7 July 1932

Drama Of The Bush

Fox, Eagle, And The Porcupine

The animals have their tragedies and their comedies just as humans have. Below is a tale of a great to-do, in which an eagle, a fox, a porcupine, and a mallee fowl were concerned.

Drama of the Bush.

— It was Saturday afternoon. After weeks of strenuous toil I was feeling as if I needed a rest. Being an ideal day for fox shooting, I put on a pair of light shoes and set out. After beating through mallee shoots for an hour without success, I made for the scrub, thinking I might get a shot at a 'roo.

Another hour's walking found me tired, so I laid down on a clear patch in the scrub. Far up in the blue sky, almost directly overhead, an eagle was soaring. My interest centred on the bird. He was wheeling in narrow circles and descending rapidly. He had sighted something. When about a hundred feet from earth he hovered for a couple of seconds, and then dived. A mallee top intercepted him, and he floundered awkwardly into the tree. Either an error of judgment or the density of the scrub had robbed him of his prey. He rose and sat on a tree about fifty yards from me. He was still watching something.

I lifted myself on my elbow to get a shot, but dropped again just as quickly. Not more than thirty yards away in a direct line with the eagle I caught sight of the tail of a fox projecting from a bush. He also was watching something. Presently, out of the bush crawled a large porcupine. The fox followed. A gleam of pleasure must have shone in my eyes, as I surveyed his magnificent brush and fur. It looked like a bit of business with a skin buyer. I toyed with the triggers of my Hollis.

I saw the fox's intentions. That porcupine's head would make a dainty meal. But the porcupine was determined not to lose it. Every time Reynard's nose came near up would go those sharp quills, and back the fox would turn with a yap. This went on for about five minutes Then the porcupine began to burrow into some soft earth. Here the fox showed his cunning. Waiting until the porcupine was half covered with earth, so that the spikes would not hurt his nose, he would root it out. But, try as he would, he could not turn the porcupine on its back. After watching the duel for about ten minutes I saw the fox working into thick cover. Then bang! Exit Reynard, and fifteen bob for the cockie. The eagle rose. 'Bang!' again. A hoarse cry and wafting feathers told me that the bird had been 'rattled.' Still he rose. As he came down, go he went up in a spiral ascent. This puzzled me. But I was soon to learn the reason. Reaching a height of three or four hundred feet, he suddenly collapsed and crashed down about twenty yards from me. On examination I found that a pellet had cut deeply into the side of the bird's head and destroyed an eye. It evidently dazed him, hence his corkscrew flight.

Walking into the scrub to ascertain what the bird had seen. I came upon a mallee fowl's mound, heaped up in a circle, with the centre hollowed out ready to admit moisture and leaves for the hatching process. As I walked around it, I noticed feathers sticking out of a small rabbit burrow a few yards away. On further investigating I was surprised to find a beautiful male mallee fowl jammed in the hole.

The truth now dawned on me. From a great height the eagle had seen the bird at work on the mound. When he floundered into the mallee top it had alarmed the mallee bird, and given it time to dash for safety. Pulling the bird out of the hole, I threw it into the air, and it flapped away over the scrub. — Lindsay Harvey, Langhorne's Creek.

[There are indeed echidnas, but of course no porcupines in Australia. Ed.]

Big Fish Story.

— Tourists passing along the Crystal Brook-Pirie-Naperby road may have, when nearing Warnertown, observed a homestead on the western slope of Flinders Range, the gateway of which is formed of a white arch. The place is 'Willow Lodge,' the birthplace of Mr. H. G. Hawkins, chairman of directors of the S.A.F.U., and the arch is formed of the two jaw-bones of a large whale. This is the story of the old relic:—

Many years ago, when a depression similar to the present one held South Australia in its grip, two rival fishing parties set out for the western coast of Spencer Gulf. The first party had not been long at sea when, in shallow water, they saw a large, dark object, which closer investigation showed to be a whale in difficulties. They raced back to tend to establish their claim to the find. During their absence the second party came on the scene. They improvised a flag with a piece of rag and a stick made from a seat plank, and drove it into the side of the whale. This originated a dispute between the two parties as to the ownership of the mammal. After a long argument, the matter was referred to the courts. The case is still remembered with merriment because of the amusement caused by the evidence of a negro who was in the crew of the first boat. The negro was the last witness. Counsel for one of the parties, in trying to prove that there were two different whales, asked, 'How long was the whale you saw?' 'Well, boss,' said the witness, 'he were the biggest whale I ever did see.' Lawyer — Never mind other whale. Tell me how long was this whale from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail.' 'Say, boss, this whale was a terrible length.' The S.M. —'If you saw a boat, you would know if you thought it was about 15 ft., 30 ft., or 40 ft. long?' 'Yes, boss.' The S.M.— 'Then tell the court if this whale was about 20 ft., 30 ft., or 40 ft. or more.' The negro's eyes glistened; he stood erect, expanded his chest, contracted his muscles, and exclaimed, 'The length of this whale, boss— it were a h— ll of a length.'

