NORMANTON is Normanton, and when you have said that you have said everything — it is like itself, and itself only. In some ways it is charming, and in others diabolical2; in justice, I am sorrowfully bound to admit that it most favours the latter. Situated3 on the Norman River, it is about fifty miles from the sea, and is built on low iron-stone ridges4, the site being all that could be desired for a town.
When one considers that only a few years ago it was a simple frontier settlement, possessing none of the advantages of civilisation5, while today it is a thriving place boasting a population of 1,251 souls, two weekly papers, a Supreme6 Court, a School of Art, a hospital, two or three banks, to say nothing of numerous churches and hotels, one is bound to admit that it deserves to succeed. The opening of the railway line to Croydon, however, was a bitter blow to it, for since then its glory has somewhat waned7. But we were constantly assured that it will soon pick up again.
As far as Customs revenues are concerned, Normanton stands fifth on the list of Queensland towns, having quite eclipsed its rival Burketown in the trade of the Gulf8 of Carpentaria. The inhabitants talk with confidence of its future, when it shall be connected with the Transcontinental railway, or by the line across the base of the Peninsula, with Cairns. That is one of the pleasing features of the Australian character — I mean the unanimity9 shown by every man in advancing the welfare of his own town. For every man naturally believes the particular place which he honours with his citizenship10 to be the best possible in the country, and the outcome of the jealousies11 thus engendered12 is the progress of the town itself. For this reason a Sydney man says to a Melbourneite, ‘Well, you have nothing like our harbour,’ to which the Melbourne man invariably replies, ‘Perhaps not, but have you anything to equal our tramcars? ’
Stepping out of the train, we proceeded at once to our hotel, a commendable13 two-storied caravanserai off Main Street. This Main Street we found to be a roomy thoroughfare, possessing many good buildings, but with plenty of space for more. At intervals14 apoplectic15 cabs waddled16 through the dust, Bushmen rode slowly by, a few stray buggies pulled up before the stores, but the traffic was by no means overwhelming. Some years ago the Divisional Board attempted to plant trees in Main Street, but the white ants destroyed every one of them. White ants are the curse of the district — they demolish17 everything, from Town Halls to consciences. I have seen whole buildings riddled18 by them till you could stick your finger through a two-inch plank19 without hurting yourself.
Our hotel was quite a palatial20 building, with elegant dining, billiard, and other apartments, clean wholesome21 bedrooms, and a neat smoking room. From the windows excellent views of the dried-up surrounding country could be obtained; while, looking across the river, an uninterrupted view of mangrove22 swamp greeted the eye. The house was always full, and, as usual, the inmates23 were exceedingly interesting people, being for the most part squatters, bankers, merchants, and commercial travellers — all keen-eyed, eager men of business, and every one a sound judge of horseflesh and whisky.
As soon as we were installed, we set about our preparations. Our idea of attempting to cross to Adelaide, on the other side of the Continent, soon got known, and every other man we met had some advice on the subject to offer. One thing we noticed, and that was the fact that no one seemed to have any good opinion of the verdict of anyone else. One man said, ‘Don’t attempt it, dear boys; if you’re not accustomed to the bush, you’ll never get through!’ Another, ‘Cross from here to Adelaide? Of course, anybody could do it; do it myself if I could spare the time!’ Somebody else, a little more careful than the last, said, ‘Look here, young men. buy steady old horses, give’em time, go slow, stick to the tracks as far as possible, don’t attempt any larks24, and you’ll get through all right.’ But among all there seemed to be no doubt that, owing to the drought, the country through which we would have to pass was in a direful state, and we should have to be prepared for a fairly hard struggle. We mentioned the word ‘horses.’ In a moment they were all unanimous; they all had horses for sale — horses up to any weight, every one of which could last longer on less food than any other, and horses that never strayed from camp and did not know what it was to knock up. They all brought proofs, or offered to produce men who could back up their assertions. What is more, they would have both witnesses and nags25 on hand where and whenever we might wish to see them.
