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The Gold Hunter's Adventures by William H. Thomes

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"Let it burn," exclaimed Smith, leisurely sipping his coffee, and
watching the progress of the fire; and even the natives kept their
places, and appeared unmoved at the sight.

"There may be somebody in the hut," cried Fred, rising.

"Then let them get out the best way they can," answered Smith. "If these
dirty scamps can't assist a comrade, I don't see why we should bother
our heads."

We waited to hear no more, but rushed towards the flames; and our steps
were quickened by hearing what we thought was the cry of a child.

We seized the dry branches, of which the hut was built, and tore them
from their fastenings, scattering the leaves that formed the roof, and,
regardless of the heat, continued to work; the flames were too powerful
for us, and we were obliged to beat a retreat.

We were about to return to our supper, when we heard a shrill cry issue
from the hut--not aloud, prolonged sound, such as a man would utter when
in agony, but a sharp, short yell, like the wail of an infant.

"Smith," I shouted, turning to the convict, who was still eating his
supper, "there is a child burning to death."

"The deuce!" he cried, springing to his feet, and rushing quickly in the
direction of the fire. "Let us save the young 'un at any rate."

Upon the ground in front of the hut were half a dozen long,
sharp-pointed spears, belonging to the natives, and almost their only
weapons for defence or attack. We seized those, and charging on the fire
as though it was an enemy, we poked away branch after branch, until we
had made an entrance sufficiently large to admit one of us, when Smith,
reckless of the heat, rushed forward and entered the hut.

We waited anxiously for his reappearance, and when he did emerge from
the smoke and flames, instead of carrying a child in his arms, he was
dragging the inanimate form of the native whom Fred had made happy with
a present of tobacco a short time before.

The native was apparently insensible; but as Smith dragged him along the
ground, and let his body drop when beyond reach of the fire, he uttered
a groan, as though half disposed to remonstrate against being saved.

"Well, of all the lazy scamps that I ever saw, he is the worst," cried
Smith, wiping his brow with his hand, and looking towards us for a
confirmation of his words.

"At least you have the gratification of knowing that you have saved his
life," cried Fred, almost inclined to laugh at the rueful look of the
convict.

"His life?" repeated Smith; "why, if I had let him roast he would have
been much more gratified than he will be when he awakes. He is going
through with a fit of digestion now, and is as torpid as a toad in
winter. Ah, you brute, eat until you can't move another time, will you?"

The convict hit the native a kick with his foot, and then went to finish
his supper, grumbling as he did so at being disturbed.

The natives, who had retained their positions around the fire in spite
of the burning hut, and danger of their comrade, uttered a low grunt
when they saw Smith drag the brute from the flames; but whether that
expression was intended for satisfaction or regret, I was too little
acquainted with the customs of the tribe to tell. They took no further
notice of either their torpid companion or our party, until suddenly an
idea appeared to enter the head of one, smarter looking than his
fellows. He got with difficulty upon his feet, leaving his burning meat
upon the coals, and waddling towards the insensible native, knelt beside
him.

"Look!" cried Fred, suspending the operation of eating supper to call
attention to the fact. "Look, and never say that the natives are
destitute of feeling again."

Fred intended to be particularly severe upon Smith; but that worthy
merely glanced in the direction indicated, and, after a brief shrug of
his shoulders, took himself to his meal with renewed energy.

"You are convinced, I suppose?" Fred asked.

"Convinced that the lazy scamp recollects where the tobacco was put, and
is determined to rob the over-fed brute of his treasure."

We found that the convict was right, for the native, after fumbling at
the insensible man's girdle for a moment, reappeared at the fire, and
something like a grin of triumph lighted up his greasy features, as he
exposed to the admiring gaze the piece of tobacco which Fred had given
away.

Tired with our day's journey, and feeling sleepy after our meal, we soon
returned to the shelter of the cart for a night's rest; but before we
went, we were careful enough to pack up all of our cooking apparatus,
and also to place our rifles close at hand, although Smith told us that
the precaution was useless, as the natives never waged warfare upon full
stomachs.

