4-024 (Raw)

File contents

<source><g=f><o=u><age=un><status=3><abode=un><p=nsw><r=prw><tt=di><4-024>
1st Day Started on Friday 6th Oct 1882 beautifull day Dick Shumock came by going fishing and of course wanted to know if we was off came on to Booths when Sam went in and got me a nice bleu Necktie and Baby some lollies came by a lot of men working on the hill when we got to the top we had to load some wood for night got to the camp had tea fixed our tent Sam and Tom took the Bullocks away to the river I made the bed and put Albert to bed he went to bed early it is a miserable camp to night so windy and no grass much we let the cat out of her box when we stopped and I have not seen her since so I suppose she has cleared out.
2nd Day Saturday Morning Saw the commet this Morning and it is beautifull I never saw anything like it it rises about 4 oclock in the Morning we had a very good bed in [the] cart last night but it is hardley big enough for three but it will do Albert slept well all night got to Queanbeyan went to town got Baby a Horse with a long mane for Sids present had dinner made a start heard very bad accounts of the grass along the road got up the big Hill met a Carrier asked about the grass he said that there was good grass at Bungendore I hope so for we are very nearly disheartened got to the Molonglo River Camped. 
found not a bit of grass all a sheep run I expect that the Bullocks wont stop my face is very bad and has been ever since I started I am writing by lamplight on the grubbox little Albert is asleep he sleeps nearly all day.
3rd Day Sunday Morning Oct 8th Tom and Sam has been after the Horses Since Sunrise and has not come back yet so I have gave Albert his breakfast and done all that I can my face is a good deal better today I do hope that we will soon get some rain the cat is quiet at Home we let her go as soon as we stop of a night and she stays by the fire all night 4th Day came through Bungendore to day and camped at the Back of the Church of England Parsonage going to try to get the Bullocks in a paddock for a day or two to give them a spell for I dont think that there is any feed this side of Braidwood it is like rain to day and the wind is blowing the leaves of my Book over so that it is a job to write we had some very nice rain it came up a pretty sharp Thunder storm with plenty of Wind Thunder and lightning but we had some very nice rain throught the night and morning our tent is not proof against a strong beating rain for it beat in at the side that was next the storm but I hung a blanket up and that stopped it. [216]
5th Day Yoked up about 11 Oclock saw Ted Rolf and Johny Ryan. They sent their cattle away to the Coast nearly all the people about Bungendore sent their Cattle away and I think that they would have done better to have kept them at home for out of what they sent away they are only getting about half of them back we are camped to night just over the deep Creek past Charley Moss's and can see the Lake like a mist on a plain the Bullocks are awful! discontented they will not stop unless in a paddock we had a good place for them last night but we have not got much grass to night the Travelling Cattle camped there last night I think that we will be tired before we reach our journeys end unless the grass gets better after we leave Braidwood Albert is such a good little fellow he sleeps nearly all day in the cart and as soon as we stop at night after he has a run about he gets his supper and off to bed again and sleeps all night The Bullocks are going to be a bother to stop to night and as Tom has been up nearly every night since we left home I told him that I would stop up till twelve to night and stop them going down the lane so you see that I am not very frightened in a strange place.
6th Day started this Morning beautiful! day came to Long Swamp Creek for dinner after dinner came on to the Doughboy Creek, worst camp we have had since we left it is getting worse instead of better if it was not for Cabbageing a bit of grass the bullocks would all soon be dead.
7th Day dreadful! hot day to day looked like rain last night but has all gone off with the Sea Breeze clouds we have not yoked up yet for we are only going to go a short distance to day and in to Braidwood tomorrow this would be a pretty place to camp if there was grass but it is overstocked with sheep so there is not much We was down at the Creek just now it is so nice and cool and shady with green Wattle trees, Albert has got his old complaint again and is very cross.
