The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1902-07-24
WILD HORSE DAlVE
I'm HE"
AUSTRALIAN BUSH,
By Col. ions F. HOBBS.

passed friendly greetings WIN thS
squad which mad ridden up from Emu
Creek, when a cloud of black dust
pushed itself around the bend and
across the road at the turn, and two
big horses shot out Of it into the
straight.
Its a BOLT" shouted some.
Motifs a race. Give IN the road!
It's them two chestnuts settling the
match made up at Carmichaels," cried
others.
The thump, thump, thump on the
level, black prairie indicated the earn
estness of the contest, and along came
the two horses like a physical cyclone.
With a snort and whish they shot past
the waiting crowd, who mingled yell
with the dust as they passed.
The cloud had barely cleared behind
them when the chestnuts cantered
back and were Joined by the incongru-
GUS tumble of hackneys, cobs and pie
balds of all sorts, the mounts of the
stoclmen gathered for the brumby
drive, at which half the country side
was expected.
what is the exact nature of a
brumby driver" asked Burnaby, a
newcomer, of one Of the older men.
TITS a sort O. rough horse frolic for
us bush coves," the bushman explained
politely, and seeing that the stranger
did not understand, he continued;
'"McIntyres leased the Range from the
government, It's wild crown lands on
tn maps, an them fats an scrubs is
full o. brumbys, which re a no-bred
sort O. wild horses that no one don't
know how they got here. That amt
no matter; they're here, an the beg
gers got to be shifted, or the whole
ranges no food FIR stock breedin'. So
Macs goin' t'round 'em up an drive
em out. That's tn meanin' o. this
gatherin' O. hands at Carmichaels.
Dye understand"
Are there many to drive out?'
MANY! there're more AN a thous-
and over there in tn scrub, an Mac
has tn goyment contrac { scrub up
tn lot. We coves'll make a clean job
4 the Goomburra, Joudaryan, an Yam
dilla boundary riders come in. An I
them Gumbungee bloles hear o. this
drive they'll muster down there toe
with their houns, an guns--well
therell be racin', an shootin', enough
t. satisfy even Old Tipperary.' You
keep y'r eyes opn an y'r mouth shut
n you'll have no rows to settle after.
wards"
An hour later the company turned
the southern nose of the mountain and
cantered up to the general meeting.
place. From this point they circled
east and west, bending north, because
brumbys come down out Of the hills
to Craze toward the creek in the early
morning, and by one they return tC
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, 'let'i
see. There are nearly one hundred o
us, an we should yard a good mol
outr that lot If they're down in force
It's been pretty dry, and they've go
{ make tn creek and back. It's nov
after ten o'clock. It'S good two mile
round { Womba paddock, an tire,
more t. tn range. Itll take some care
full ridn' mates, an ticklish work, {
keep tn mob from breakin' through
Hol' EN- steady, an .hor EN- t'gether
If they breaks, an the leaders aim
f,,rpod snld Nfoiyi firngolF oo,,I1.,i. a..
tn break they'll make for them hills
an tn iig'll be up FIR a 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 hac
settled down into 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 a desperate
encounter with a treacherous foe, for
the Australian wild horse, when press
ed, attacks like a demon-rushes,
rears, kicks, bites and fights doggedly
vicious when retreat is cut off.
In such a hazardous and rapid con-
fiict his pursueTs who do not come
down or suffer in the encounter must
be daring and accustomed horsenen.
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 ris-
ing on the horizon niles away towards
ne treeless creek.