It was long past daylight, when the hearty voice of the convict roused
us from a deep sleep, where dreams of home and comforts of civilization
were much pleasanter things to contemplate, than the half-naked bodies
of ten natives, who were lying upon the ground, circling the cold ashes,
where the night before a fire blazed. They lay like black snakes gorged
with carrion--lifeless and torpid, and nothing but repeated doses of
water upon their naked backs would rouse them.

"Go and take a bath," cried Smith, as we sat upright and rubbed our
eyes, and yawned sleepily.

He pointed to a small stream of water, ten or fifteen rods distant, and
as we thought it would be likely to relax our muscles, and relieve us of
a portion of the soreness which we felt, we took his advice, and upon
returning from our aquatic excursion, found coffee boiling, and salt
pork hissing in the spider, and potatoes roasting in the ashes.

After a hearty breakfast, we were ready to think about starting; but the
cattle had strayed to a considerable distance, and the convict
determined not to run after them, when he had aids so near at hand, who
could be induced for a trifle to undertake the job.

"Hullo!" he shouted, giving the nearest native a nudge with his foot;
but the fellow only grunted, and went off to sleep again.

Smith in a rage seized a pail of water that was near at hand, and dashed
part of its contents over the head and shoulders of the sleeping native,
who, not being accustomed to shower baths, started up with a cold
shiver, and hurriedly wiped the water from his face.

"Run and collect the cattle," cried Smith, who appeared to have
forgotten that not a word of English was understood by the native.

But a series of telegraphic signals was carried on by the convict, that
at last gave the barbarian to know what was wanted, and the sight of
half a hand of tobacco sharpened his faculties wonderfully.

He picked up his spear that was lying near at hand, and with the end
pricked into life half a dozen of his torpid companions; and although
blood flowed where the sharp-pointed wood touched, yet they bestirred
themselves very slowly, and did not appear to think that their brother
had used them any ways cruelly.

A short series of guttural grunts--for no other term will apply to
express the sound of their language--was carried on for a moment, and
then off started three of the natives to find the cattle of the convict,
which were, perhaps, half a dozen miles down the stream, attracted by
the sweetness of the grass which grew on the river's banks.

"As we shall have to wait some time, let's have a little amusement,"
cried Smith, who appeared to take the straying of his cattle in the most
philosophical manner.

"Agreed!" we cried. "What shall it be?"

"I'll make the natives show us a specimen of their skill with the
spear," the convict said, in the true style of Englishmen, who generally
think that all creation was created expressly for their service.

"Are they expert?" I asked.

"You shall see;" and forthwith Smith commenced another series of
telegraphing, and an admirable imitation of throwing the spear was not
forgotten, although, to tell the truth, even the natives did not disdain
to grin slightly at the clumsy gestures of the stockman.

They comprehended him, however, and pinning a small piece of paper upon
a huge tree, whose trunk had served many times as a fireplace for
parties of emigrants, like ourselves, bound to the mines, and by that
means had nearly destroyed the vitality of the noble cedar, the native
who had received the shower bath motioned to one of the youngsters of
the tribe to try his hand at the target.

He selected his spear, and retired from the tree about two rods; and
then, for the first time, did he appear to rouse himself, and wear the
air of a human being. His eyes, which were dull a few minutes before,
now lighted up, and imparted an animation to his face that I had not
believed possible; there was an activity and grace in his position, as
he faced the target, that proved there were some traits in their
character which would have made them formidable enemies.

The youngster balanced his body, throwing his right leg back as a brace,
and advancing his left foot, holding his spear upon an angle with his
eye, and drawing it back and forth, as though testing the strength of
his little, skinny arm, until he had apparently got the right balance,
when, with a quick motion, he hurled it at the mark; and as the spear
sped through the air, it produced a humming sound, like the noise of a
stone when thrown from a sling by the vigorous arm of a strong man.

So quick was the motion, and rapid the movement of the spear, that the
eye could not follow its flight; but we could hear the dull sound that
it produced within two inches of the mark, which was not larger than a
man's two hands.

"Well done," shouted Fred and myself in a breath; but the natives
manifested no applause, and even Smith shook his head and muttered,--

"He can do better than that; but the youngster is nervous and hardly
awake. Come, old boy," turning to the older native, "try your hand at
the business, and let's see what you can do."