8th Day started early this Morning just as we was yoking up by came the Gold escort with 2 policemen with it and 2 on Horseback had dinner at the six mile flat came on again met a Man that Tom knew came by a Public House he gave me a drink of lemonade it was a Man by the Name of Harris but after to night we will be in a strange land to me and I hope a better one than this for you think that it is bad over your way but I can [not] compare Braidwood to anything but the very heat of Summer time when everything is burnt up so that you can judge what state the country is in over this side we had to buy Hay for the Bullocks to night it has been dreadful! hot to day and looked like Thunder. [217]
9th Day This morning when we woke it was a thick fog we got the Bullocks for we had them in a yard all night but Tom was walking all morning after the Horses and them not far away but they had no bell on and he could not see them while I was waiting for him to come with them there was a woman sent me a cup of new milk for Baby and an egg so that was not so bad.
we got yoked up and started and came through Braidwood and I think that it is a very nice town I was in one shop and it is so nice a great big shop such a lot of shop men we came on then till dinner time I dont know the name of the place that we stopped for dinner but it was not very far out of Braidwood.
started came to Jembaicumbere it is a nice place a nice level country but it has been all dug up and it looks so funny now that the grass has grown all over the hols and what was dug up out of them there is Streams of water running in all directions, what was there races for gold washing there is much good grass now for we have got out of the sheep country you see nothing now but cattle and Horses after we pass what they call Jembaicumbere we begin to see tall Trees what they [call] the Ribbon gum and deep gullies and we will soon be in the wild country a little further on is the Araluen Mountain I thought that we was at it last Night for I thought that we was in a pretty wild country but it is 4 miles further on.
I must tell you that I got a great fright to night I asked Tom where I would light the fire and he told me against a log close to the road and against where I lit it was a big gum Tree and it had such a lot of Bark hanging from it that when I lit the fire it caught the Bark and up the tree it went right up nearly to the Top and run on about the ground and I had such a job to keep it out of Hassels paddock Tom was away watering the Bullocks at what is called Bells Creek and I was very glad when he came back for if the wind had been coming towards the waggon it must have got alight so that I will be more careful in future when I light the fire in the Mountains where there is so much Bark and leaves to burn. [218]
10th Day, Sunday the further we go it seems to get Hotter for to day is just like what it is at Christmas The Locusts are singing and the Lizzards are running in all directions and when Tom was after the Horses this Morning he saw a snake I went to a creek down in a deep gully for some water I expected to see some but I didnt see any it is such a long miserable Sunday we went for a walk after dinner and I saw a big snake Tom tried to kill it but it got under a log came back and I never saw such strange weather as it is with us I doubt if it is the same up your way but it all got foggie and dark and just like rain but it all goes off in the morning and is as hot as ever They say that it is a sure sign of a draught but I suppose they must have something to say.
11th Day we lost our poor cat this Morning just after we started we was going over some rough mettle and she jumped down off of the waggon and away in the scrub and we could not see her again I was so sorry for she was such a nice old thing and would jump up in the waggon or the cart when she saw us preparing for a start in the Morning.
we came on a good long way along a cutting running alongside of a creek and I thought that it was the bad piece of road that I had heard them talk about but you can judge of my surprise when Tom stopped and told me that we was at the Top of the Mountain and that we had it to go down yet so he took all the Bullocks off but four and put the rest behind and tied the two Horses up behind the cart and then we began the decent it is good road cut in the Mountain but it is so very narrow that if anything was to happen [to] the Harness you would be sure to meet with an accident for as high as you can see on one side is the Mountain above and as far below you can see the top of trees and such beautiful! creepers climbing up the stems of the Trees.
there is one creeper in particular that I saw if we only had it up our way we would be glad to have it growing in our gardens it has a nice green leaf and is smothered in big branches of flowers I hardly know what flower to compare them to they are not very unlike Orange blossoms but not quiet so white as they are.
