Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-03-13
The King of the Stations.
BY HENRY NEWPORT.

s'Boss! boss? Curry, curry! Yarra-
man gone"
The stockman leaped out of bed at this
cry of his black herd-keeper, and belt
ing his trousers as he ran, made with all
haste for the corral where the horses had
been confined at dusk on the previous
evening.
climbed into my clothes as rapidly
as possible, and joined him in time to
hear the black saying:
Suppose you give it bullock, l look
out yarraman belong you
Hang it all; suppose I'll have to. Is
this more of Peters work?"
"Sure, boss. See, and see, and seq
The black stopped down and pointed
to a peculiar series OF marks in the torn
ground about the stockade. They were
the prints of horses hoof-small, but
clearly cut in each instance as though
the horse had deliberately pressed his
foot into the ground in such way as to
leave perfect impression. All about
these perfect marks were torn ground
and an occasional half foot print, show
ing that the place had been overrun Il
short time before by drove of horses.
what is it," asked.
'Peter, king of the stations on the
Macquaric river, and the finest horse in
all South Australia, has been here in the
night and coaxcd my mares away. They
have broken through the stockade, as
you see, and the other horses have fol
lowed so that we haven't hoof on this
place this morning. 1t is that rasC ally
Cudjo's business to look after the horses,
but he has let them escape, and now has
the sublime gall to tell me that if l give
him bullock he will find them for me-"
(which, of course, you will not do"
''But Just will have no choice. 1t
is either give Guido his bullock, or lose
my entire string of horses He knows
the haunts of Peter and his drove and
can lead us direct to the place where the
beasts arc at this moment; and what is
moro, after tive horses are found, he can
separate mine from tie wild herd. Alone,
l could neither find the horses, nor cap
ture them after they were found. This
is the third time that have suffered in
this way, and l propose that it shall be
the last. You ard | and Cudjo shall
take our rifles and stalk the drove until
Peter is killed, if it takes a week, and
when the stallion is shot Cudj 10 shall
have two bulocks instead of one
Cudio's saturnine face broke into a
series of grins at this welcome news. He
shook his black fist in the direction of
clump of gum trees on the horizon and
make him budgery?" meaning that Peter
wa, doomed.
Next 20 the kangaroos, the droves of
wild horses that infest plains in New
South Wales, arc the settlers greatest
enemies. Originally dome ;ticatcd, they
have broken away from the stations at
various times, and partly through natural
increase, partly through accessions to
their ranks from the settlers herds, that
are rapidly growing into pest of appal-
ling proportions, ent;cing away the stock
mans mares, breaking down his stock
AIDES and trtmpling the growing grain.
$50. boss, " whispered the black, hold
ing up warning finger after we had
been on steady trot behind him for two
hours and more; better you make down
your head, or yarraman 9crrand" the
horses will be frightcnel).
"Whcre are they, you black rascal"
''Sce, boss"
We had instinctively lowered our heads,
and followed the blacks example, halt
crawling to the top of a gentle elevation
grown up in acacias and gum trees. and
now at his words looked over the brow of
the hill. On the rich couch glaSs which
ovcrspread the plain below .C0 horses
were feeding. Som, were lying down.
lazily cropping the grass within reach of
their lips; others were curvcting among
the occasional clumps Of grass-t trees, and
Others were drinking at a stream which
mcandered like silver ribbon through
the green plain. OFF TO tie right was
group of comparatively iadcd animals,
grcedily dcvouring thci,' breakfast, ard
paying but S. ght heed to the magnificent
milk white brute which prarcc about
them A glance told us that the were
the horses VIC were in scar h Of. AL
though fine horses they lackc the fear
lees. spirited air which characterized the
wild drove. ~ d movie, rs | Wa, in horse
matters, even could readily distinguish
every member Of the dome, ticatcd group.
THAT is Pet'r cireling about them
whispered my friend. See how square
ly he puts his foot to the gr,und.
whether walking or lcapinY. The fact
that he never fails to make II perfect i'm
preston of his hoofs in the earth has
made him known to every Stockman in
this valley. He has urcd away more ami
mails than any drove of horses in the
bush, | believe, and fears nothing but
man. On ollr last trip saw him kill Il
rival with single downward blow of his
fore-feet. He reared on his launches just
as the other made a spring toward him,
and brought his little, solid hoofs down
on the others head above the eyes. The
bone brok" Ike paper, and the great
brute went down like bullock under
ak. All, good boy, Cudjo"'
The stallion suddenly ceased his rear
in! AMI prancing, stared fixadly toward IL
grass tree, which had not noticed be-
fore, go wing in the center Of the plain
bctw cen him and the greet body Of wild
horses, and then, throwing out his
streaming tail and archirg his neck, he
cantered proudly up the valley, past
the suspicious tree, taking care
10 give il wide birth, and