Result of Chance Meeting.

— Having been told this story by relations of the two men, I can say that it is quite true, although to me it seemed almost a fairy tale. Two married men, with families, went to enlist during the time when soldiers were urgently called for. At the recruiting office both were waiting their turn side by side, and they started talking. One said, 'I don't really want to go to this war, but I must do my bit for my country.' The other said. 'Exactly the same in my case.' They both enlisted, went into camp together, and became great friends. They went to the war in the same transport, and fought side by side at Gallipoli and in France. They both returned to their homes in Melbourne.

Then one of them set out for New Guinea, where he thought he might find gold. He did! He cabled for his friends to come to him, asking him to think of a plan to get the gold to Melbourne. The friend in Australia was puzzled, but suddenly one night his wife thought of an aeroplane. He got up then and there, went to an aerodrome, and chartered the best plane he could get. He reached his friend in New Guinea, and they flew back together. A mine was started. The man who found the gold did not live long, but he made over in his will a great deal of his money to his friend. This man is now living in a suburb of Adelaide, and it is the great delight of the churchgoers to see him with his wife and children every Sunday morning fill a whole pew in the church. — Edith Dove, Seacliffe.

Subdivision Of Yongala.

— When the Land Board sat at Yongala to divide the Yongala sheep station into small holdings the applicants had to appear personally before the board and state their cases. They were required to show that they were physically fit for the life and also that they had some means of working the land.

One man who wished to be especially convincing to the board had brought his family of sons, ten or more, and they were all dressed in moleskin trousers and hobnailed boots, &c. He was successful in getting the block he applied for, and it was one of the most coveted on the list.

One old lady who applied in her son's name was asked what means she had of working the farm. She replied— 'Well, sorr, I have a spring dray and a horse to pull it and a cart and a horse to pull it.' The questioner asked her if she meant she had a spring dray and a cart and the same horse pulled both. Her answer of 'Yes, sorr, that's right' broke up the company, but she got the block.

The land turned out to be some of the best wheat-growing country in the State, and now the blocks are well improved farms with comfortable homes. Some of them are in the hands of the people to whom they were originally allotted. In addition to growing wheat, the farmers all have their flocks of sheep, and in normal seasons the 'run,' as it was called, carries more sheep than it did before it was divided. — A. E. Bradtke, Murray Bridge.

Cave At Allandale East.

— Travellers on the bitumen road to Port MacDonnell, may notice a strong stone wall surrounding what is known as the Allandale Cave.

They will, perhaps, doubt the surveyors wisdom in making a road on each side of the cave, when the cave itself could easily have been avoided. But conditions now are different from those of sixty, or more years ago. Bullock and horse teams in the early days used to cart farm and station products from as far away as Naracoorte to Port MacDonnell — then the thriving seaport of the Lower South-East.

Adjoining the Allandale Cave was an area used as a camping reserve, while the water of the cave itself was used to water the horses and bullocks of the teams. These facts influenced the surveyor when he surveyed these roads. The left hand road, leading to Port MacDonnell, was occupied at night by loaded waggons and drays. It served a useful purpose, because the loaded vehicles could be left standing on the macadamised road, while the bullocks and horses rested in the reserve.

The road on the right side was left open for the general public. It was a common occurrence for twenty, or more, teams to be camped at this cave, and its value as a watering place was highly appreciated.

There is a popular legend that, at one time, a horse and dray disappeared down this cave. But, as far as is known, it has no foundation in fact. However, the cave was the scene of one drowning fatality, and, for the purpose of safeguarding against a recurrence, the wall was built. On one occasion the surface of the water, which had risen considerably, was seen to be covered with debris, which, in less than twenty-four hours, disappeared, and the water returned to its original level. This happening may have been caused by a temporary blockage in the outlet of the cave. Such an unusual occurrence supports the theory that all the caves in the Lower South-East are connected by a subterranean passage which conveys the waters to the sea. — 'Interested,' Allandale East.

Lonely Woman's Adventure.

— The scene of this incident was Penola. My wife's great-grandfather and great-grandmother, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, were living in a shepherd's hut with calico windows on the station known as 'Maaoupe.' Mrs. Wilson was in the habit of giving small presents to the blacks. One day when Mr. Wilson was away shepherding, a big black fellow came to the hut and demanded that Mrs. Wilson should hand over some tea, sugar, and flour. On being informed that she had none, the native threatened to 'put her on the fire for a back log.' When again she protested that she had none, the black picked her up with the intention of throwing her on the fire. Luckily her husband arrived in the nick of time, and the savage made a quick exit. — 'Sol.' Millicent.