"Lambing Down" in Victoria.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 44, 14 September 1870, Page 7

"Lambing Down" in Victoria.

Under the title of " What I saw, and what is to be seen," a roving correspondent of the Pastoral Times contributes to thata journal a sketch of one phase of bush life, as startling in its grim truthfulness as an' etching by G-allot, or a picture of a rustic debauch by Jan Steen. He says : —" A shepherd is travelling with his swag on his back, and a pair of good sturdy dogs at his heels ; he has a cheque in his pocket, the emoluments, perhaps, of a couple of years' scraping. He calls at a public-house to have his dinner ; he is heartily welcomed by the landlord, and the landlady declares that it was only last night she was dreaming of him ; he is then asked by her concerning his w< lfare, where he came from, and where he is to ; next he is asked to drink, but declines ; the landlady then says he must have one from her, that it is good, and will do him no harm ; be takes the one—his tirm resolution is broken ; then he has, after a little talk, another from the landlord, just to give him an appetite for his dinner, which is now coming in; a couple of most bewitching givls now make their appearance in the bar, tfte tails of whose trains are yet in the next room, and the poor man thinks he is on the straight road to happiness, and that this pair of 1 cherubs ' are sent to conduct him thither. He then shouts for a round, and hj s cheque is produced—change is spoken of, but it will be given after dinner. The poor man knows no more until he finds himself on the hard boards of a verandah, and wonders where he is ; he feels his pockets ; he has neither purse nor money ', he calls his dogs—they are not to be had ; he then goes to the landlord for a solution. He is told he spent all his money, sold his dogs, made a blackguard of himself, and had to be kicked out, and if not off in a minute will be given in charge to the police. The landlady runs out half-dressed, shies a pewter measure at his head, ca Us him a contaminated scoundrel, and roars out for the ostler to go and fetch the police. The poor man is again bundled out, and he leaves, having nothing but his horrors. In a few days after a dead body is found ; it is searched ; there is nothing in the pockets of the old clothes, and consequently never was; word is sent to the police, but no heed is taken." Such is the process of " lambing down," which was formerly more prevalent than it has been of late, and which licensing benches might surely do something to discourage by refusing to renew the license of any innkeeper known to be guilty of practices of this kind.