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Colonist, Volume II, Issue 121, 17 December 1858, Page 4

(From a Murray River Correspondent of the Argus.) There are few of the many thousand diggers in Victoria, or of the other classes of colonists, who are aware of the fact that the majority of the chops and steaks which they consume come overland on the living animal, from Moreton Bay or New England, some thousand miles or upwards. By far the greater portion of the cattle in the markets of Victoria are brought from these far countries in mobs varying from 500 to 2000. These are store herds, brought thus far in a lean state, with the view of being fattened within the territory of " the golden colony," as Victoria is termed, or on those stations adjoining the boundary, those immense flats situated, in the older country of New South Wales. We speak of the country " adjoining" in a broad sense, as it applies to the Murrumbidgee, parts of which are some 200 miles from the boundary of Victoria. A considerable portion of these mobs are brought for fattening on the runs to the southward and westward of Melbourne ; the remainder are disposed of to the station holders chiefly situated between Melbourne and the Murrumbidgee. The journey from Moreton Bay and New England to Melbourne, occupies generally from six td eight months, and is not devoid of risk, hardship, or peril. Judging of the numbers in the herds and flocks thus transported, and the hands engaged in the work, there must be something like 600 or 700 men so occupied. The gross amount in value of this stock, where it crosses the River Murray, is estimated at two millions sterling annually. This is an approximation from careful observation, as well as from computations made from official data. The number of sheep is calculated to be about 1,500,000; of cattle, 150,000; and of horses, about 4000. I include in these figures all sent from New South Wales, meaning of course, among other districts, those coming from the Lachlan, the Upper and Lower Darling. I name these districts in particular, because they stand foremost in their magnitude, but there are large numbers of smaller grazing depots in New South Wales that contribute their quota to the general stock for exportation.

I have said that the single mobs and herds of horned cattle vaiy in number from 500 to 2000 and upwards, and as the trade is getting more developed and better understood, the number in most cases is increasing; that is, the venture is on a larger scale. The competition being more keen, parties purchasing in the most distant parts, namely, Moreton Bay and New England, reckon on the minimum profit, and of course the minimum cost in the journey. The expenses of the gross are found to diminish in proportion to the size of the mob, that is, whether the quantity amounts to 2000 of 2500, the outlay on the whole is much the same. It is therefore evident that the small dealer (small, I say [?]), who takes down 500 or 600, competes disadvantageously with the larger who transports 2000 or upwards. In regard to sheep the same rule applies, but not in the same ratio. From 10,000 up to 45,000 the flocks vary in size, the latter being the largest known number, brought by one owner (Mr. James Tyson). It must not be supposed that this immense number were kept in one flock; they were divided into several—say 10 or 12. Such an army would have eaten everything before them, if not divided into sec'ions, the more especially as the law probibits parties so travelling from going more than half a mile off a public road. They must move on daily. A disregard of this law subjects the offender to heavy penalties, although, to secure feed for his cattle or sheep, the Act is often braved. Of horses, the largest number that we know of in one lot is 300.

In a journey like this, sometimes extending to 1000 or 1200 miles, and over a period of eight months, very much depends upon the party conducting the expedition, not only in regard to his own success, but also as to the health and comfort of the men assisting him. The leading man is sometimes the owner, or part owner, of this large amount of living property. In very many cases, he is the son of the owner; and I may here call attention to the (act, exemplified in these expeditions, that the national character of the Englishman suffers but little by his immigration, He is the same steady-going, hard-working, and hardy specimen of the man as found at home on his native soil; in fact, if anything, he has improved by the transposition. Some of the leaders in these overland parties are men who have scarcely attained their majority, or have

but little exceeded it. On their energy and decision of character, on their courage to contend With and overcome difficulties of no ordinary description, they and their men have to rely. For the first few days after leaving the place of their departure, the work for days and nights is most severe on them. The instinct of the cattle continually points their heads homewards. This is the weaning time, and it is not until the poor beasts have left their pasture ground 100 miles or so in their rear, and that they have crossed a river or two, that the leader of the party can expect much rest. These are anxious moments. On his' untiring energy and sleeplessness, at this time in particular, success depends. He must be always on the alert, but now he must be doubly so.

After the first seven or eight days, the head man, or " Super," begins to feel himself more "at home" in his journey; the cattle and the men are more tractable; every one of the assistants takes the position assigned him; the cattle pursue their march onwards steadily; a i'ew of them still occasionally turn to take a glance at the direction of their former haunts and give a little trouble. Some "crawlers" (a colonial phrase which we must not be robbed of) already lag behind, sore-foo'ed and tired. One by one they are left behind to " do or die." If left near any water, some of them recover in a few days, and find their way back again to their homes, but the majority perish, or become lost to their owners. The Super makes his selection of the route to be followed. To insure a good supply of water, he is compelled to hug the principal rivers, thus making a long detour. He comes, I will say, from 28 north, 10 degrees as the crow flies, in a southerly direction, running down the Macquarie, the Darling, the Lachlan, and Murrumbidgee, making such crosses from one to the other as he can se^ze on, having first made certain of water on his route. Marching by day and camping by night, up with the morning's sun and resting with the setting of that luminary, there must be a vast amount of sameness in the journey, although it is occasionally relieved by a little adventure, such as crossing rivers and other attendant difficulties, an admirable field for new chums, as in one of these journeys he experiences hardships, and encounters troubles sufficient to entitle him to take rank as a good colonist. There is no field, perhaps, better adapted to shake off that drowsiness or torpidity too often distinguishing the newly-arrived immigrant. He must on these long journeys be ever watchful, by day and by night, and may well be permitted a free use of the Englishman's safety-valve—grumbling—for the - first month or two, after which he is broken in, and becomes settled down.

