, 1886-02-19
THE AUSTRALIAN BUSH.

We were camped on the right bank Of
the hyatt, in the center Of the Matabelee
country. "A few days journey from tho
Zambezi river. in Africa. Our party
consisted Of interpreters, native guides
and foreloopers, We had Travelled from
Natal, with the necessary complement
Of wagons and oxen to convey every an
ticipated requirement, through the
Orange Free state, the Transvaal repub-
lie and Bamaugwatoland.
All OF us were mining adventurous
from divers parts Of the world. who had
roughed it in California, Australia and
New Zealand. Our purpose was ~ pene-
trate into the country of Mashona. a sub
ject tribe dwelling midway between
hyatt and the Mozambique channel;
our object. 10 find the gold fields Of
Ophir mentioned in the Bible.
Already at the Tat and other places
we had Dissolved numerous ancient
workings where collaborating quartz had
been mined to considerable depths. But
although we were able to get exceedingly
rich specimens. the general indications
did not satisfy us, and we had determined
TO push onward TO our ultimate destina-
ton, where we expected TO he amply re-
paid for the perils and hardships Incl
dent to our journey. This is the story
Tom Bigley odd one night in camp;
Il nave had some pretty close calls,
but | guess the closest was AN adventure
l had on the Darling. Twasn't long
after | went to Australia. l had got
dead broke at the Beechworth rush. and
resolved on making n rise among he
snuatters. So | huinped NV s,yag and
crossed the Murray nj AIburv. | could
get plenty of work for il was sheen
| ahearin0 time. But never staid long in
one Mace and kent moving .northward
till / came to Murrumbideee. From
there | struck across To the Lachlan.
You know of course. that nm there n
person might travel for 100 miles with
out coming across the sign of n white
man. | don't know what possessed me.
but | had taken il into my head TO push
on 10 the Darling river. which was then
the limit Of settlement. | had got a
good horse in the meantime. SO that |
travelled along comfortably enough. tax
ing things easy. Tell you what. mates,
there amt a more glorious life in exist
ence than roaming free in the Australian
bush. Perpetual sunsliine in the da,
time. Clear skies at night. The air 80
buoyant and exhilarating that its a con-
tinual pleasure TO breathe it. You DOM
need any shelter at night time. when
YOU want 10 sleep lust spread yoii
blanket under n gum tree. roll yourself
up, and oil You 90 without fear Of wilC
beasts. The only drawback is the scarcity
OF wnter and the long distances You have
to go at times before you can get IL.
AT last | reached Don Camernn's sta
ton. He was al home when | arrived
on my weary way. Like all the squat
tiers before they began Ia bc pestered to
death by the army Of trnmps that now
roam through the %ountrv he was de-
lighted To extend n hearty welcome. lie
hadn't seen the face of a white stranger
for months before. and | was able 10 give
him lots of news.
sAfter Shaving with him n few DAVIS no
offered to give me charge of an out sta
ton. and ms the nav was good | decided
20 accept it. Camcron's son. John. az
companied me to my new quarters. about
fifty miles distant. We found the shep-
herd. a half crazy old ticket-of-leave ron
Wet, in the hut which | was to share
with him. Next morning Young Came
. o left after warning me 20 be on my
guard against n tribe Of troublesome
I blacks who were suspected 10 be in tho
neipi,hnrhood.
sod Jim showed me round the run. n
block about twenty miles square. and |
soon became ~acouainted with the local
ity. There wasn't much danger Of the
sheep STRIVING far away. for the only
water was In a creek nassing through the
run. However. the caution | had re-
ceiyed Ind left an impression on my
mind. and | was rendered more suspi-
cious by the mutterings Of the old man
= about disappearance from the flock.
But when | questioned him | could get
no intellipible answer. and thought IL
improbable that he could miss a few
sheen from a flock numbering several
/ thousand.
-One dav I WAS din near n gully on
tho northeast of tho run when / NV the
carcossas M half n dozen sheen 7 dis
mounted md examined them. They had
been shenred and nartly eaten. | found
Tho remains OF A native fire under a huge
tree. Ii was evident there WAS trouble
brewing. | collected all OF tile flock |
could find in the virinitv and drova them
towards the hut The next few DAYS I
tried In find some trace Of the blaeks
but could diucov.r none meyer went
ont now without being well armed.
AT tho end of nearly a week | was
riding bomeward in the evening. md
WAS within about n mile of n hut. when
I heard a loud c-o-o-e-ei People learn
10 DISTINGUISH the eooee of one man FINN