After the usual telegraphing, he was made to understand what was
wanted; and taking a spear a trifle heavier than the one before used,
retreated nearly ten paces farther from the mark, and without apparently
using the same precautions for accuracy, let it fly.

It struck the piece of paper nearly in the centre, and penetrated the
tree four or five inches, quivered for a moment, but before it had
ceased, the native had snatched up another spear and hurled it after the
first. The second struck within an inch of its companion, and the united
strength of Fred and myself was necessary to draw them from the tree.

"Now let them see what Americans can do with rifles," cried the convict,
as he saw that the natives were rather jubilant over the feat of their
companion.

Neither Fred nor myself were what was called crack shots, either with
revolver or rifle; but we were fair, and had no need to feel ashamed of
our shooting. Determined to let the natives witness a specimen of our
skill, we pinned a piece of white rag, not larger than the palm of my
hand, upon the tree, discharged our rifles and carefully reloaded them
to be sure that they were not foul, and then retreated until we could
just see the rag.

The natives watched our proceedings in silence, but with considerable
curiosity, squatting upon the ground, and looking first at the target
and then at ourselves with an expression which seemed to say, "if you
hit that rag you are smarter than we think you are."

Indeed, so important did they consider the occasion, that they dragged
from the huts half a dozen women, and as many naked children, to witness
the exhibition.

I was to fire first; and as I drew a bead upon the mark, I carefully
calculated the distance, and with such accuracy that the bullet cut the
end of the mark, and carried a portion of the rag far into the body of
the tree.

"Hurrah for the rifles," shouted Smith, waving his hat, after he had
pointed out to the natives what had been done.

The crowd which had clustered around the tree stepped back as Fred took
his station. He was not so long sighting as myself, but his bullet
struck about an inch above my own, and nearly in the centre of the mark.

"Better and better," cried Smith, in tones of surprise; and when we
joined him, we saw by his actions that we had risen in his estimation,
while the natives, still squatting on their haunches, looked as though
we were gods, or beings of a superior order.

"Here come the oxen," cried Smith, after a few words of congratulation.
"We must get over thirty miles of ground before twelve o'clock
to-night."

"We are willing," we said.

"And the lameness and blisters?" he asked.

"The lameness is nearly gone, and the blisters are broken."

"Good; help me yoke the cattle, and before to-night you will taste, for
the first time, broiled kangaroo; and I'll tell you beforehand it's no
mean dish. Ge-long, ye brutes," and with hard cracks of the whip the
cart rumbled on, and we left the natives still squatting upon the
ground, and looking after us, as though wondering why we would travel
when it was so pleasant to sit still.




CHAPTER V.

THE SOLITARY STOCKMAN.--SHOOTING A KANGAROO.


About ten o'clock on the morning that we took our leave of the natives,
after witnessing their extraordinary skill at spear-hurling, the sun
shone out with a brilliancy and power that caused the cattle to protrude
their tongues, and lift their feet as though they wore shod with
fifty-sixes.

At twelve o'clock, when it seemed impossible for the oxen to go much
further without drink, our eyes were gladdened by the sight of green
trees and shrubs, which grew as if marked by a straight line, far off on
the prairie. The convict pointed to the well known signs of water, with
an encouraging smile, if, indeed, a smile could be seen when a man's
face is plastered over an inch thick with dust; but at any rate we were
willing to consider it as an expression of joy; although, perhaps, some
people might have thought our countenances resembled those of fiends
rather than human beings, for no flesh was visible, and the eyes looked
any thing but inviting, inflamed as they were by heat and dust.

"There is water close at hand?" I gasped, as the convict pointed to the
dark green line.

"Yes; and plenty of it," he replied, snapping his long whip, and
encouraging his tired animals with a hoarse shout.

The brutes appeared to sniff water even in the hot air, for they bent
their sturdy necks to the yoke with renewed energy, and plodded along at
a rate that required all of our exertions to keep beside the team.

In an hour's time we were standing upon the banks of a stream that had
forced its way through the level prairie, and which, during the rainy
season was unfordable; but now, when the hot sun had drank up most of
its water, a child could have passed over and not wet its knees.

