Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1902-07-23

east and west, peIIuinS-.-I
brumbyS come down out of the hills
to Craze toward the creek in the early
morning, and by one they return to
the shades Of the dense woods where
they remain during the parching hours
of the afternoon sun.
Now" said McCurdy, whom McIn-
tyre had engaged to command, lets
see There are nearly one hundred of
us, an we should yard good mob
out'r that lot if they're down in force:
It's been pretty dry, and they've got
t. make tn creek and back. It's now
after ten o'clock. It's good two miles
round t Womba paddock, an three
more t. tn range. It'll take some care
full ridin' mates, an ticklish work, t.
keep tn mob from breakin' through.
Hol' 'em steady, an hol EN- t'gether.
If they breaks, an the leaders amt
turned, old Nick 'imself couldn't stay
tn break they'll make for them hills,
an tn jig1l be up f'r couple O.
weeks, 'ntil tn scare's out'r them"
Jollity mad ceased; dead, earnest
calm settled in its place. The noisy,
hilarious crowd of an hour before had
settled down into a sober, silent pha-
lanX on business intent. The rollick-
ing bushman had quieted into the
stolid, fearless frontiersman, ready to
throw life and skill into desperate
wit nh fOr
the Australian wild horse, when press
ed, attacks like demon-rushes,
rears, kicks, bites and fights doggedly
vicious when retreat is cut off.
In such a hazardous and rapid con-
f1ict his pursuers who do not come
down or suffer in the encounter must
be daring and accustomed. horsemen.
AS the line of mounted men strung
around the base Of the mountain to
the northeastern extremity, the trained
bush eye could discern big forest rs-
ing OH the horizon miles away towards
the treeless creek.
There they are, watering, as I
said" observed McCurdy, pointing to
the north. Taking his nckel-plated
watch from it's leather pocket at his
side ON his waiststrap and looking at
it, he continued, land it's 10:15 Them
coves'll be in cCo-ee in another quar-
ter Bail up 9 minute, mates" the
leader called to .ae line behind him.
81 don't see anything" said the
80 J, l,,, Il;
from the shimmering main, except
the lake out there and the forest be-
yond it,
A burst of laughter about him
greeted this observation.
The merriment was understood by
the visitor when L drover said:
"You amt used t. dry plains much,
mate. O]d-timcrs don't hunt water no
more when they sees glass face like
that. II they're pretty dry them
sells, ans been bushed in r dry spell,
in r dry country, an strike glace
lawn like that out there, why they just
looks 'roun' f'r a shady place t. die in.
an leave th'r white bones f'r their
epitaph."
That white glimmer is not water;
IL is the hot air, and tie evaporation
from the earth. Look back. 1t is
everywhere the same. See?"
81 can see the shadows of the trees
reflected in the water beneath them"
replied the visitor, with the persis-
tence of jackaroo and a growing
suspicion that he was being made a
butt IF by the mischievous stockmen.
"You see reflections. it is true, but
those are not trees, aud that is not
water" said Mcintyre. "That decep-
tion which you arr looking at has
fooled many new settler, and led
him on from hope 10 hope into drier
plains with no chance of getting water