The Bushman — Life in a New CountryLandor, Edward Wilson
History
The Bushman — Life in a New Country
Landor, Edward Wilson
Western Australia -- Description and travel
Those houses which are fortunate enough to possess a presiding genius
in the gentle and attractive form of Woman are very differently
ordered. English neatness and English comforts pervade the
establishment, and the manners and customs of well-regulated society
are never forgotten.
It is a pleasant sight in the evening to watch the cattle driven into
the stock-yard by the native boy, who has been with them all day in
the bush. Some of the old cows go steadily enough in the right
direction, but others, and especially the young heifers, are
continually bunting one another, and trying to push their next
neighbours into the ditch. Several, tempted by a pleasant field of
barley, have leapt over a broken rail, and are eating and trampling
down all before them. But soon they are perceived by the dusky
herdsman, who incontinently shrieks like one possessed by demons, and
rushing after the stray kine with a bough hastily picked up, chases
and belabours them up and down the field (the gate of which he has
never thought of opening), until he has done as much mischief as
possible to the crop. Somebody then opens the gate for him, and the
cattle are at length secured in the yard.
Next arrives a flock of two thousand sheep, driven by white
shepherds. On coming to the entrance of the fold-yard, they stop and
hesitate, refusing to enter. All is uncertainty and confusion, the
rearmost urged forward by the shout of the men and the barking of the
dogs, who run from side to side, thrusting their noses into the soft
white fleeces, press into the mass; great is the scuffle, the rush,
and the pattering of feet over the loose pebbles of the yard. At
length, a hardy and determined ram in the vanguard gives a leap of
ten feet through the open gateway, and the others hustle through
after him, every one leaping as he had done, and all congratulating
themselves on having thus cleverly eluded the designs of some unseen
enemy.
I do not intend to give an account of the races, though they afforded
more amusement probably than is common at Epsom or Ascot. Every one
knew everybody and everybody's horse; and as the horses were
generally ridden by gentlemen, there was no doubt of fair play.
There was an accident, as usual, in the hurdle-race; but not being
fatal, it did not interrupt the sports. Large groups of the natives,
sitting on the ground, or standing leaning on their spears, gave
increased effect to the picturesque scenery. Some clumps of
forest-trees still occupied the centre of the course, and through
these you caught glimpses of coloured jackets and jockey-caps as they
flashed by. The green side of Mount Bakewell was spotted with sheep,
and above them frowned a forest of dark trees.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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