10 August 1933

A BUSH SECRET OF SIXTY YEARS AGO

The Fate Of Two Strangers And Their Dog

How many men, coming to Australia from the Old Country in the early days, full of hope and optimism, left their bones lying in the bush, and their friends wondering why they never heard of them? This story is a case in point.

A little over 70 years ago two men camped for the night at a homestead a few miles across the Victorian border. They were making for South Australia. They did not ask for work, though it was assumed, as they had a nice looking dog with them that they were shepherds. All sheep were shepherded those days.

They were well clothed, although they carried swags. It was thought, and probably rightly, that they were not long in Australia. Leaving the station where they had tea and breakfast, it was noticed that they followed a trail made by Chinamen diggers from Robe to Ballarat. They evidently lost the trail in the dense scrub running along the border line, and passed into South Australia very hard up for water.

It is really not known how long it was before they struck a permanent swamp about six miles from Penola. As the swamp was much discolored by sheep having been washed and dipped in it, they followed it round until they came to a tank, which seemed to be full of clear water.

This water, as it happened, was heavily impregnated with arsenic. They must have both drank simultaneously from the tank, as my father found them both dead right against it. The water from it was used for eradicating scab in sheep. The dog who evidently drank immediately of the water in the swamp thus saved his life. The dog savagely attacked my father when he attempted to approach the bodies. My father had to seek help to overcome the dog which bit his horse.

The bodies of the men were removed to the nearest settlement, and an inquest held. Everything on the bodies and in the swags were minutely examined but no trace of their names was revealed. On the body of one man was found a sum of money in gold and notes, but that was all. They were buried in a nameless grave, and the long years which have since passed have not revealed who they were, or whence they came.

My dad bought the dog for 5/. He did hot want it as he already had two of his own. but he admired and pitied it. For two years that dog was my faithful playmate, for lack of a human one, and I never had a more faithful and trusty companion. When I was old enough to take him after sheep he proved to have been trained to a high degree, and his intelligence in handling sheep drew attention to him from far and near.

I feel confident he was an imported dog, trained in the old country, as he showed many times that he was familiar with a mode of working sheep never employed in Australia. He would separate ewes and lambs from dry sheep, and looked to his master simply to point to what was required to be moved. The dog's training, and the clothes worn by the men he had followed suggested that the three were from overseas.

The dog seemed to adopt the whole family, and was especially attached to my mother, who regarded herself as perfectly safe from attack by man or beast while the dog was near. He would if I lay down, fiercely attack anyone who approached, and would gently remove with his teeth any grass seed or foreign matter from my clothes. When the time came for him to go for good, he was sincerely mourned by every member of the family.— I.McG.,' North Adelaide.

Couldn't Find His Clothes

Early residents of American River still laugh at the story of a Church of England minister. One hot summer day he was riding along the beach on his way to hold a service at the river, when he decided to have a swim, He had his dip. and to his horror could not find his clothes, which he had left behind a bush.

About two hours later a local settler found him roaming nude and disconsolate along the beach. Taking pity on the clergyman's plight he tracked him back to his clothes. The new chum, an Englishman, had not thought of doing this. When he finally arrived at his destination it was too late to hold service, so the parson and two members of the congregation who still remained, sat down to a hand of cards. — Wynnis J. Hughes, Wisanger.

Neither Sheep Nor Goat

On the east side of the river at Menindie (N.S.W.), there ran a flock of three or four hundred goats, and amongst them several rams which were probably reared, by some of the residents of Menindie as pets, and after wards took up with the goats for companionship. Anyhow certain it is that they crossed with some three or four of the goats, producing extraordinary animals, all of the male species, but apparently incapable of re-crossing, which I think also applies to the ass and horse.

The cross between the goat and ram was an extraordinary animal. Each had the ram's head and horns, the horns being long like a ram's but much finer; coarse wool up to the head and horns, back to the top of the shoulders, from which point the animal was just goat. I do not think there was any possibility of either sex re-crossing, in fact, in my wide experience amongst sheep and goats a cross was very rare. I have seen both rams and goats running freely together over a wide area of Australia, but the case above is the only one that I can truly vouch for.— 'LMcG.,' North Adelaide.

Taking The Bull To Eucla

In 1893-4 the diggings at Coolgardie were getting into their stride. There were a lot of people travelling west with all kinds of conveyances. I have seen them pushing 'prams' and wheelbarrows, containing their goods and chattels. I met many of them on the track, and the first question they would ask was. 'How far to the next water?' and the next, 'Where can we get meat?' The first store after leaving Fowler's Bay was at Eucla, and a paying proposition it was.

The owner thought he could see money in butchering, so he bought a mob of old ewes and a few rams, about 20 old cows, and a bull. But the bull fell into a rock-hole and was killed. The storekeeper telegraphed Mr. G W. Murray, of Yalata station, for a bull. Mr. Murray had one, but the problem was how to get it to Eucla.