I have not seen any Maruya side of Araluen you keep winding down the Mountain and after you come a bit down you see Araluen like a little dot amongst green trees the houses dont look to be any size when you first see it I was coming down a good bit behind Tom when the Mail passed us and the Mailman told me that the grey filly had her leg over the Halter so that if he had not have told me I would have been in a bit of a mess, most likely broke the cart where she was tied you can judge the steepness of the Hill when Tom used to have to stop and put water on the Brake and it used to fiz and smoke with haveing to have it on so much but it is a good road with anything els but a Team and the Corners are so sharp that you can hardly turn with a waggon but we got down all right and had our dinner at the bottom then we started and went up the town and camped in an open piece of ground. [219]
it is a funny old town for it is enclosed all around with big high Mountains you cannot see where there is any get out to it at all but they are very kind people in Araluen for there was a man came down and asked us to come up and spend the evening and so we did they were such nice jolly people just about the time we was going to camp the school children was coming out of school and Albert was playing on the road so I watched what he would do when they came up to him and so what should he do but lay flat down in the dirt that shy that he would not look at them.
it must have been nearly 12 oclock when we went to bed last night.
there was not a bit of grass so that we had to get the Bullocks some chaff as we could not get them any hay it was so strange last night for whenever you woke you could hear engine whistles blowing and the Machinery at work for they work the claims night and day and the Cocks was crowing all night it looked very much like rain to night I dont know whither it it going to rain but I hope so for things look very bad over this way.
12th Day started this Morning all sign of the rain gone came through the whole length of Araluen which is about 3 mile long and has only the one street running through it and most of the Houses look as if they have - seen better days which I suppose that they have for we was told last night that it had at one time thirty-six Public houses where it has only 4 now.
came along till we came to the cutting which is all the [way] from Araluen to Maruya and if I thought that the Mountain was bad yesterday this was.
ever so much worse for in every two or three hundred yards there would be [a] turn as sharp as your elbo and as it was nearly all up hill pulling we had to have all the Bullocks on and it was such a job to get them round turns it will let you know how close we was over to day when the two off Wheels run off and was nearly down the cutting you are all the time working round a Mountain between the Top of it and the River and in most places you cannot see the Top of the Mountain and looking down you see the Bottom of the River such a long way down as we was going along we saw a lot of men diggin they had six or seven Horses and carts and they would load the carts and start the Horses off and they would go to where they had to be unloaded where they was washing the dirt [then they would] start them back again and they would come and go without the driver it looked so curious to see them marching up and down by themselves we came about nine miles to day and we are camped to night close beside the River that we have been following all day. [220]
I do wish that we was at our journys end for I am getting tired especially of this nasty cutting but it is all the way to Moruya like what we passed to day there are such a lot of houses all along the Bank of the River we see them as we pass along and all of them with fruit gardens most of the Trees are peach and they look to have a lot of fruit on them and so green and healthy the trees there are some such nice trees all out in flower.
there is a scrubby kind of tree all out in White Blossom you would think from the distance that it was Elderberry and then there is another tree it is something like our hickory trees it is all in beautifull bloom and then the sides of the Mountain are all covered with ferns I would like going along if we had not got the Waggon to take for I am so frightened that we will meet with an accident before we get there as they are such contrary bullocks to drive.
13th Day Started from Camp this Morning just as we was starting by came a Man driving pigs we had no grass for the Bullocks but they done very well on cakes and such a road for it is all a cutting and such sharp turns you never seen I was frightened to drive the cart in some places we got on very well though had dinner started came through some nice grass land saw a lot of young calves and cows started on the cutting again came to a very sharp turn in - the road when over she went right over.