Our importance became bewildering: whenever men glanced at us we knew it was on account of our desperate heroism26. We were going to cross the Continent, and we were going to buy horses. True, we discovered later, it was more to the latter fact than to the former that we owed our notoriety. Men desirous of purchasing live stock when everyone else wanted to sell were uncommon27, and deserved to be treated as such. Little we knew what lay before us on the morrow.
About 5.30 A.M. I was awakened28 from my slumbers30 by repeated rappings at my chamber31 door. On opening it I discovered the Boots with something on his mind. He was in a frenzy32 of excitement and beckoned33 me along the passage and down the stairs into the yard. I was pyjama-clad, and the morning breeze blew cold. When I got down I looked about me, but could see nothing extraordinary, until my eye caught the last remains34 of a horse, standing35 dolefully against the slip-rails; a small boy was keeping him from falling down, and the hotel groom36, as well he might, was gazing at both in speechless admiration37. I say — affirming it to be true — that that horse was just the dismallest wreck38 of an extinct creation I have ever seen outside the walls of a museum. At first sight I thought he was dead, but the boy assured me he was only sleeping. With a feeble attempt at sarcasm39 I said, ‘It must be his last sleep, then!’ The boy, with a fine idea of humour, remarked that he thought so too. Then I asked why I had been called out of bed at this unseemly hour. The Boots looked and looked, scratched his head, and whistled a long low note expressive40 of intense astonishment41. When he had recovered himself, he said slowly, ‘Damn my eyes, but you said you wanted to buy a horse and I reckoned I’d find you one if I busted42 for it. I’ve been up these three hours getting that brute43!’ ‘My son,’ said I, ‘if you’re not careful, your reckless thoughtfulness for others will be the ruin of you. When I want you to assist me in the search for genuine antiques, I’ll acquaint you of the fact. In the meantime, go slow and keep your head cool!’ So saying, I returned to my chamber, but not before I had overheard that Boots remark to himself, ‘Doesn’t want to buy that ‘orse; casts ‘is heye over’im an’ then don’t want to ‘ave’im for his own. Well, I’ll be —’ The rest was inaudible.
My bed was very warm and comfortable, but I had not enjoyed it more than five minutes before a pebble44 struck my window. Leaping up and looking out I found a small crowd collected round the sorriest specimen45 of the equine race, if you except the one just described, I had ever beheld46. This time it was a tall, thin, red-haired man who was in attendance.
‘Good morning,’ he began, on seeing me. ‘You’ll excuse me, but you’re just the man I want. Now, I’ve got here the very identical horse to suit you. If you’ll tell me where to put him I’ll be round for your cheque after breakfast. No hurry!’
I said I agreed with him, there was no hurry, and, while thanking him for his consideration in calling so early, informed him that I would not take his horse even if he paid me to. I told him I could see that it would cost a king’s ransom47 to fatten48 him within five miles of even looking at a saddle. Returning to my bed I was soon fast asleep.
How long I was permitted to slumber29 I cannot tell. But suddenly I was brought wide awake by feeling my shoulder shaken. A man was leaning over me. I clutched him by the throat, crying, ‘What do you want here?’ His reply was almost inarticulate, but I caught the words, ‘Dark bay — black points — hands — bargain!’
Remonstrating49 with him gently, I threw him downstairs, only to discover a small black boy crawling up the waterspout outside my window. Asking his business, he informed me that there were ‘Two budgeree bosses longa yard!’ Not knowing what a ‘budgeree boss’ might be, I donned a pair of trousers and went below to find out.
Now, I’m a sober-minded man I hope, and not given to undue50 exaggeration, but I assure you that that yard was just full of all the worst, oldest, most shame-faced, condemned51 relics52 of horses — barring the others previously53 mentioned — that ever had the audacity54 to look at a halter. As I appeared, the crowd set up a cheer, and a big man with a goatee beard approached me. He had an insinuating55 way with him, and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid. I’ve heard of you and I’ll see you through. Why, the bargain’s as good as made!’
