With a full heart for my guide.
Browning.
The moon has waxed and waned1, yet one may not, in 1883, recall with the poet
The lonesome October
Of a most immemorial year,
inasmuch as that month in these Southern wilds is for the most part a gleesome, companionable time, rich in flower-birth and fruit-promise. None the less, if the windows of heaven be not the sooner opened, the present year of our Lord will be aught but immemorial in the chronicles of the land.
Surely the blessed dews of heaven, the rain for which in these arid2 wastes all Nature cries aloud, will not long be denied. How clearly can we realise the force of the strong Saxon of the Vulgate, 'And the famine was sore in the land.'
Here now exists the same hopeless, long-protracted absence of all moisture which drove the Patriarch to 'travel' with his flocks and herds3, viz. camels and she-asses, his sons and their families, from dried-out Canaan to the rich 'frontage' of the Nile. Here, as then, in that far historic dawn, is dust where grass grew and water ran. Strange birds crowd the scanty5 pools, while among the great hordes6 of live stock, reared in plenteous seasons, the strong are lean and sad-eyed, the weak are perishing daily with increasing rapidity.
The hand of man, which has done so much to reclaim7 these wondrous8 wastes, is powerless against Nature's cruel fiat9. None can do more than wait and pray; for the end must come, when the days shorten and the nights grow cold, even in this 462summer land; and utter, unredeemed ruin is the goal towards which many of the proprietors11 have perforce turned their eyes these many weary months past.
The fair but fleeting12 promise of the bygone month has been unredeemed. Only a few days of the threatening sun have sufficed to wither13 the tender herbage, the springing plantlets which essayed to cover the baked soil. The broad road seems that veritable way to Avernus, so bare, sun-scorched, adust is it, for hundreds of leagues. Far away one may note its swaying deflections, and hold a parallel course, guided solely14 by the well-nigh continuous dust-line of the waggon-trains.
Yet, maugre the terrors of the time, certain feathered inhabitants have their provision secured to them. How else trip and flit from myall twig15 to pine bough16, bright-eyed and fearless, this pair of delicious tiny doves? The most exquisitely17 formed and delicately lovely of all the Columba family, they are, perhaps, the smallest—not larger than the brown bush-quail. Not half the size of the crested18 pigeon, there is a family resemblance in the fairy pink legs, the pointed19 tail, the bronze bars of the wing-feathers, the tones of the soft, azure20 breast. By no means a shy bird, as if conscious that few fowlers could be cruel to the hurt of so delicate a thing of beauty, so rare a feathered gem21, in these stern solitudes22.
Not that all the tribes of the air can be described as beautiful and harmless. Riding slowly through a belt of timber, musing23, it may be, on the undeserved sorrows of the lower animals, I am suddenly and violently assaulted—'bonneted,' as the humorous youth of the period has it. I clutch my hat just in time to save it from being knocked off. There are two round holes near the brim, which I had not previously24 observed, and a cock magpie25 is flying back to his station on a tree hard by, much satisfied in his mind. It is a well-known habit of this bold, aggressive bird in the breeding season. He keeps watch, apparently26, the livelong day, hard by the nest, and, pledged to drive away intruders, is no respecter of persons. Long years since, the present writer was similarly attacked; when essaying to lift his hat some hours afterwards, and finding resistance, he discovered that the bird's beak27 had penetrated28 the felt and inflicted29 a smart cut. Blood had actually been shed, and, having dried, caused adhesion. The 463'piping crow,' as ornithologically30 the magpie of the colonies is designated, is not truly a magpie at all. He is carnivorous and insectivorous. Withal a handsome bird, with glossy31 raven32 breast and back, and most melodious33, flute-like carol, at earliest morn and eve. He is easily tamed, and in captivity34 learns to talk, to whistle, and even to swear with clearness and accuracy—more particularly the last accomplishment35. As a member of the household, he exhibits great powers of adaptation, has the strongest conviction as to his rank and position, despises children, whose undefended legs he pecks, and will engage in desperate combat with dog or cat, turkey or gamecock. An Australian naturalist36 of eminence37 gives his testimony38 to the courage with which a tame bird of the species relieved the tedium39 of a homeward-bound voyage by its constant duels40 with such gamecocks as the coops produced.