The losses in these expeditions yary very much ; they depend much upon the seasons and upon the route chosen. Excessive heat and excessive drought are among the chief perils of the trip. The rivers are, as stated, generally well hugged, in order to insure a complete supply of water; but it often happens that the leader of the expedition is compelled to make a dash across an immense plain, in order to avoid the great detours of the rivers, these bends in many cases trebling the direct course. To be lost for a time on one of these large flats is to involve the whole party, cattle and men, in risk, and to entail on all the miseries of excessive thirst. I well remember a party bringing over some brood mares last year, part of Mr. Icely's stud. Among the horses was a valuable entire; he had fallen down from exhaustion on the centre of a plain some 60 miles broad, the driver having given the horse the last drop of water from the bottle. He failed to rally. The man had then some thirty miles to cross ere he could slake his own thirst. The prospect of a horrible death seemed to threaten man and beast. As a last resource, the man cut the poor animal's throat, and drinking freely of the blood, he mounted the jaged steed which he rode, and after a severe struggle for many hours he made the end of the " Old Man's Plain." This is an extreme case, but the sufferings from thirst, from heat, and sometimes from heavy rains, constantly sleeping for successive nights in wet clothes,, and from minor troubles, make a sum-total very formidable indeed. Many men have been drowned in crossing rivers, the health of others has given way, while chronic rheumatism is almost sure to seize on the majority of these wayfarers, and the " land scurvy" is no uncommon disease among them. The numerical loss among the cattle may be estimated, on an average journej7, as something about 10 or 12 per cent.; among sheep, from Ito 2 per cent. The horse does not stand the journey so well; in these useful animals the mortality is much higher than in the horned cattle. During the past season the losses in some of the flocks of sheep did not exceed one in 200, while in some cases the casualties in store cattle were as high as 40 percent; and, in the horses travelling with them, the deaths in one case reached 60 or 70 per cent.

The wages of the laboring man may be about 30s. per week and rations; an overseer, 50s. per week. The head man, or superintendent, has often a commission on the stock safely brought over, and he takes sometimes the risk of the losses. He is, in this instance, allowed ten per cent for casualties, and agrees to pay for all above this average. Sheep are by far the safest stock. In travelling they move over about five miles a day, and improve as they go along. Store cattle generally walk over about ten miles daily; horses, a greater distance. When they get into good pasturage they "spell" a little and recruit themselves. A large* amount of patience and care is required. Judgment in selecting the camping ground at night is also an essential element in a successful trip. Without these qualifications, no man should attempt to lead an expedition upon which' many thousands of pounds are pending,

not to omit the health, and.even the lives, of the men under him;

From the beginning to the end of this long journey, the haunts of civilisation are carefully shunned. The whole of the country travelled is designated" unsettled." There" are no public houses until the Edward or Murray River are reached. Here the great majority of this stocks finds Victorian buyers; the men are paid off, and here they spend their money just as sailors do after a sea voyage, recklessly and foolishly. They are the "observed of all observers" in- the tap-room. The society of the •." overlander1' is courted by the tipplers and " skowbankers," or sots, frequenting and lying about these haunts. I wish we could see these overlanders lay out their hard earnings to better advantage. One week generally suffices to clear them out of the wages of six or eight months. I might extend this good wish to the great mass of the bush laboring population, who are losing the golden opportunity of placing themselves in a state of pecuniary independence.

I shall close this rather lengthy letter by referring to' the great Joss, sustained in driving these vast herds of horded cattle, horses, and sheep, two or three hundred miles more than is absolutely necessary, a remedy for this evil being now had recourse to. The loss in wages, in waste of flesh in this driving of the fat cattle from the Edward River to Melbourne, must be very serious indeed. Herds and flocks of store animals have gone from this river to Melbourne—a distance of 200 miles—been sold in the capital of Victoria, afterwards have returned over the same ground, and have gone 100 miles or so further back, to be fattened on the stations of the Murrumbidgee. As the stock is not allowed by law to go more than a quarter of a mile off the main road, it may easily be guessed how scanty is the herbage on this narrow strip of land when so many hundreds of thousands of hungry animals traverse it. To obviate this great loss, the electric telegraph may now be considered in action from Echuca, on the Murray, to Melbourne. In two months hence, by the combined enterprise of a few gentlemen in the pastoral interior of New South Wales, the telegraph will be extended to Deniliquin, on the Edward, 50 miles further into the country. Another year will see the line carried to the Murrumbidgee. This will pave the way for the Murray River Railway. When opened, we shall kill our fat stock on the Murray, transmit the meat by rail to Melbourne and the other principal towns of Victoria; or we can send our living fat stock by the same means. We are, therefore, advancing with the times, and we think ourselves guilty of no presumption in asserting that we are not convicted of supineness, nor can we be justly charged with selfishness. Animal food in Victoria and New South Wales may truly -be, said to be in quality and price equal to almost any other country in the world, notwithstanding, since the discovery of gold, the immense demand for this indispensable element in an Englishman's bill of fare.