I asked, ‘What bargain?’ He whistled gently and said, ‘Oh! suffering Daniel! What bargain? Why, them bosses you’re wanting just now. ‘I’ve got —’
‘Stranger,’ said I, impressively, ‘I don’t know your name and I don’t want to, but that cast in your left optic tells me you’re reclaimable56. Think of your weeping mother and aged57 maiden58 aunt. Don’t do it. Virtue59 is its own reward. Take a stranger’s advice and cart those long-suffering, prehistoric60 animals back to their bone mill before their absence is discovered. I couldn’t purchase one of them at any price. Really, I couldn’t!’
Before he could frame a suitable reply I had left him. But there was to be no peace for me; they were on the landings, down the passages, at the windows, in the dining-room, and on the verandah. Everyone had a horse to sell, and it’s my belief if they hadn’t been prevented, they’d even have brought them up stairs to my bedroom on approval. Outside, the road was like a saddling paddock; the air resounded61 with such cries as ‘sound as a bell,’ ‘good legs,’ ‘deep chest,’ ‘first-rate camp horse,’ ‘go like the wind,’ &c. All of which eulogiums, I may say, were equally unjust to the reputations of the poor patient animals themselves, whose only ambition seemed to be to die and be at rest, in another and a better world, where horse-copers are unknown.
Now, the foregoing may be a little stretched: I don’t deny it, but I assure you the worry was very great. However, in the end we were rewarded by obtaining four good useful nags, whose appearances were the only tilings against them. Two (and they were’ the least valuable) were not so ill-looking, but the others, I must admit, were ugly. They were as thin as post-and-rail fences, in colour they were jet black where the mange hadn’t touched them, and as they had long since parted company with the hair of their tails, they now possessed62 disgraceful banana-like stumps63 in their places, which did not lend any lustre64 to their beauty. Moreover they had each lost an eye. Otherwise, as our friend ‘the only Smith’ would have said, ‘they were none so dusty.’ We nicknamed them Cyclops and Polyphemus, which names, as time advanced, were shortened to Sikey and Polly. But in spite of their appearances, they were first-rate horses, none better, and when we parted with them, nine months later, they had overcome a distance little short of 1,700 miles, and this under such disadvantages as but seldom fall to horses’ lots.
Having decided65 upon our horses, our equipments had next to be considered. We had brought our saddles, bridles66, and pack-saddles with us from Croydon, so we had no need to purchase more. One sound piece of advice we accepted, and that was, not to burden ourselves with too much baggage. Flour, tea, sugar, salt, baking powder, pepper, and Worcester sauce, were the only edibles67 carried, while a couple of repeating rifles, a fowling68 piece, ammunition69, two billy cans, two canvas water-bags, a quart pot, pannikins, tin plates, blankets, two large sheets of unbleached calico, hobbles and horse bells, with our own personal wardrobes, completed the outfit70. Here let me say that there is nothing like unbleached calico for camping out; one sheet of it is equal to three blankets. We can never be sufficiently71 thankful to the man who advised us to take it. On many a bitterly cold night, with an icy blast blowing across the great plains, we had occasion to bless his name.
As we returned to the hotel after making our final purchases, we discovered a small cur following at our heels. Judging from his expression, he was not proud of himself, and certainly he had good reason not to be. His breeding was — well, to say the least of it, mixed. Bulldog and English terrier, with a touch of the Dachshund, Spitz, Pomeranian, and Italian greyhound, would come nearest the mark. In colour he was a dirty fawn72, he was as thin as our horses, and some kind friend had, in days gone by, poured vitriol over him, for there was an exact map of Asia burnt out of his coat. Altogether, he was as poor and utterly73 miserable74 a cur as can be imagined, and when he begged, with an awful expression of entreaty75 in his poor little face, to be taken compassion76 on, we let him follow in our footsteps, and decided if no one claimed him, which seemed unlikely, to take him with us. It was fate, for of course nobody did claim him, and from that very hour we began to weary of him; he was too servile even for a dog. We nicknamed him, then and there, Mr. Pickwick, for no other reason than .that he was possessed of mildly sporting notions, as well as being of a contemplative and philosophical77 turn of mind.
