New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-01
NIGHT IN THE AUSTRALIAN BUSH

From The London Graphic.
Far very far beyond the settled districts through
which an attenuated iron thread OF railway stt &c 20
a oltuous course hundreds Of mites, linking low@
ship with township III very real II distant ielauol'
where Coobs coaches srll flourish, stand the WIDE
spreading plains, the rolling hills and e.mnaos
ranges whore, like GASES in vast sea Ol teIrltos,
remote sheep and cattle stations exist; homes as i1
removed from The capital cities as those OF distant
European frontiers ars from London or Pars -.
The only means Of cOuuunUa. ION D'tWeeh SUE
honesteads is the ubiquiiois sgldef-W heeIeu pla2
the peculiar loose. easy canter-a mode o. pO-rssiOn
hept up almost automatically hour after hour me gay
thTough-which is the characteristic oil inc Au'uSn@A
Al the day long the rider journeys IN silence through
the oppressive soline OF the bush. the my thmN 30
OF his horses unshOd hoof, acceatuaung the NOcees,
Of the burning orb above Which in the morning shOne
oft before him with dazzling rays, anu no" spMy
but the coascousness of it has been lost in The On.
changing sense OF b0undless solitude Whch 1otlIn,ss
sIeep occasionally a low murmur of hslfariiculated
sounds floats to float, past from the shal9S
depths Of the impcnetrabie forest; vague lisplnes
of the g long ago." as from some dimly remembered
former existence, and then dies a" y, 9onee Ne
ghOstly shadows seem 20 fit past on either manu. qua
At other fines the way leads past dark fOrP5iddns
ranges-past the vestiscs Of bush-hres where shven
spectral trunks of blackened trees stand by thousands
past wooded heights where the trees assume new
climb the mountain side; but always IN
strong contrast to that snavny S1scr hns
by our American cousins as " Mature with her han
combed and parted" sometimes me silence Is broken
by docks Of pretty roseas fitting from rce to ree
a gray kangaroo hopping across the path TO a place
of safety, a distant view of heet-footed emus, or
glimpse Of some singular example Of the beated AUS
beauty Of strange, wild flowers, which occasionally
been screened from the fiery summer heat springini
UP UNDECIDED where none are by 10 see and love, did
we not believe
The summers flower Is TO the summer sweet
Though 20 Itself IL only live and die!
rc,h
sets with pomp and pageantry Of color that HOODS
the woods with prismatlc hues reflected from every
behind the western hills, leaving track Of glory,
weird. unearthly light Illuminating for moment %
its farthest recesses the unbroken cNpanse OF whas
might be taken for an uninhab.ed world ,.,
And then quickly succeeds the witchery OF hgM
I'm q semi-trOplcal land. The evening wind Sisns
through the shadowy trees, the fierce heat OF uw
Is summarily eXtngushed, and the glitterlng hos,s
of Southern stars OF dazzling brightness hame cut IN
the measureless azure. -, ,,h,
through the greater portion of the year VIII r sl,
camplngout no great hamshlp az, a,u dav snent IA
the saddle The silence, certainly, VIII soon o in ~
by melody of strange sounds the LatS AMI nete,
every variety of bush haunting inset, me a., no 30
OF strange birds. the cracklc of dead pIanches ~ hS
trees above, where nocturnal animals s,,n ~"
woodland things with Wild bright eyes gre ec!lns -
the scent-ladcn eucalyptl leaves, ana DINER uuog. "a
able vocal carnations all round DIV 10 ihSe ~ hs
come an UNDERGONE which scarcely arrests the au .
ton As the darkness deepens. me bHsht von,1 ,h
latlOnS VIII OeIcck inc Nhoic Cross
matches splendor and the ianilar so1,ncs coneh
viii shine down upon the tired borsensn ~.
When The moon unveils her silvery light above u Io
teetops he will no longer sen COMMENCEMENT ne ;nsrst
the peaceful radiance she'd around me eaes in
the day Will soon take wing, aud under the sooiS o%,
nuence of a beauty calm and majestic a. IN" :.
great mother forgcflness VIII sOuiy come, ,dar hs
WONDERFULLY strange experience 10 lie oul ui =, ia
canopy OF night In the solemn, silent shaap@s ~ tbs
Wild bush and watch the consultations tnrp %,h,en
branches OF the great trees they CLEAN s ,ltar
way dim and fade Gradually the trees gro" "hsnd
10 the traveller. their branches seem ,.s can be
csrssngly over him. and though the silence a,,ress
felt n does not disturb In scene OF nt'er a. ons
in Time he VIII grow TO fecl no' alone. nc - o,,bt
with All these forest surronndings-part OF sns "a
and lis cladness-and he slumhers rs isa,' 80 al
%ongb he were sylvan faun and had ioinea ta'
lowing Of the great god Pans