CHAPTER III.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1556, 24 June 1882, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER 111.

Some years before our story opens the great goldfield of Grit was undiscovered. The muddy stream that was now dammed up in yellow waterholes, at that time flowed gently over its sandstone bed — that is in winter. The wattle and the gum-trees grew luxuriantly around ; the herbage clothed the banks, while innumerable flowers covered the meadows or crimsoned the sterile ranges. The sun rose and the sun set on the same scene day after day. A little above where the township of Grit rose now, a simple hut had been built by the squatter who leased the block of country ; and there he placed a man who was known by the name of Bunakum, because he had a flux of words, but his real name was Meldon. "With Bunakum had come his wife, a pleasant, good creature, who acted as housekeeper, and who was then, of all women, the mildest and the sweetest. With her was the boy Jack, Bunakum's son, a little younger than when we made his acquaintance, but in character the same. Bunacum herded a nock on the south siclo of Gritty Gully, Jack a flock on the north side. Jack's mn was the best ; there were a few plains upon it, and the dingos were less plentiful, for these astute animals preferred Bunakum's run, where there were wooded ranges, caverns, and places of concealment, from whence they could issue and attack the flock. To Jack was also given a flock of wethers, easy-going creatures like himself. But to Bunakum was accorded a flock of querulous, il-tempered ewes, which were never satisfied with their feed, but ran hither and thither, and separated into little foraging bands ; thus presenting an opportunity for the enemy to attack. Jack, therefore, had a glorious life, especially as he happened to get a dog which perfectly understood his masters ways. He had picked him up in this way : Coming across a dray that had come up from Melbourne, he found the bul-lock-driver about to drown a litter of pups, to which his slut had given birth while he was in camp. Jack was struck with the appearance of a little black and white puppy, and, asked the bullock-driver to give it him. This pup he reared up with all the fondness a poor lonely little boy must feel for a dog or any other animal that is his own ; and Spot fully repaid his master. Spot could do everything but speak, and even that he attempted. He knew what Jack wanted without being told. If Jack went to sleep, often the case, Spot watched the flock and kept them close to the place where Jack lay — occupying his time in running backward and forward. Even the starting of a kanga-roo-iat, enticing though it was, would not move Spot to forsake his charge. Several of the dingo ladies, having sinister intentions towards the pet wethers, tried their blandishments on Spot. But he was proof against all. He was a faithful fellow, and loved only one creature in the world — his master. Jack had several pets : a magpie, which was preternaturally acute, and a kangaroo rat which regularly amused him in the evening as it washed its whiskers ; but Spot was the favorite. What is more touching than the perfect love of a dog ? The man who does not feel his heart warm towards his dog cannot be good. When friends and loved ones forsake when fortune vanishes, there is still one creature that will be faithful, that will follow though you have nothing to give, that will watch faithfully over your dead corpse ; and that creature is your dog. Away from home, with Spot, the sheep, and nature, Jack was always happy. Wandering amongst the vales and hills, studying the flowers, wondering about their mysteiies, or sleeping in the shade of the trees, his was a life of quiet content that loiew no cloud. True, it was a life that made one very lazy, but then it was very happy. Only when he came home did the shadows fall upon him. There he was sure to find a bad-tempered father, who continually complained of being shut up in the wilderness, whereas his proper place was the big city, the senate, the bar. Why had he ever married ? If it were not for Janet and this boy he would now be a distinguished man. Over and over Jack was told in the presence of his mother that she was ignorant and low; whereas the father, had the greatest of minds, which had been condemned to obscurity by the conjunction. Poor woman, she bore all this very well, and did her best to make the little hut pleasant She boiled the salt junk well, baked excellent damper, tidied up the few things, and even attempted a little garden to " kitchen " to the salt beef. But the soul of Bunakum was not to be comforted. He felt it a duty to sacrifice some one to his lost fame, and Janet was the victim. At times, indeed, the poor creature was aroused, and then followed scenes that disturbed the happy current of Jack's life. When the battle between them began, | Jack would run out, call Spot, and dart away into the thick woods to hunt 'possums. It was an evil night for these little fellows when Janet and Bunacum quarrelled. There was one mode, however, of pacifying Bunakum, and Janet often adopted it. She was sometimes able to sell a few cabbages and eggs, at a good figure, to the bullock drivers who went up and down the road, if the dusty track could be so called ; and, with the few shillings so obtained she would buy a bottle rum. When Bunakum came home in the evening, with a disposition to fight everything, from Janet to the gum trees, she would produce 'this peace-offering, and the face of Bunakum softened into lines of peace — he would even kiss her and caress Jack. Then would he, the mighty