The record-union., 1896-02-01
AN AWKWARD FIX.

When I went out in 80 to the Gulf of
Cerpentaria, it was undoubtedly a wild
and unsettled place. Burketown, a res
urlsected township smelling of sawdust
and whisky, was the ultima thule of
civilization in that part of Australia.
The country to the west of it was in
habited only by a few squatters at long
intervals apart, or by rowing bands of
wild blacks, and was the happy hunt
ing-ground or hiding-place of a number
of men wanted by the police for horse
stealing or some thing worse. The lat
ter were dangerous and troublesome
neighbors to have anything to do with.
For obvious reasons, to recognize a man
and cal him by his proper name then
was, in nine cases out of ten, to COM
nit an objectionable error, and apt to
lead to disagreeable consequences.
It was in the month of October, about
the commencement of the thunder
storms and hot weather, when, in
charge of a wagon-load of goods,
found myself on my way to cattle
station called Lily Lagoons that had
just been opened up one hundred miles
to the west Of Burketown. 1t might
have been about 3 o'clock in the after
noon when, seeing a storm gathering,
our party pushed on so as to reach the
shelter of one of those back-block
shanties that spring up as if by magic
wherever there is a chance of intercept
ing a few stray checks, and to unhitch
before the tropical downpour overlook
us. I remember as 7 rode up to the
rough slab-building, with it's bark roof,
strip of veranda, and general air of un-
haf II ,of
some men disappearing into the brush
in the rear of the buildings; they we're
making for a yard hard by, where I
made sure their horses were. Such an
experience is by no means an uncom-
mon one in certain outlying parts of the
Gulf country, where, generally speak
ing, there are always a few men keep
ing out of the way OF the police, and who
are apprehensive on the approach of
strangers, and make themselves scarce
until they are assured as to their
identity.
Let the reader not put any erroneous
construction upon my conduct when I
admit sending a certain precocious
lariSin, whom I had met before. to
make their minds easy and fetch them
back. I could not afford to be other
horsef1esh was a costly and difficult
commodity to replace in the Gulf in
those days. When I entered the rough
bar-room, Cassidy, the publican. held
out his right hand patronizinglv toward
me, and with his left put a black bottle
on the counter.
Ishook hands with himand exchanged
compliments; for Jack was as good as
his master in the Gulf, so not to be
hail-fellow- -well-met with everyone ar
gued a sad lack of policy, and marked
one as the possible victim of future mis-.
fortune. According to the custom of a
stranger when entering bush .'hotel. /"
I called upon the bleary-eyed and
shaky- looking devotees of old Silenus.
in the guise of several bushmen present.
to breast the bar" This they did with
an alacrity which, if expended in a bet
ter cause, would have been praisewor-
thy in the extereme. As soon as pos
sible. however, escaped from the noisy
and unpleasantly demonstrative little
crowd, and went outside to await the
team. I was selecting spot on which
to halt the wagon, when, from behind a
huge blood-wood stree. there came a
sound as Of someone moaning. and. CO.
ing round. L discovered a man lying on
his face. evidently in the clutches of
that demon of the Gulf. malarial fever.
He nervously grasped an empty canvas
xvater-bag in one hand and did not
seem to be aware Of my presence.