Feeding in the open plain, and in a leisurely41 way inspecting the sparse42 vegetation with an eye to grasshoppers43, strolls a bustard with his mate. This noble game-bird, the wild turkey of the colonists44, is fully45 equal, perhaps superior, in flavour to his tame congener. Longer in neck and limb, crane-like of head, the plumage presents several points of resemblance which justifies46 his title to the name. He has also the trick of strutting47 with drooped48 wings and outspread tail before the female. Shy and difficult of approach by the sportsman on foot, he is easily circumvented49 by riding or driving around in circles, gradually narrowing, when an easy shot is gained.
A reminiscence arises here of the regal sport of hawking50 enjoyed in connection with a bird of this species. Hard hit with double B, he found it difficult to rise above the tall grass of the marshy53 plain where he had been stalked, though gradually gaining strength. As he cleared the reed-tops, a wedge-tailed eagle (the eagle-hawk51 of the colonists) swooped54 down from airy heights and dashed at the huge bird like a merlin at a thrush. Very nearly did the 'lammergeier' make prize of him, but the long sweep of the bustard's wing kept him ahead. Presently he got 'way on,' assisted by a slight breeze. Down the wind went hawk and quarry55, neck and neck, so to speak, while the sportsman put his horse to speed, going straight across country, with head up and eyes fixed56 on the pair, as they gradually rose higher in the sky. Ever and anon the eagle would make a dash at the wounded bird, but 464whether the temporary shock had only staggered him, or that it was nature's last effort, the edible57 one soared away far and fast, eventually disappearing from our gaze.
While on the subject of hawking, there is little doubt that the 'aguila' referred to might be trained to fly at the larger game—turkeys, geese, kangaroo, and emu—while the smaller falcons58, which are sufficiently59 plentiful60, might be equally effective in pursuit of the traditional heron. The beautiful blue crane of the colonists (Ardea Australis) is found in every streamlet and marsh52, as also the spoonbill, the white crane (snowy of hue61, and with curious fringing wing-feathers), not forgetting the bittern.
Young Australia, gentle or simple, might find worse employment than riding forth62 in the fresh morn of the early summer, with hawk on wrist, inhaling63 even this faintest flavour of the romance of the great days of chivalry64.
On the broad, still reaches of the river, or the wide sheets of water artificially conserved65, behold66 we the pelican67, in no wise differing in appearance from the traditional dweller68 in the wilderness69. Whether the Australian is unselfishly prodigal70 in the matter of heart's blood in favour of her young is difficult of proof, forasmuch as no living man, apparently, ever sets eyes on a youthful pelican. In the untrodden deserts which surround the heart of the continent is popularly deemed to lie the haunt of the brooding bird; and an Australian poetess has mourned the fate of the gallant71 brothers—bold and practised explorers—last seen on their way to the unknown, half-mystic region, 'where the pelican builds her nest.'
As the hot breath of the fast-coming summer proves yet more deadly to every green thing, the pelican flocks sail coastward in great numbers from their failing streams and marshes72. With them comes the beautiful black swan—'rara avis in terra,' but here an everyday sight—graceful, with scarlet73 beak, wreathed neck, and 'pure cold webs'; the wild, musical note clanging from the soaring, swaying files cleaving74 the empyrean. Rarely-seen waders and swimmers are of the contingent75 if the 'weather holds dry'—a wayworn, far-travelled host, priceless to the naturalist could he but observe them.