and over and if it had not been for a tree it would have went down to the river and took the Bullocks with it but it went right over pulled the off side polar right down on his knees, we had a job to take him out but we got them out and none of them was hurt in the least which was a good job for there was enough damage done but it could have been a great deal worse. [221]
the things that are hurt the most are the chairs they are destroyed altogether and the poor old Preambulater I am more sorry for it than all the rest the table got all the legs broke off but one but I think that we can get it mended they are broke off right up at the Top the Washstand it got the sidepieces broke off and the Toilet table 2 of the legs off but it only wants a bit of glue The Cheffinere was right on top and it escaped with very little dammage The Tubs Buckets Pot-oven Saucepans all escaped all but Babys and it got broke my Saddle never got a Scratch, The big case was broke to pieces and my old Blue box, the grubbox Babys chair is the only one that is any way whole at all the cradle was broke too The Waggon has only the front crosspeice broke so that on the whole we escaped pretty lucky but it would have been better if it had not have happened at all I dont know how the crockery case got on for I did not inspect it to see but I think that it is pretty right.
it was a great job to get the waggon up again but they got another Team of Bullocks and Pulled it up with the two Teams but we did not get any loaded that night for it took us all our time to get the things up on the road and in the Morning we had four men come to help us to load so that we was not long before we had it loaded again - and ready for a start.
I was so frightened for I thought that Tom was under the Waggon we was just coming along a very steep cutting where this sharp turn was I was a little bit behind waiting for him to get round this turn I heard him shouting to the Bullocks to stop but they would not he then run round on the off side but it was no use for the leader run right to the edge of the presipeice and they pulled the two Pole Bullocks and the waggon over it would have been a dreadful smash if the Tree had not been there we was busy till dark and just about dark the Mail coach came along and a gentleman got out and came and spoke to me so nice and kind and after he was gone I was told that it was Judge Mcfarland on his road to Moruya we went to bed but not to sleep much I never undressed myself or Albert.
14th Day got up and it was a disheartening sight for all along the side of the road all the things was strewed about and we was to the Tops of our boots in dust only just the road and so much traffic on it but we set to work and soon packed it up again one of the Men that was helping us was the Maintainance man so he asked me to come down to his place so that when we was packed up we started and came on to his place had dinner camped there all the rest of the day I done some washing the People was real nice people they were young married people with one child poor little Albert when he saw his carriage broke he did cry bitter poor little fellow I did hate to see him for he thought so much of it - we are in the tick country now but I have not seen any as yet. [222]
15th Day came 9 Mile 1/2 to day through some very ugly places quiet as bad as where we met with the Accident but we got on nicely to day though the Bullocks was very contrary sometimes, saw trees to day such a height that you would not think trees could grow as high Saw the first iron Bark that I ever saw to day and such beautifull Ferns and what they call the Burranang it is so pretty and I saw Orange trees growing where we are camped to night is a Chinamans place there are dreadfull Bush fires in the Mountains about us and has been this last week we have been following a River since last Tuesday they call it the Dooey River I never heard the name before.
it has eels in it we was going to try and catch some to night but it is raining the Way they catch them about here is to take a light and paddle up the river with your Boots off and have a pitchfork and spear them with it they say that they will come round the light this is a great place for Bears you can hear them shouting in all directions of a night and there are lots of snakes for you can see their tracks across the roads making for the River they say that there are deaf Adders too I dont want to see any of them gentlemen you can think that the trees are a good size when -it takes 3 Men to fall one Tree down.
16th Day started looked very much like rain came about a mile and a -half when we came to the foot of the Moruya Mountain got up all right It was a long pull up to the Top there was one very bad turn I had to go and be off side driver round it but we got round it right when we came to the top we took all the Bullocks off but four to come down if it had have been a nice clear day we would have seen the sea and the town of Moruya but it was raining and foggie so that we could not see any distance. - you never seen anything so beautifull as the sides of the Mountain is as you are coming nothing but one Thick Mass of Green Trees and Vines there was a dead sapling and all up that the vines was just like ivy so pretty you cannot see the bottom for green shrubs all out in flower some with flowers and some- with fruit I got some wild rasberries yesterday. [223] [224] 
such big ones but I dont like the taste of them a bit They just grow like the Rasberries in the Gardens only they are ever so much bigger you never seen such long trees in all your life as there is in that Mountain we had our dinner at the bottom and I saw a Tree Fern it had leaves about foot long and about 2 foot wide it was so pretty.
we came about 2 mile and then camped for the night it has been raining off and on all day after we camped we went a walk up in the bush and Tom shot such a pretty parrot it had a purple head, green and yellow back purple and yellow breast and nice long tail when we got back it was raining a little we could hear the sea like anything it was roaring so loud although we was 7 or 8 miles from it.