It required the united exertions of all three of us to prevent the oxen
from rushing down the banks of the rivulet, and quenching their thirst
before the formality of unyoking had been gone through with. The
stock-whip was often raised, and its long lash exercised with terrible
severity, and every time it touched the flanks of the brutes, a small
piece of skin not larger than a sixpence was clipped from their
quivering flanks, leaving the flesh exposed to the mercy of the numerous
insects which hovered in the air and darted upon the defenceless spots
with the greediness of starvation.

"It's a shame," cried Fred, indignantly, "to torture poor animals that
way."

"Would you have them plunge down the banks of the stream, over-turn the
cart, spoil my cargo of goods, and perhaps lose two or three animals by
strangulation?" demanded the convict, with the first symptoms of
irritation that we had witnessed during our journey.

"No, I would not certainly desire to witness any thing of the kind; but
I still think that it is a harsh way of treating animals," cried Fred
dogmatically.

"I used to think so, and perhaps am of the same opinion still; but I
have too much confided to my charge to suffer loss for the want of a few
applications of the whip. After you have been in the country a few
years, you will not feel so tenderly for the sufferings of others."

"God grant that I may never be insensible to others' woes," cried Fred,
with a genuine burst of feeling.

"Spoken like a man," exclaimed the convict, enthusiastically. "Here," he
continued, extending his hand, "is a palm soiled by the commission of
crime; but I have lived long enough to repent of the errors of which I
have been guilty, and at times think of a mother's prayers when I was a
boy. Your words have recalled the days when I used to sit upon her knee
and listen to her words, and promise that when I grew old I'd imitate
the virtues of my father, and be a comfort to her in her declining
years. If my hand," he said, looking at it, "is soiled, my heart is
not, and I offer it to you as a pledge of friendship."

"And if your hand were stained I would accept it," returned Fred,
shaking his palm warmly. "I look upon you in the light of a friend, and
the folly of other days weighs not the weight of a feather towards
warping my judgment in considering your good and bad qualities."

The two men shook hands, and looked into each other's eyes as though
they had just found out one another's worth; and when the convict had
squeezed Fred's palm, he bestowed the same favor upon myself.

"Come," cried the convict, who appeared to be inspired with new life,
"let us get a bit of dinner, and then I will take you to the old cattle
station, where I once lived a solitary life, and where I harbored Black
Darnley."

"Is it far from here?" I asked, casting an anxious glance towards the
shadow of a tree, and thinking how pleasantly I could pass away a
portion of the afternoon by sleeping.

"Scarce a quarter of a mile, and I'll warrant that you will feel amply
repaid, tempting as the shadow of yonder tree looks," Smith said, having
guessed my weakness for repose.

"Then I will go," I replied.

"I will show you after we pass the bend of the stream," the convict
continued while on his hands and knees trying to ignite a fire with
prairie chips, "a flock of sheep that are counted by thousands. They
stretch over the land for miles in extent; even the owner does not know
how many he possesses, and has never visited his stockman, but trusts
all to an agent. Of course the latter has full authority to act as he
pleases, and sometimes, by some mysterious process, the agent gets
richer than the owner, and often buys his property, although where the
money comes from, I leave you to guess."

"Then an agent's station is better than an owner's," laughed Fred.

"It would not be if all men were honest," replied the convict, with a
gloomy brow; and from that time until the coffee was boiled, he did not
speak another word, but appeared to be meditating profoundly upon some
difficult problem.

The cattle had quenched their thirst, and were lying beneath the shadows
of tall trees, lazily cropping the rank grasses within their reach. Fred
and myself had bathed and felt refreshed, and as soon as dinner was
over, we announced to the convict our readiness to accompany him upon
his visit to the stockman's house, where he had spent so many days of
solitude.

"Take your rifles," Smith said, when he saw that we were about to depart
without them.

We looked at him inquiringly.

"We are now in regions where escaped convicts range freely; and ten
miles from here, by following the windings of this stream, is a forest
of gigantic trees and dark recesses, where the police of Melbourne dare
not venture. In that dreary retreat bushrangers find homes--stealing
forth as they do during the night, to feast upon slaughtered sheep, and
rob travellers; they lead an anxious life, as they never know who is
about to betray them, and give them up to the merciless rigor of the
authorities of the city, or else shoot them down as thoughtlessly as you
would a kangaroo, in case one should cross your path."

