL must stay behind"
Not while CO." l replied,
mo, Jack" said my companion, in quiet
but decided voice, "listen to reason. IT SIM
ply matter of necessity. There are not two
sides to it. Both of us can't so, and one OF
us must. You must, foryou are the best steer
er and it will need all your skill in getting