17th Day Sunday got up was raining Tom put up the Tarpauline like a verandah and we had a very good place but Albert would keep running out in the wet had our dinner it deared up a bit we went for a walk but it started to rain and we had to come home again and my word it did rain all night as hard as it could come down it came through our tent and we had to get up and put a blanket up that stopped it from coming through it want greasing.
18th Day Beautifull Morning it looks to fine to last Tom went to some of the Sawmills to see if he could get a job without going all the way down to Wagonya as some of the Bullocks feet were very tender I went to the Top of a hill with him I could see Moruya but not very plain so that I cant tell you yet what I think of it we went a Mile and Albert walked all the way back his father carried him up on the Mare.
got back put out the Bed Clothes to dry put Albert to sleep when up comes a Thunderstorm so I had to bustle about and cover things and I did not know what to do for I thought that it might be a very heavy Storm.
there was people living quiet close to where we was camped so I plucked up courage and went to their place and they made me very welcome so I had some dinner there and stayed awhile and came to the waggon again when another storm came on but I stopped this time I did not like to go again to be so silly and before it was all over Tom came back and he has got a place at Lynchs at Mago so that we will soon be there now and if we had to go to Wagonya it would take us all the Week it is not very far from Moruya so that it is not such an out of the way place it is a Weatherboard house that I have to live in some one is living in it now but they are leaving in a day or two. [225]
we have lost the Bullocks to night so that while I am writing this Tom is after them Albert is in bed I have put 3 pairs of dry socks on him today so at last I took his boots and socks off and then after running about playing a while where should I find him but laying down in a stream of Water with all his cloths on the young Scamp so that I had to put all dry clothes on him there will soon be good grass here now after all this nice rain.
Butter is a shilling a pound here Oranges are 6 pence dozen this is a great place for peaches every house you see here has a lot of peach Trees and loaded with fruit and all looking so green and healthy you will see them growing along side of the road where someone has dropped a stone I suppose.
19th Day Got up looked like rain but we thought that it was going to be fine so we packed up and yoked up and just as we had everything ready for starting down came the rain again so we waited a bit to see if it cleared up but it did not look like clearing up a bit so we let the Bullocks and Horses go and as we was out of Provisions we put the Mare in the cart and went to Moruya.
I thought that Moruya was a nice big town but it isnt it is not as nice as Queanbeyan to my thinking but it was raining dreadfull hard perhaps it will look better on a nice fine day.
it is nice Country about the town for grass you will see little paddocks there white with clover blossoms and such nice orange trees I am tired of eating them and so is Albert after we got our things we came back it was raining all the time and rained all night the flats are running with Water and we cant get out of the cart for getting our feet wet I hope that it will soon be fine now for I am tired of so much wet
20th Day came about 6 miles camped in a wild scrubby place turned the Bullocks down in a swamp good feed a young chap come along and was yarning for about 1 hour or more
21st Day beautifull fine Morning I forgot to mention in my yesterdays travels that I saw the big sea but I would not have noticed it if Tom had not have told me that it was it it looked to me like a flat plain with distant mountains in the back and as I thought white houses but upon viewing it more closely I see that it was white foam on the rocks but I must go on with my to days travels for it is our last days for a while I suppose.