"I would like to know if we are to carry our rifles for the purpose, of
guarding against bushrangers or to kill kangaroos?" I asked.

"Perhaps for both intentions," replied Smith, glancing up and down the
stream, as though he was not certain that one animal or the other might
not be in sight. "We might meet a bushranger, and if we were without
arms he could do his will, and we should be powerless. As for kangaroos,
I've killed many on the very spot where we now stand; so let me warn you
to keep your eyes open, for they are like lightning in their movements,
and it requires a quick eye and steady hand to cover them with a rifle
when once they commence their leaps."

"A dollar to a shilling that I hit one the first fire, if not more than
thirty rods distant," cried Fred, glancing along his rifle as though one
was already in sight.

"I accept the wager," replied the convict, with a laugh at some thought
that appeared to strike him at the moment; but without enlightening us
he strode along the bank of the stream, leading the way towards the bend
of the brook, which was a few rods distant, and concealed a portion of
the prairie from view.

As we turned the elbow, or bend of the stream, a small hut met our view,
situated near the banks of the brook; while, covering the vast plain
were herds of sheep and lambs, so numerous that they seemed like grains
of sand upon the shore, and I should as soon have thought of counting
the latter, as the former.

The animals raised their heads and looked at us with alarm as we came in
sight, and then, appearing to think that we were there for no good
purpose, they started off into a run, tumbling over each other in their
flight, until they had placed a proper distance between us, when they
once more crowded into one dense mass, and then again scrutinized us
suspiciously.

"I will show you that I have not forgotten my old trade," Smith said,
after we had expressed our wonder at the number of animals before us.

He placed his hand to his mouth as he spoke, and uttered a shrill
whistle, which could have been heard for a mile or two. Twice did he
repeat the signal, and as he finished, the animals came slowly towards
us, as though confident that one who could produce sounds like those was
incapable of injuring them.

"Ah!" laughed the convict, "how many times have I called my flock in
that manner! and although years have passed since I was a stockman, I
have not yet forgotten the trick of the trade."

"Your signals appear to have awakened some one," Fred said, pointing to
a man who emerged from the hut, gun in hand, and who seemed undecided
whether to treat us as friends or foes.

"I will tell you a few circumstances connected with that man's history,"
the convict said, as we walked towards him. "Ten years since he was on
trial for the murder of his wife. The evidence was not very clear, so
the jury brought in a verdict of manslaughter, thinking that they might
as well convict on that ground as to let him escape. He was sentenced to
transportation for life; but after he had been in the colony three
years, new facts were brought to light which made his innocence
apparent. His counsel petitioned government for a release; but the
ministers turned a deaf ear to all entreaties, and said that as a jury
had presumed upon his guilt, they would not think of requesting her
majesty to grant a pardon; and the only thing they would attempt, would
be to send orders to treat the poor fellow as leniently as possible. In
consequence, he was allowed a parole, and entered the service of the man
who owns the vast flock of sheep which you see before you. He has grown
morose since he has led a solitary life, and if he answers questions at
all, it is in monosyllables. But do not treat him as if you knew for
what he was transported."

The latter part of Smith's remarks were spoken hurriedly, and in a low
tone, for we were close to the unfortunate man when they were uttered,
and he feared to be overheard.

I looked at the stockman with singular interest as we approached him. He
was, apparently, about fifty years of age, thin and slightly inclined to
stoop. His face was strongly marked and peculiar, and at one time he
must have passed for an exceedingly good-looking man.

His hair, which was quite white, gave him a venerable appearance; while
a long, flowing beard of jet black, combed, and carefully trimmed,
reminded me of a distinguished minister that I had once listened to, and
whose sermon made an impression upon my mind that has never been
effaced.

The stockman retained his defensive attitude, until he recognized the
features of Smith, when his gun was rested against the side of the hut,
and he once more dropped his head upon his breast, and with folded arms
awaited our coming.

"Well!" cried Smith, with assured cheerfulness; "how do you get along
nowadays?"

The stockman raised his head, and looked at the questioner as though
referring him to his face, with its wrinkles and lines of care, for an
answer. A moment after, his head was bowed upon his breast again, and he
appeared unconscious that we were present.

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