Next morning, as soon as breakfast was over, we filled our packsaddles, paid our bill, and, with Mr. Pickwick at our heels, bade Normanton ‘farewell.’ It was a lovely morning. The horses were as fresh as it was possible for them to be, and we ‘were naturally a little elated at the thought of what was before us. Mr. Pickwick didn’t say much, because he hadn’t much to say, but once he barked, and afterwards looked as depressed78 as was possible under the circumstances. Normanton lay behind us; Adelaide was ahead: without doubt our journey ‘across the Continent’ had commenced.
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1
dealers
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| n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者 | |
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diabolical
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| adj.恶魔似的，凶暴的 | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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ridges
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| n.脊( ridge的名词复数 )；山脊；脊状突起；大气层的)高压脊 | |
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civilisation
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| n.文明，文化，开化，教化 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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waned
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| v.衰落( wane的过去式和过去分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡 | |
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gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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unanimity
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| n.全体一致，一致同意 | |
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citizenship
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| n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份) | |
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jealousies
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| n.妒忌( jealousy的名词复数 )；妒羡 | |
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engendered
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| v.产生（某形势或状况），造成，引起( engender的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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commendable
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| adj.值得称赞的 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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apoplectic
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| adj.中风的；愤怒的；n.中风患者 | |
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waddled
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| v.（像鸭子一样）摇摇摆摆地走( waddle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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demolish
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| v.拆毁(建筑物等)，推翻(计划、制度等) | |
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riddled
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| adj.布满的；充斥的；泛滥的v.解谜，出谜题(riddle的过去分词形式) | |
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plank
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| n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目 | |
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palatial
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| adj.宫殿般的，宏伟的 | |
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wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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mangrove
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| n.(植物)红树，红树林 | |
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inmates
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| n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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larks
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| n.百灵科鸟（尤指云雀）( lark的名词复数 )；一大早就起床；鸡鸣即起；（因太费力而不想干时说）算了v.百灵科鸟（尤指云雀）( lark的第三人称单数 )；一大早就起床；鸡鸣即起；（因太费力而不想干时说）算了 | |
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nags
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| n.不断地挑剔或批评（某人）( nag的名词复数 )；不断地烦扰或伤害（某人）；无休止地抱怨；不断指责v.不断地挑剔或批评（某人）( nag的第三人称单数 )；不断地烦扰或伤害（某人）；无休止地抱怨；不断指责 | |
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heroism
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| n.大无畏精神，英勇 | |
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uncommon
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| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
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awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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slumbers
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| 睡眠，安眠( slumber的名词复数 ) | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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sarcasm
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| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
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40
expressive
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| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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42
busted
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| adj. 破产了的，失败了的，被降级的，被逮捕的，被抓到的 动词bust的过去式和过去分词 | |
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43
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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pebble
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| n.卵石，小圆石 | |
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specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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46
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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47
ransom
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| n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救 | |
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fatten
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| v.使肥，变肥 | |
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49
remonstrating
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| v.抗议( remonstrate的现在分词 )；告诫 | |
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50
undue
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| adj.过分的；不适当的；未到期的 | |
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51
condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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52
relics
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| [pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸 | |
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53
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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54
audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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55
insinuating
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| adj.曲意巴结的，暗示的v.暗示( insinuate的现在分词 )；巧妙或迂回地潜入；（使）缓慢进入；慢慢伸入 | |
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56
reclaimable
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| adj.可收回的，可教化的 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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prehistoric
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| adj.（有记载的）历史以前的，史前的，古老的 | |
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resounded
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| v.（指声音等）回荡于某处( resound的过去式和过去分词 )；产生回响；（指某处）回荡着声音 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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63
stumps
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| （被砍下的树的）树桩( stump的名词复数 )； 残肢； （板球三柱门的）柱； 残余部分 | |
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lustre
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| n.光亮，光泽；荣誉 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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bridles
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| 约束( bridle的名词复数 )； 限动器； 马笼头； 系带 | |
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67
edibles
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| 可以吃的，可食用的( edible的名词复数 )； 食物 | |
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68
fowling
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| 捕鸟，打鸟 | |
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69
ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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70
outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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71
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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72
fawn
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| n.未满周岁的小鹿；v.巴结，奉承 | |
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73
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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74
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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75
entreaty
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| n.恳求，哀求 | |
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76
compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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77
philosophical
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| adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的 | |
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78
depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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