we had our breakfast and was takeing our time for Tom had seen the Bullocks and Horses quiet close and I was just saying that I could laugh at you fellows for I had had no Ticks on me I had not the words scarcely out of my mouth when I feels something on my leg gives it a scratch and my word it soon let me know what it was a tick so I took the scissors and cut him in to I never had anything to pain me so for a while I have taken a great lot out of old Spot I expect that he will soon be dead. [226]
now packed up went for the Bullocks could only find 6 where the others was we could not make out Tom looked everywhere I believe he was 2 hours or more looking for them when he went up to the others out of the scrub they came with their tails straight up in the air galloping like mad we had a job to get them yoked up and while he was looking for the Bullocks I fetched the Horses up Harnessed the Bay Mare the little filly always follows the others while they were waiting for the Bullocks to come away marches the filly up the road I thought that she would soon come back I did [not] bother for a while but after a while [when] she did not make her appearance I put Albert to bed I went up the road a piece but I could not go far and leave Babe so I put old Blossom in the cart and trots along to see if I could see her After I had gone a good way back I sees her walking along the road so I thought that she would stand when she seen the mare coming but the faster I went the faster went she I tied the Mare up and tried to get round her but she would best me so you may depend that I was pretty wild with her then and mad enough to do anything so I takes the mare out of the cart I had brought a bridle to lead her back so I jumps on the Bay Mare and gave her a chase for it and I soon got a head of her and caught her and fetched her back.
Baby had never stirred and was fast asleep so I harnessed up and went back to the camp again and just as I got there Tom got the Bullocks and if I had not have done that he would have had to go to Moruya for her so we got started at last and came on when we stopped for dinner and we had just got out to have it when we saw a man coming to us and it proved to be Willie Lynch he was out with his team for a log so he would not hear of us stopping for dinner there we must come on to the house to get it so we came on till we got there and went and had our dinner they seemed like very nice homly people there is the old laidy and Willies Wife and a young girl and I think that there is another girl but she is not at home just now so we began unpacking our things and putting them straight but they are very much knocked about so that we did not get much done to night. [227]
22nd Day Got up nice fine morning Tom started on the chimney I wish it had a fireplace for it is so miserable cooking outside Mrs Lynch fetched me down a basin of milk for Baby he is so fond of a drop of milk in his food poor old Spot is bad now with the ticks I expect that he will soon die they are dreadfull things they have been known to kill Horses My travels are done now I dont think that I have anything els to tell.
you must excuse this writing, for sometime I had not much light and no table and after the Accident I had not even the grubbox to write on for it got all smashed up I dont expect that you will be able to make it all out but I will send it for I promised to.
I intended to have sent this last time we went to the Post but it was not quiet ready but I will send it to night for I am going to the Post this Evening I was there last Wednesday they call it a town but it is not much of a town there are two Sawmills and some stores but I dont know how many there are three churches but I have not found out yet how often there are preaching I expect that there will be some Post for me for it is five Weeks since I left and I have never heard a Word We had one paper sent here so I expect that they will all come now I am going to try tonight to get some fowels it is a job to get any.
here I could get some from Mrs Lynch but they would not stop if I did we are nearly eat alive with Misquietoes and fleas and there are Native dogs Mrs Lynch had a hen sitting at the back of our place and they took her last Saturday night we heard him howling but I did not think that it was a native it is a terrible scrubby place not a bit like what I thought the Coast was like.
Albert is getting so fat and big you wont know him when you see him again Tom is starting to draw this Morning with his team the Bullocks has picked up very well.
we was at the Ball the other night in Town and it was a grand affair I left Albert at home with Mrs W. Lynch we did not want to go but the two girls was going to drive and they wanted our mare so we thought that we would go I went with them in a Buggie and Tom came with the men.
I enjoyed myself very well considering [I] know no one but I am used to that now that I make myself at home with strangers there was a great lot of people there it seemed so strange to look round and see no face that you know amongst such a croud.
<\4-024><\g=f><\o=u><\age=un><\status=3><\abode=un><\p=nsw><\r=prw><\tt=di>