There was no boat service between Fowler's Bay and Eucla, and no other cattle going that way. The problem was solved by two old blackfellows, Ginger Blue and Peter, who were told to take him alonga Eucla. They were given tea and sugar, and started off on foot; on their 240-mile trip.

They had great trouble the first week, as the beast kept making back eight or nine miles each night. Finally they got him going and landed him at Eucla in good condition, after being a month on the job. The last week the bull became very tame end allowed the old men to handle him. They then packed their blankets on him. If two young-blackfellows had been sent on a job like that they would have made a mess of it. The old blacks are careful and trustworthy.

The storekeeper did well with his butchering business, and finished up with a large mob of sheep and cattle. The bull concerned in this story had a history. It was said he swam from St. Peter's Island to Murat Bay, a distance of 12 miles, I do not know if that is true.— ''M.J.A.,' Coorabie.

Around Goolwa 60 Years Ago

Sixty years ago I lived with my parents at Reidy Harbor, H.I. We had a sailing boat, and often in the summer had picnics at the Murray mouth. We used to land near Barker's Knoll, and go along the beach to gather shells, or along the Coorong to gather montries (native apples). These grew on a plant that crept along the ground, not on bushes. We made jam of the montries, and when spice was mixed with them it made a good mincemeat for Christmas pies.

The blacks were numerous, and often came around with things to sell. Wild ducks, fish, native currants, mats, baskets made of dried rushes, and shells. I wanted some shells for a necklace, and told one of the lubras what sort I wanted. She said she would get me some. I had almost given up hope of seeing her or the shells when, some months afterwards, she brought a lovely lot of the right sort, a dull green, which, when put into sour milk to take the dull coating oil, became a bright green mother of pearl. I asked her where she got them, and she said, 'Maria Creek, near Kingston.' That must have been right, for we never got those, or any like them, on our beaches.

This shows how the blacks used to travel about. They had their canoes, and could get a long way up the Coorong. I have some of the shells still in use as a neck lace. The first rush baskets were more useful than ornamental, but as time passed the natives made some pretty baskets and mats. — 'Newell,'' Wagin, WA.

The Brake On Progress

The history of every district is full of examples of men whose initiative, foresight, and resource have left their mark on the place where they lived. But there are also men who, either through self-interest or reactionary temperament, hold back a district during their whole lifetime. A man whom I shall call Tregenza was one of these.

There was hardly a man in the district who did not have cause to curse old Tregenza. The chief reason for it was that the district was without a water supply. Nearly fifty years ago there was talk of establishing a water scheme for the town, but Tregenza, then chairman or the district council, blocked it. A little later neighboring districts began to be linked up with water mains, or to have reservoirs of their own, but owing to the high level on which it was situated, the district of which I write could not be linked up with any existing scheme.

After a time the proposal to have a reservoir built was again raised, and at a public meeting Tregenza was the chief speaker. He was fluent, with a type of oratory which made those who heard it think all was well, and that things were best left as they were. He convinced the meeting that a water supply would be a calamity.

This sounds absurd in print, but it is a solemn fact, rendered the more incredible when it was realised that Tregenza owned a property on which was the only well of pure water in the district, and he gained the greater part of his living growing and selling the vegetables which nobody else could produce! All his life he worked on the same lines. The elder and more conservative folk thought he was a great man, and the young and progressive folk chafed and fought in vain against his influence. Tregenza was like a blight to the district, but he had his way until McAllister came along.

This young Scot arrived on the coach one day, worked for a time in a store, opened a store himself, rapidly advanced to become the leading business man, and then set out to move the district out of the rut. McAllister went to the war, remained in England for years, and returned in 1923.

By that time the district had a railway, but it was as backward as ever. The streets were lit by old acetylene lamps, though all the neighboring ones had electric light, the sanitary system was a disgrace, and it was still without a water supply. Again the Scot set to work to shake the people out of the rut. A public meeting was called to consider the Government offer of a water scheme. Tregenza, now over 80, but still hale and hearty, opposed it with all his bitterness— and won! He died soon after, and with his passing came progress.— 'Bogaduck,' Bordertown.

Death Adder In A Tram

About 30 years ago some friends from the country took the children to Henley Beach for a picnic. The day turned out sultry. Most of the party reclined leisurely on the beach among the sea weed. Tea over, there was a hurry to get dressed for the long homeward journey.

On reaching King William street one of the party, a rather stout old dame, thought her dress seemed heavy. On giving it a shake, to her horror, out fell a death adder, and ran across the street. An alarm was raised, a crowd gathered, and finally the adder was killed. An examination showed the hem of the woman's skirt had become unripped while she had been sitting on the seaweed, and apparently the reptile had crept in. Being comfort able and warm, it had evidently fallen asleep.— 'E.M.,' Brooker, W.C.

Real Life Stories Of South Australia (1933, August 10). Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), p. 18. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article90888822