28 May 1936

SECURING FEED FOR HIS HORSES

Racing Ramp In Western Queensland

To a prosperous little town in Western Queensland came a wizened-faced old fellow, every feature of whom be spoke horse. In a casual way, and at opportune moments the old chap, whom we will call 'Spider,' mentioned to several business men who were racing enthusiasts that he had two fairly good gallopers down at his camp. A race meeting was to be held in a few weeks' time, and after Spider had told his story to each of five different businessmen, whose occupations varied from that of a butcher to a solicitor, he determined to wait for it.

Associated with Spider was a light boy who rode the horses in their work at the local track, but none of the watchers of the working gallops of Spider's horses knew of a heavy leaden waistcoat the boy wore when riding one of the horses. However, that was the secret of Spider and the boy. Eventually weights were declared for the race meeting, with Spider's two horses featuring in the handicap, the principal race.

One, whom we will call 'Rajah,' had top weight; the other, 'Flash,' was well down amongst the moderate weights. With the declaration of weights and the consequent pre post wagering, Spider loudly complained of the weight the handicapper had given Rajah.

'A man ought to scratch them,' wailed Spider. 'Here's a horse, ten years old, and the handicapper gives him 10 st. 7 lb. Rajah couldn't win with 8 St., but, anyway, I'll start him just to make up the field.' The local sports sympathised with Spider, and followed his advice to back the local champion. 'Flash might run into a place,' admitted Spider, 'but he's not quite class enough to win.'

To each of the five business men, however, who were, or thought they were, in Spider's confidence, word was secretly passed to back Flash for all the money that could be procured. The result was that so much money was being placed on Flash that, prior to the drawing of the Calcutta sweep on the night before the races, he was a pronounced favorite.

Brisk bidding took place as the horses in the handicap were being sold in the Calcutta, and a cheer went up when Flash, the last horse sold, realised £56 — top price. The local butcher had outbid four others — all of whom were among the five business men whom Spider had approached shortly after his arrival at the town. Rajah, Spider's other horse, and the one he had threatened to scratch, had been knocked down at the upset price of ten shillings. The buyer was a visiting bookmaker, who had registered his bid, 'just to give it a start,' as he said.

The crack rider of the district had been given the mount on Flash, an arrangement mutually agreed upon by Spider and the butcher, who had bought the horse in the Calcutta. Incidentally, four others had also agreed in secret conferences with Spider that the local jockey should ride Flash.

Prior to the race, money poured in on Flash, and although the local book makers were reluctant to lay any more against the horse, it seemed strange to one or two keen observers that Kelly, the visiting bookmaker, who had paid 10/ for Rajah in the Calcutta, kept on taking all the Flash money available; and at odds much, more liberal than those offered elsewhere. Had one particular visitor been followed and his bets recorded, it would have been found that he was quietly backing Rajah, the top weight, but not with Kelly, the visiting bookmaker.

The race needs little description. Rajah, ridden by Spider's boy, led from flagfall to winning post, with Flash a poor second; and although Spider loudly accused the local rider of pulling Flash, few realised the ramp that had been so successfully worked by Spider and company until next day, when the local sports found that the visitors had folded their tents like the Arabs and vanished in the night.

it was not until a few days later that five sorry business men realised how they had been taken down. Each thought that he had been paying Spider money each week to feed the two horses, without anyone else being in on the 'good thing' that was to be. Actually, however, Spider was collecting from all five, and the money he persuaded them to put on Flash made the price he needed for the allegedly despised old stager, Rajah, who could have carried another couple of stone and won.

For years afterwards it was not wise to mention Spider or either of his horses, Flash or Rajah, to any of those five business men in that little town in Western Queensland. — 'Old Timer.'

Swan Reach Cave

Over 40 years ago 'Jerry,' father of 'Henry Mason,' the lost king of the tribe that roamed the River Murray, from Swan Reach to Mannum, told me the following story. A young aborigine stole the lubra of another man and made off up river. The injured lover followed the pair till they reached Barmera. Waiting his chance, he killed them both, and made off down river, pursued by friends of the murdered man. When closely pressed, he swam the river, and entered a small cave in the cliffs, and, according to Jerry's reckoning, came out at the Swan Reach end about eight days later.

In 1899 and again in 1902, I searched the cliffs from Morgan to Loxton for that small cave, and found one, with an opening about 3 ft. high, but, owing to the darkness, could not see far into the cave. If I remember rightly, that opening is not in the Pyap Cliffs, but in the cliff on the south side of the river between Overland Corner and Heinecke's landing above Woolpinda pumping station. Travelling over the farming lands between Nildottie and Kingston, one can hear a rumbling sound in different places, that suggests that the ground is hollow beneath the surface, and only this season, in two different places, lakes of water have suddenly vanished and left large openings in the pad docks.

Those who have traversed the Punyelro Cave for any distance, know that it has several branches, and I wonder whether any of the present 'Big Bend' residents noticed whether water flowed out of the cave during the 1931 flood, as there were 40 years ago, large trees, that could not have come through the Swan Reach entrance, a long distance in from the entrance.— 'Murrayite.'