Let but the stern drought continue unbroken, all-heedless of man and his great army of dependants76, through the brief 465spring, the long summer—till the days shorten and (even here) the nights grow cold—unprecedented losses must occur in certain localities. Still, hope is not dead. The dry zone is restricted in area. Outside and around it, what the shepherds term 'fine storms' have refreshed the pastures. Even yet there is corn in Egypt.[4] There is grass and to spare beyond the Queensland border. Thither77 will many a sorely-oppressed proprietor10 send a section of flock or herd4, availing himself of the time-honoured institution of 'travelling for feed.' Such, neither more nor less, was the last resort of those grand historic sheiks of the desert, even Abraham and Lot, when 'the land was not able to bear them'; and to such an alternative must the latter-day, salt-bush sheik turn in his need, or see his live stock perish before his eyes, in thousands and ten thousands.
4. There is no corn in Egypt now (as far as Queensland is referred to) it must be admitted with deep regret. The famine in the land has reached the biblical record of 'seven years of drouth.'
He will improvise78 a nomadic79 establishment with dray and tent, shepherds and cooks, stock-riders and bullock-drivers, horses and cattle, everything save camels, needed in a patriarchal migration80. Even these last ungainly thirst-defiers are now bred in Australia. Hard by the tropic he will pass into a land of grass prairies and flooded streams—the promised land of the desert-worn hosts. He will here find himself—'most ingenious paradox'—in a region where live stock are high-priced, but where 'country' is cheap. He will rent, perhaps purchase another run. The drought which drove him forth may so and in such manner make his fortune yet. Let us hope so, in all sympathy and good fellowship. There he will reach his haven81 of rest. He may sell out again, or decide to cast in his fortunes with the newer colony, but in any case he will remain there until, as far as King Sol is concerned, 'this tyranny be over-past.'
点击收听单词发音
1 waned | |
v.衰落( wane的过去式和过去分词 );(月)亏;变小;变暗淡 | |
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2 arid | |
adj.干旱的;(土地)贫瘠的 | |
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3 herds | |
兽群( herd的名词复数 ); 牧群; 人群; 群众 | |
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4 herd | |
n.兽群,牧群;vt.使集中,把…赶在一起 | |
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5 scanty | |
adj.缺乏的,仅有的,节省的,狭小的,不够的 | |
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6 hordes | |
n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 );部落 | |
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7 reclaim | |
v.要求归还,收回;开垦 | |
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8 wondrous | |
adj.令人惊奇的,奇妙的;adv.惊人地;异乎寻常地;令人惊叹地 | |
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9 fiat | |
n.命令,法令,批准;vt.批准,颁布 | |
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10 proprietor | |
n.所有人;业主;经营者 | |
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11 proprietors | |
n.所有人,业主( proprietor的名词复数 ) | |
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12 fleeting | |
adj.短暂的,飞逝的 | |
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13 wither | |
vt.使凋谢,使衰退,(用眼神气势等)使畏缩;vi.枯萎,衰退,消亡 | |
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14 solely | |
adv.仅仅,唯一地 | |
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15 twig | |
n.小树枝,嫩枝;v.理解 | |
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16 bough | |
n.大树枝,主枝 | |
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17 exquisitely | |
adv.精致地;强烈地;剧烈地;异常地 | |
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18 crested | |
adj.有顶饰的,有纹章的,有冠毛的v.到达山顶(或浪峰)( crest的过去式和过去分词 );到达洪峰,达到顶点 | |
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19 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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20 azure | |
adj.天蓝色的,蔚蓝色的 | |
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21 gem | |
n.宝石,珠宝;受爱戴的人 [同]jewel | |
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22 solitudes | |
n.独居( solitude的名词复数 );孤独;荒僻的地方;人迹罕至的地方 | |
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23 musing | |
n. 沉思,冥想 adj. 沉思的, 冥想的 动词muse的现在分词形式 | |
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24 previously | |
adv.以前,先前(地) | |
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25 magpie | |
n.喜欢收藏物品的人,喜鹊,饶舌者 | |
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26 apparently | |
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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27 beak | |
n.鸟嘴,茶壶嘴,钩形鼻 | |
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28 penetrated | |
adj. 击穿的,鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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29 inflicted | |
把…强加给,使承受,遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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30 ornithologically | |
