MAD CATTLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 June 1924, Page 1

MAD CATTLE.

WOMAN DROVER'S ORDEAL

SYDNEY, June 1

5 The party, which includes two women drovers, which set out a week or two ago lrom Helen Springs Station, with a molt of four hundred cattle hound for Oodnudatta, thus traversing the centre of Australia, had a most exciting and perilous experience to the south of Wycliife Well. This is the party which Mr Stewart, a Federal .Minister, while making an overland journey through the heart of the continent, came across one evening, and was astonished, during the night, to hear continuous singing in the distance, it being explained to him that, owing to their being no enclosures along the long route, it was necessary for tite I drovers to keep watch all night, and that they sting to tho cattle in order I to avoid frightening them by coming suddenly upon them in the dark ami causing a stampede. Tho Minister oil that occasion was struck by the capacity of the two young horsewomen who were taking their part as drovers.’ They would not hear of any difference being made in their favour when their turn came round for the long t|ig7u vigils, and in dashing after the cattle they displayed every bit. as much skill as experienced stockmen. It wait during one of these nights, some days after the Minister had left the party, that they were subjected to a terrible ordeal. After a tiring day over rough country, the mob hud been camped about dOO miles north of Oodmuhitta, ami tlit* cattle were left to graze on the surrounding herbage. The night I set in bitterly cold, and the drover# I were glad to keep as near as possible to the big lire that was kept going ail I night. The two women had gone out I on their walcli. when, late tit night,), which was pilch dark, they rode Imr-j , riedly into the camp, and gave the | alarm that many of the cattle were showing extreme restlessness, and I ■

many were plunging wildly about in the darkness, but they couldn't tell the cause. All turned out, and soon the night was tilled with an awesome mingling nl songs and hcllowings, as t lie stockmen sought in vain to quieten the growing excitement of the cuttle. Belore long they had all their work cut out to prevent the infuriated animals from breaking <di‘ in all directions. Boars and groans increased, and it was dangerous to dismount amongst the animals because many Imd thrown themselves on the ground, and were writhing and kicking in apparent agony. It was evident that many had eaten some poison herbage, but so many were affected, and it was so difficult to locate them with the hurricane lamps, and so dangerous to go near I them in the darkness, that any treat-) incut was out of the question, even though the remedies had been ul hand, j The turmoil continued almost throughout, the night, and tho groans and agony of the cattle was afterwards do-j .scribed h.v one of the stockmen as (lit*) most horrible nightmare that ho hail ever had. All rode round the mob lor) the rest of the night, and by super-

human efforts kept the ninh together, lull as dawn broke it: was seen that tho effects of the poison had been disas.l trims. Over seventy animals lay dead, anil many others wore still writhiii^l in agony, hut apparently recovering.) Some had I men horribly mutilated by (lie fierce kicks of other tortured beast<. and the scene was lik-n the aftermath of some fearful Irnitle. It was a mystery wluil herbage had cans-

cd the trouble, hut the stockmen agreed that it wits most likely the fuchsia, hush, which was growing in some parts around. As a. test, a bullock was given Mime of this to eat. and it was dead within ten hours, which fact is accepted its a proof that this was the. cause of the trouble. There are many kinds of ••poison country” in different parts of Australia, and slldl experiences arc not rare when strange country is being traversed.