Swimming The Blue Lake

In a recent newspaper article the statement was made that the first time anyone had swum across the Blue Lake, Mount Gambier, was in 1887. That is not so; as to my knowledge two men swam, across it in 1868. At that time an uncle of mine, Ernest Hawdon, was living in Mount Gambier, and a discussion took place as to whether he or George Harris, of Cadzo, near Mount Gambier, was the stronger swimmer. Both were known to be very good swimmers.

So one morning, to settle the question, they proceeded to the Blue Lake and started to swim across and back. Hawdon got back to the starting point first, and on landing looked to see where his companion was. He discovered that he was in difficulties some distance off, so he plunged in again, went to his assistance, and towed him to the landing place. George Harris had been attacked by cramp, as the water is intensely cold.

Later on, Bob Murray, who was an excellent swimmer, also swam across and back, and still later Steve and Roland Poyntz did the same.

Ernest Hawdon was articled to Mr. Davison, of Mount Gambier at the time that the East-West telegraph line was being built. Sir John Forrest came to the South-East to buy cattle for meat for the men constructing it. One day he went into Mr. Davison's office and said that he had 200 cattle ready to send, but could get no reliable drover to take them. The lack of water on portion of the route made it a trying trip. Ernest Hawdon heard the conversation and at once offered to take them. He had been among cattle on his father's stations all his life. Sir John Forrest accepted his offer and asked how many men he would need to help him. Hawdon replied that the only help he needed was a good cattle dog. This was supplied and he delivered his mob safely without loss. Ernest Hawdon was a nephew of Joseph Hawdon, the first man to bring cattle overland from the eastern States to Adelaide.— C.H.G.

A Blessing In Disguise

In the peak of the recent financial depression a young man set out to walk from Adelaide to Melbourne in search of employment. He had not gone very far when he was taken ill on the road, and was later admitted to a hospital. That misfortune proved to be a blessing in disguise, for while there he read in a local paper that a farmer in the district urgently required men.

Later, he applied for a position. He told the farmer of his stay in hospital, and asked whether a light task could be found for him until he regained his strength. When asked if he had done any clerical work, he said that he had, and was engaged to help the farmer with his books.

After the young fellow had been on the farm about three months he invested in a lottery in another State. About this time the farmer's daughter returned home from high school. The young couple became friendly, and later, when the clerk received word that he had drawn third prize in the consultation, he proposed to the girl and was accepted. Shortly afterwards they were married and made their home on the farm.

Within a year of the wedding the farmer died, leaving the property to his daughter and her husband. But the young fellow's prosperity has not caused him to forget his misfortunes of a few years ago, and no one who is out of work has ever applied in vain to him for assistance.— A.D.

Dog's Sagacity Saves Four Lives

In the nineties of last century a farmer living near the River Murray had a clever cattle dog named Jackie. One of Jackie's many accomplishments was that at the word of command he would swim across a lagoon for the cows, drive them into the water, and bring them home. The last cow to enter the water had the honor of towing him across, for he would invariably hang on to the brush of its tail.

Jackie was very loyal to his friends, and was very fond of the local school teacher. She and three of her girl friends, when school was over for the day, would often stand on the top of the cliff overlooking the river and watched the steamers go past. On one such occasion, as the four young women were watching a steamer coming up the stream, Jackie's behavior was most unusual. They did not know what to make of it; but when he began to pull at the teacher's dress they moved away from the edge of the cliff, just to see what he would do next.

After they had moved back some distance Jackie stopped with his eyes fixed on the ground a few yards ahead. Fear radiating from ever hair of his body, his gaze was riveted on one spot. At first the young women did not notice anything out of the ordinary. Then they saw a small crack which ran for some distance along the cliff. It became larger and larger as they watched, until at last more than 100 tons of the cliff on which they had been standing a few minutes before went crashing down over 200 ft. into the river below. Highly as they had prized Jackie before, they now realised that they owed their lives to his faithfulness and sagacity.— 'Rising Sun.'

A Bush Operation

Instances of crude bush operations are rare nowadays, but before the advent of motor cars, long distances to the nearest doctor by horse-drawn conveyances often made it compulsory for first aid to be given without regard to the feelings of the person concerned. One of many crude operations I know of was performed on a drover, who used to take fat cattle to the Palmer goldfields in North Queensland during the years of its boom.

On his way to the Palmer on one occasion the drover's horse fell and the man's thigh was dislocated. In those days the nearest doctor was hundreds of miles away, and with no alternative offering, the drover was carried on with the cattle until the goldfields were reached. After delivering his cattle he mentioned his injury, and as the result of a consultation with the miners it was decided that an operation should be performed. Alter tying the drover to a tree, as many miners as could get a grip, seized the leg of his dislocated thigh, and within a few seconds had pulled it into place again, and remedied the defect. It may have been a crude and forcible operation, perhaps, but it was effective nevertheless.— A.N.M.

Real Life Stories of South Australia (1936, May 28). Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), p. 16. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article92340855