adj.鸟类学的 | |
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31 glossy | |
adj.平滑的;有光泽的 | |
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32 raven | |
n.渡鸟,乌鸦;adj.乌亮的 | |
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33 melodious | |
adj.旋律美妙的,调子优美的,音乐性的 | |
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34 captivity | |
n.囚禁;被俘;束缚 | |
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35 accomplishment | |
n.完成,成就,(pl.)造诣,技能 | |
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36 naturalist | |
n.博物学家(尤指直接观察动植物者) | |
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37 eminence | |
n.卓越,显赫;高地,高处;名家 | |
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38 testimony | |
n.证词;见证,证明 | |
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39 tedium | |
n.单调;烦闷 | |
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40 duels | |
n.两男子的决斗( duel的名词复数 );竞争,斗争 | |
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41 leisurely | |
adj.悠闲的;从容的,慢慢的 | |
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42 sparse | |
adj.稀疏的,稀稀落落的,薄的 | |
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43 grasshoppers | |
n.蚱蜢( grasshopper的名词复数 );蝗虫;蚂蚱;(孩子)矮小的 | |
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44 colonists | |
n.殖民地开拓者,移民,殖民地居民( colonist的名词复数 ) | |
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45 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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46 justifies | |
证明…有理( justify的第三人称单数 ); 为…辩护; 对…作出解释; 为…辩解(或辩护) | |
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47 strutting | |
加固,支撑物 | |
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48 drooped | |
弯曲或下垂,发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49 circumvented | |
v.设法克服或避免(某事物),回避( circumvent的过去式和过去分词 );绕过,绕行,绕道旅行 | |
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50 hawking | |
利用鹰行猎 | |
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51 hawk | |
n.鹰,骗子;鹰派成员 | |
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52 marsh | |
n.沼泽,湿地 | |
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53 marshy | |
adj.沼泽的 | |
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54 swooped | |
俯冲,猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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55 quarry | |
n.采石场;v.采石;费力地找 | |
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56 fixed | |
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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57 edible | |
n.食品,食物;adj.可食用的 | |
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58 falcons | |
n.猎鹰( falcon的名词复数 ) | |
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59 sufficiently | |
adv.足够地,充分地 | |
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60 plentiful | |
adj.富裕的,丰富的 | |
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61 hue | |
n.色度;色调;样子 | |
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62 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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63 inhaling | |
v.吸入( inhale的现在分词 ) | |
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64 chivalry | |
n.骑士气概,侠义;(男人)对女人彬彬有礼,献殷勤 | |
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65 conserved | |
v.保护,保藏,保存( conserve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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66 behold | |
v.看,注视,看到 | |
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67 pelican | |
n.鹈鹕,伽蓝鸟 | |
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68 dweller | |
n.居住者,住客 | |
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69 wilderness | |
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等,荒漠 | |
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70 prodigal | |
adj.浪费的,挥霍的,放荡的 | |
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71 gallant | |
adj.英勇的,豪侠的;(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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72 marshes | |
n.沼泽,湿地( marsh的名词复数 ) | |
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73 scarlet | |
n.深红色,绯红色,红衣;adj.绯红色的 | |
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74 cleaving | |
v.劈开,剁开,割开( cleave的现在分词 ) | |
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75 contingent | |
adj.视条件而定的;n.一组,代表团,分遣队 | |
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76 dependants | |
受赡养者,受扶养的家属( dependant的名词复数 ) | |
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77 thither | |
adv.向那里;adj.在那边的,对岸的 | |
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78 improvise | |
v.即兴创作;临时准备,临时凑成 | |
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79 nomadic | |
adj.流浪的;游牧的 | |
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80 migration | |
n.迁移,移居,(鸟类等的)迁徙 | |
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81 haven | |
n.安全的地方,避难所,庇护所 | |
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