Illustrated Sydney News (NSW : 1853 - 1872)(about) |
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Saturday 5 July 1873
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TYPES OF COLONIAL LIFE
THE STOCKMAN.
BY GEORGE E. LOYAU.
THE stock-keeper, as may be surmised, means one having the care of stock. He is usually found located at a cattle station far out on the Baloone or Barwon ; though the " towri," or portion of country he inhabits, is not restricted to these neighbourhoods. Stockmen are to be met with all over the colonies, wherever mustering, branding, tail- ing, or droving, require their services. They usually go in pairs, to fetch in the unbranded calves from the station herd, except at "mustering time," when there is a great meeting of the stock-keepers in the vicinity, and a general raid made on all cattle for miles round. Mustering lasts a week or two, and is considered by those engaged in it ex- cellent sport. Breakfast over at sunrise, and all ready saddled, the stockmen take their departure for the " Long Waterhole," "Breakneck Gully," the "Black Licking Place," or similar spots where cattle are lo- cated. Sometimes the herd, or the portions most required, are got in quickly ; at others there is a long and wearisome task before them. Riding, such as would not disgrace the best jockies in the world, feats of horse- manship unequalled by circus performers, and terrible hair-breadth escapes, character- ise these cattle-hunting expeditions, but the stockman fears not -he loves his profession, and heeds no peril. Were it otherwise, the herd, who have perhaps sought the tops of lofty precipitous ranges, or dense, intricate scrubs, would never be brought in ; indeed, at times, it seems impossible to reach them : gaining heights where none dare follow, they look scornfully down on the adventurous rider, who, though willing to risk his life in their capture, dares not follow them to cer-
tain death.
And accidents do sometimes occur, even to those whose long experience in stock keeping ought to prove a safeguard against such catastrophes. Horse and owner are frequently capsized, the former killed, and the latter more or less injured. Many years ago, while out with a mustering party on the Namoi, the author of this paper met a serious accident, and little short of a miracle saved his life. Old stock-horses are great favourites with their owners, and the same characteristics observed in treatment by the Arabs, are found with Australian stockmen. These horses are so well trained, that they seem to enter fully into the spirit of the matter, and, in spite of all endeavours to check them, not unfrequently set off of their own free will, to head some refractory beast which has broken away from the mob and defied attempts to bring it back.
At first crack of the stockman's "gully raker," as his long-thonged whip is termed, the cattle fly in all directions, and a general race ensues, exciting in the extreme. The herdsmen are, however, mostly triumphant, and, having " headed," or turned the stragglers, parried the charges of bulls, knocked-up cows and ugly-looking "scrub- bers," drive them quickly to the yard, Shouts and whip-cracking denote their pre- sence long ere they arrive, and their com- panions at the branding yard then busy themselves in getting the fires ready, and the irons properly heated. To put the mob of cattle in is no easy task, and much skin and hair is knocked off the hides of unreasonable animals, with, whips, ere they enter those portals, where Hope is unknown, and an in- ferno of torture is prepared for them. A scene of the liveliest description then ensues -the lasso is used, the beasts thrown, and the branding iron (a cabalistic symbol) heated to a fiery pitch, terminates the ordeal and sets aside all risk of disputed ownership.
Stock-keepers wages range from £45 to £50 per annum, with rations, though, in the Maranoa, and other outlying districts, more is given. There is here little temptation to spend money, (the store account at the year' end usually shews, as items, tobacco and slops) consequently, as with shepherds and hut-keepers, more than half the earnings go to bush publicans, who receive periodic visits from their infatuated dupes. It is, in- deed, a great pity the praiseworthy attemps made by several gentlemen of Sydney, to es- tablish a "Bushman's Home," have failed. A Bushman's Club, or Benefit Society, merits the support of every one, more especially those who are so foolish and improvident when they have money; they would certainly
receive more than value for their investment (say a few shillings weekly), in the medicine and attention afforded them in time of sick- ness, or in their being assisted to obtain em- ployment. Lushingtons not unfrequently regret their folly, and, when reason resumes its sway, after their sprees are over, make rash, and absurd promises of amendment. If such men were sincere, they would need no aid, but, being unable to keep their resolu- tions, they require proper guides and ad- visers, such as those connected with this So- ciety would prove. Stockmen are, too often, heirs of intemperance, and reckless as to consequences. This is the more to be re- gretted, as there are among them many sterling young men whose early training and education once entitled them to fill the high- est positions. The free and easy life they enjoy in the bush, the company they mix with, are well calculated to make them care- less; they at length become so infatuated with their profession, as to choose it in pre- ference to all others, and consider it the acme of easy occupation.
The day's work over, there is a social and
friendly gathering of "all hands" -stories without end, are told, songs, new and old sung, while jokes, too often unmentionable to ears polite, are the gems of the evening,
and regarded as the best things in the world.
When there is no grog obtainable, smoking and tea-drinking are the order of the night, and the party seldom break up till a few hours before dawn. They then seek repose
on 'possum rugs, old blankets, or saddle- cloths. A saddle forms their pillow, and the ground-floor of the not very clean hut their bed. Sleep, however, visits them speedily, for, wearied with their exertions, they slum- ber at a moment's notice, and are found at sunrise ready booted, spurred, and saddled, for another cattle-hunting expedition.
Mustering and branding over, the stock- man's life is a truly monotonous one. Three men are usually located at the out-station, one of whom acts as hut-keeper. The latter passes his time in reading, eating, or sleep- ing, and, but for the knowledge that there is a "jolly spree" ahead, when his agree- ment is ended, would, doubtless, commit suicide, or become a candidate for the lunatic
asylum. Travellers seldom visit these out- stations -they lie too far off the road, con- sequently, there are few opportunities for learning news of the great world, or of see- ing a newspaper. At a station I visited, on the Barcoo, a Sydney Morning Herald, six months' old, was regarded in the light of a
luxury.
But, to enter fully into all the vicissitudes of a stockman's life, would not only extend my sketch beyond reasonable limits, but fill volumes. It has many variations and changes, seasons of sunshine and storm-prosperous and adverse periods : some of these haye been here depicted, and others will inter- sperse the multifarious incidents which make up our "Types of Colonial Life."