man, sit down at the table, and indulge in libation after libation, telling, at the same time, stories of what he had done and what he had not done — the latter predominating — and entering into speculations as to what he would haye done had he the opportunity. He would insist on Janet and Jack partaking, and so he laid the foundation of the evil which came thereafter. As the hut was not far off the road, strangers sometimes called, and were very welcome, for, in a lone spot like this a new face was Paradise. Bunakum then would be in his element, and he would often send Janet off to shepherd the flock, so that he .might have his fill of the news of the day, and discuss politics to his heart's content. If the stranger had a flask of spirits— and everyone carried one in those days — so innchvth' e better. One day a ■ Btranger came — a young man. No one was at home but Janet. He stayed, all day, and the two, converged long together. That young man. was Hector,. Macinnis: He had come to Melbourne some ftime^before from Scotland, and had .been -pitied by. the proprietors of one o$ the papers^in.that.then very smalf metropqtfs, who had, sent himf,on; a tour to repprt on tb.e.yanous r districjts A , /,, , How ?kind Janet ,waj 'iftfosjim^hctfy ,herr tenderness' won upo'H^^y^ung|nian .yrKohad* not v^'^j^^d^^hW^,^ 6,cameiio.fihe'piv^c^fb^iolbpi'^^np^a < And that day s ho'b%an (that faiaHloyeithai,

wrought such fatal consequences. Hector ha,d a flask of brandy ; and so he was received with open arms by Bunakum. He was good to Jack, who listened awestricken to the superior conversation of this man. But he was a politician, and that was balm to Bunakum. Long after Jack and his mother had retired, the two sat up discussing matters, and draining the flask. He stayed several days there. Poor Janet ! Little she knew the dangerous serpent that was Avreathing itself around her heart while this stranger conversed alone with her, when Jack and Bunakum had departed to herd their flocks in the silent bush. , "When he went there was a void in their hearts. Janet was greatly troubled. This man had made an impression which sunk deeper and deeper into her soul until it bore fruit of sin and sorrow. How the poor thing loved her son" ! How, when Bunakum had vented all the arrows of his scorpion temper upon her, she would fold the boy to her heart, and, weeping liberally, would tell him that he was her only hope, her sole comfort. And so time went on. Bunakum and Jack wandered day after day over the expanse of Grit, never thinking of the millions and millions in gold that lay beneath their feet. They saw the huge quartz masses that rose up from the hills, never dreaming of the untold wealth they concealed. Jack even played in the gully after the rains had been heavy, and saw glittering yellow specs lying there, but never heeffed them. Poor boy ! he had never seen gold. And he would have been happier if it had been his lot not to see it. But a change speedily came. Gold was found at Bathurst, at Ballarat; and wild reports of the new El Dorados came even to this sequestered spot. Bunakum talked of giving up shepherding, and seeking his fortune; but, having no money, his resolves came to nothing. About seven miles away from Bunakum's hut there was that of another shepherd, Bill White. Bill had a wife and daughter— a little girl, who, though only a child, had to herd a flock of sheep. Jack first made her acquaintance one hot day, when their sheep got boxed — the technical term for the flocks mixing together. Jack had been asleep and so had Bertha, and the sheep, seeing one another, had run together, notwithstanding all the efforts of Spot, who barked and ran about like a demented dog. Lassy, Bertha's dog, had also tried to keep her bheep back; but, failing in this, she sought a quarrel with Spot, that creature being, in her mind, responsible for all the damage. Spot, however, took little notice of Lassy, but ran off to his master, whom he soon awoke. Jack's first idea was to find the shepherd of the other flock, and give him a thrashing — that is, if he were able. When he came, however, upon little Bertha, crying as if inconsolable, with Lassy sitting on her hind legs, and setting up an unearthly howl, all his anger vanished. "Ohl I shall be beat to death," cried Bertha. " Father and mother will kill me." " Don't be frightened, little girl," said Jack, hopefully ; " we'll draft them." Jack had used the words little girl, advisedly. He looked upon himself as a man. Even in her sorrow, Bertha objected to be called a little girl, especially as her monitor was not such a giant himself. However, she was grateful for his kind words, and went to help him. The flocks were hopelessly mixed, however, and were baaing away in a style that beat Babel, the sheep running hither and thither to find their companions. Here and there boxing matches were going on between opposing squadrons. Jack, forming a platoon of his flock by themselves, separated them from the rest, and got Bertha and the dogs to stand between ; so that gradually the she^p began to seek their mates. But it was very hot work ; and at one time Jack entertained little hopes of effectually separating the two flocks. He was running about after fugitives, perspiring a river, when a loud voice shouted, " Holloa, what's this?" Jack turned, and beheld three men, and a boy about his own age, carrying swags. They had also things that he had never seen before — tin dishes and picks. " Our flocks got boxed," said Jack, simply. "Oh 1" said one of the strangers, an embrowned, handsome youth. I 'spect you two were courting, and let your flocks get mixed up. However, what do you