The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1902-07-24

said" observed McCurdy, pointing to
the north. Taking his nickel-plated
watch from its leather pocket at his
side ON his waiststrap and looking at
IL, he continued 'and it's 10; IL. Them
covesIl be in coo-ee in another quar-
ter. Bail up a minute, mates" the
leader called to the line behind him.
II don't see anything" said the
stranger withdrawing his tired eyes
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 merr!ment was understood by
the visitor when a drover said;
you aia't used t. dry plains much,
mate. Old-timers don't hunt water no
more when they sees a glass face like
that. II they're pretty dry them
sells, ans been pushed in r dry spell,
in r dry country, an strike n glace
lawn like that out there, why they just
looks 'roun' FIR shady place t die in,
an leave th'r white bones FIR their
cpiteph."
THAT white glimmer is not water;
IL is the hot air, and the 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-
tonce of a jackaroo and a growing
suspicion that he was being made a
butt IF by the mischieVous stoclmen.
"You see reflections, it is true. but
those are not trees, aud that is not
water" said Mcintyre. THAT decep-
ton which you are locking at has
fooled many a new settler, and led
him on from hope TO hope into drier
plains with no chance of getting water
and finally TO die of thirst, Old hands
like us now know better, What you
see before you is what the books
would call a land mirage, or Optical de-
fusion, and is peculiarly Characteristic
of Australia
Ton McCurdy drew the crowd back
into its business mood by yc,lins:
"Coo-ee.ey"
Hear m, Tom?' asked Mcintyre.
yes, at the corner
The call sounded again end the echo
came louder along the bluff.
Move down a stretch, ems soon's
Fishers line foun's tn point n line
off, dash vt the beggars OUT there with
a yell; get 'em frightened get 'em on
tn CO. an keep 'em at II 'ntil they
call halt on us. Then, look Quit"
Carl Fishers squad cuntered over
the wooden mound, down the rubble
slope at the gap and strung out along
! the palisade of the abrupt face of the
! mountain and then swung out into the
/ prairie facing the miraged brumbys
at lively canter.
McCurdy's men loped leisurely out
to line off fropi Fishers end. The
long cavalcade of horsemen then gal
loped abreast over the undulating
plain as quietly as the dull tnump Of
the speeding animals would permit
them to.
When the nearer beat of the gallop-
ing horses gtarted the grazing brum-
bys and they threw up their heads,
McCurdy knew the time had come.
"Giv'm a dash, a whoop, an a roun'-
up ford" he commanded. giving his
own steed more rein. With a terrific
yell the drivers dashed in upon the
affrighted wild animals the dogs
rounding the ends, and turning the
scattering ones to the center.
The startled horses punched, hud-
died IN undecided confusion, made a
momentary stand, and then q spas
modic lunge against the whooping yell
lers who beat against the circling
maze of agitated wild animals to break
the corral, and head out leader for
a drive forward. ts .t a
Burnaby never saw a livelier or Q
noisier piece of work than this recA
less charge and manipulation OF - az
untamed mob of bush horses by thest
daring frontiersmen. Men rode around
and fought the swapping, paving
brutes, fencing hoofs and gnashine
teeth with their stock butts as though
1t were athletic play. Finally, Tom
Mccurdy and big Bill Lindsay wedgeo
into tho mass, and kneaded through &c
the opposite side. when a furious stall
lion gave them chase.
This made an opening. With anoth
er showing whoop, and the furry OF
the big stations chase, and the dogs
nagging Mt their heels, the disconoert-
ed bunch headed out after Tom anC
the pursuing steed The riders in the
rear kept up fearful din of yells
which, with charges and clubbing
soon stampeded the lot toward the
creek,
II was now q nell-mell chase--heet