say if we give these children some help, and get them out of a scrape. Depend upon it, they'll get into hot-water if they go home with -their sheep boxed ; at all events, they'll get their ears boxed." "And so they ought," said the boy; a lanky, thin-faced fellow, who certainly did not seem the most amiable of mortals. " Shut up, Obadiah," said the young man. " Come on, boys, let's help them." And with the help of the new auxilaries, the two flocks were soon separated, which was the easier because one was wethers, the other ewes. Jack got his flock in order, and, getting them near a large fallen tree, he made them pass before him and counted them. The number was right — 650. Jack thanked the men, particularly the good-natured youth who had first suggested help. As for the boy, Obadiah, he had stood by tormenting Bertha, and telling her that if she had been a good girl this would not have occurred. Jack felt a strong inclination to punch his head. After this was over, the young man who had assisted Jack began to question him about the country, and asked if he had seen any gold hereabouts. To this Jack replied that he had heard of gold, but had never seen it. The young fellow drew a shining sovereign out of his pocket, and showed it to Jack and Bertha. " Why, I've^ seen some sand in the creek like that," said Bertha ; who, dressed in a little print frock, with an unearthly looking hood, made of white calico, with cord run through to stiffen it, stood by, quite a little guy in the visitors' eyes. " So have I," said Jack. " Whereabouts ?" exclaimed the party, now all interest. Jack thought it only right to show these good strangers the place ; and, telling Spot to " hool 'em up," that sagacious canine individual drove the flock down to the river, where Jack showed' the men a little hole where the water flowed over the sandstone rock. ! The young man took a shovelful of the drift, and carefully washed it in the tin dish, while all stood by watching. A few minutes, and about half an ounce of beautiful' yellow sand, as Bertha called it, lay at the bottom of , the dish, set off by some black stuff— emery, people named it then ; but it was black sand, the ore of tin— periia'ps iridium. ' ' They held their breath. , " Found 1" said the young man, drawing a deep sigh. "Emily, Emily, we shall be' "happy 1"' \' ',' " We'll,, pitch' otir' tent at.once, and mark' out' a claim," 'said ,the elder' of ' the' party, 'Obadiah's father. "As "for 1 you, children, you, had better go arid 'mind your flocks, "or they'll' get Boxed again." I ' ' ' ri * •• Where"' do you live ?," "asked the.' young, man. ' \ I •> ', -'' . , creek ajbftj" said Jack. '['■'' >'" } ; -boy,", saickthe,, young, shqok Jack's-Jiand,' ' |jito'd|:'B/rth»^ftn4i JjfektiTwenfc^ljao^ ,'to ;the(

some strange things ; but Jack set her clown aB ignorant,, and gave his word that the men were digging. He had heard of it before, he said, and he knew something, while Bertha knew nothing. A pleasant evening they spent, sitting under the shade of the tree under which we left Jack sleeping, while the flocks fed at a safe distance from each other, kept in order by Spot and Lassy, who, however, found time to interchange, compliments — canine fashion. Bertha thought Jack such a nice boy, and Jack thought Bertha a pretty little girl. Innocence so soon to pass away. That day week, a great change came over Grit. Although William Brown (such was the £name of the young man who separated Jack's and Bertha's flocks) and his mates had tried to keep the discovery quiet, the news spread like wildfire. Many of the other goldfields then discovered were overstocked, and the moment the new rush was the cry, there came from the east and from the west, from tho south and from the north, thousands and thousands to try their fortunes. The rich yields of the first claims spread the news over the whole of Australia. Ship after ship was coming to the shores of Victoria, and their passengers rushed like madmen to Grit. Shepherds let their flocks wander unherded, a prey to the dingo ; squatters sprang into the saddle and galloped away from their homesteads ; farmers threw aside their ploughs ; carpenters discarded the chisel, and, with eager desire, all made for the new Eldorado. The roads were crowded with wayfarers. Not a sun rose but it beheld a new array of tents. No magician ever created so sudden a change. The 'possums, the kangaroos, and the blackfellows fled before the tide; the flowers and the grass died away ; the trees began to vanish like mist ; the little stream changed from blue to a dirty yellow. In less than a month one hundred thousand human beings were congregated on Gritty Flat ; and, where the blackfellow had held his corroboree by the lights of blazing fires, European civilisation was to be seen. Talk of magicians of old ! they are fools to that great magician — gold. , It could not be expected that Bunakum and While would resist all this. They were amongst the first to throw up their situations and rush to the field. In less than a fortnight Jack and Bertha exchanged their quiet huts to tents on Gritty Flat, their flocks for the mining cradle. Both were scared at first at the sudden change, which it took some time for their intellects to comprehend. Lassy and Spot, also, were quite bewildered for a time, and much troubled in their simple minds about the innumerable number of curs the new people had brought with them ; but they, too, soon became accustomed to the great change. In three months, the quiet pastoral scene we have pictured ceased to be, and one who had seen Gritty Flat then would never have known it now. But this was not the only change.