Nero and Violet were brother and sister. They were smooth-haired greyhounds—the ordinary kangaroo dog of the colonist—very fast; and from a distant cross of "bull" had inherited an utter fearlessness of disposition6, which was rather against them, as the sequel will show.
Violet was so fast that she could catch the brush kangaroo (the wallaby) within sight. We rarely had[Pg 24] occasion to search if they started close to our feet, and the largest and fiercest "old man" forester did not seem to be too heavy weight for her. When he stood at bay she would fly in at the throat, instead of looking out for a side chance. In consequence she was awfully7 cut up many times when a more cunning dog would have escaped scatheless9.
One afternoon Joe and I had taken a longer round than usual on foot, and were returning by the beach, when we heard Violet's bark a long way in front. We knew then that she had "stuck up" or brought to bay a large forester. If middle-sized she would have killed him; in that case running mute. So it was an "old man" large enough to stand and fight.
"We'd better get on, sir," said Joe; "the poor slut'll be cut to ribbons. She's a plucky10 little fool, and don't know how to save herself."
On we went, both running our best. We were in decent wind, but it was a couple of miles before we reached "hound and quarry11." Some time had elapsed, and the fight had been many times renewed. When we got up the grassy12 spot was trampled13 all around, and in more than one place were deep red stains. Both animals were dreadfully exhausted14. The great marsupial—the height of a tall man when he raised himself on his haunches—was covered with blood from the throat and breast, his haunches were deeply pierced by the dog's sharp fangs15, but his terrible claws had inflicted16 some frightful17 gashes18 adown Violet's chest and flanks. As she feebly circled round him, barking hoarsely19, she staggered with weakness; but her[Pg 25] eye was bright and keen—there was not a shade of surrender about her.
Joe rushed in at once and struck the old man full between the eyes with a heavy stick. He fell prone21, and lay like a log. Violet staggered to his throat, which she seized, but, having not another grain of strength, fell alongside of him, panting and sobbing22 until her whole frame shook convulsed. I never saw a dog suffer so much from over-exertion24. There was water near, and we carried her to it and bathed her head and neck. She had three terrible gashes, the blood from which we could not manage to stanch25. Joe was genuinely affected26. The tears came into his eyes as he looked on the suffering creature. "Poor little slut!" he said; "I'm doubtful it's her last hunt. Pity we hadn't took the horses, we should ha' bin23 up sooner, and saved that old savage27 from 'mercy-creeing' of her. Anyhow, I'll carry her home and see what the missis can do for her."
He did so. I walking sadly behind, the dumb brute28 looking up at him with grateful eyes, and from time to time licking his hand. She was nursed by Mrs. Burge like a child. We tried all our simple remedies, sewed up the gaping29 wounds, and even went to the length of a tonic30, suited to her condition. But it was of no use. The loss of blood and consequent exhaustion31 had been too great. Violet died that night, and for the next few days a gloom fell over our little household as at the death of a friend.
A curious spot, in some respects, was that which I had pitched on—full of interest and variety. The[Pg 26] river ran in front of our hut-door, losing itself in wide marshes32 that marked its entrance to the sea. It was a capital natural paddock, as at a distance of five or six miles the River Hopkins ran parallel to it towards the sea. Neither river was fordable, except at certain points, easily protected. Across the upper portion was a fence, running from river to river, and some ten miles from the sea, put up by the Messrs. Bolden, when this was one of their extensive series of runs, and, indeed, known as the bullock paddock.
Warrnambool, as I before stated, was as yet unborn. There was not an allotment marked or sold, a hut built, a sod turned. No sound in those days broke upon the ear but the ceaseless surge-music; no sight met the eye but the endless forest, the sand-hills, and the long, bright plain of the Pacific Ocean, calm for the most part, but lashed33 to madness in winter by furious south-easterly gales34. Its jetties and warehouses36, mayor and municipal council, villas37 and cottages, fields and gardens, were still in the future. Nought38 to be seen but the sand-dunes and surges; little to be heard save the sea-bird's cry. But at the old whaling station of Port Fairy the town of Belfast—so named by the late Mr. James Atkinson—had arisen, and its white limestone39 walls afforded a pleasing contrast to the surrounding forest. It lay between the mouth of the River Moyne and the sea. An open roadstead, suspiciously garnished40 with wrecks41, told a tale of the harbour which afforded a larger element of truth than invitation.
Chief among the pioneers were Messrs. John[Pg 27] Griffiths and Co., who had, for many years, maintained extensive whaling stations on the coast between Port Fairy and Portland.
Captain Campbell, then and long after widely known as Port Fairy Campbell, was their principal superintendent42 of fleets and fisheries, farms and stores. He, in the pre-land-sale days, like John Mostyn, "bare rule over all that land"; and, moreover, if legends are true, "on those who misliked him he laid strong hand." His sway was for many a league of sea and shore unquestioned, and no "leading case" will carry down his memory to budding barristers. He never, however, relinquished43 his faith in prompt personal redress44, and years afterwards, when harbour-master in Hobson's Bay, regretted to me that the etiquette45 of the civil service forbade him to convince a contumacious46 shipmaster by the simple whaling argument. Among his lieutenants47, John and Charles Mills held the highest traditional rank. The brothers, natives of Tasmania, were splendid men physically48, and as sailors no bolder or better hands ever trod plank49 or handled oar20.
Years afterwards I made one of a crowd assembled on the Port Fairy beach to watch a vessel50 encountering at her anchors the fury of a south-easterly gale35. A wild morning, I trow; the sky red-gloomy with storm-clouds; the fierce tempest beating down the crests51 of the leaping eager billows; the air full of a concentrated wrath52 which prevented all sounds save its own from being audible.
It was impossible that the barque could ride the gale out, and, in anticipation53, the skipper[Pg 28] had all his sails bent54 and merely made fast with spun-yarn.
The supreme55 moment came. After a hurricane-blast which transcended56 all former air-madness, we saw the vessel quit her position. A hundred voices shouted, "Her anchors are gone!" In an instant, as it seemed to us, every sail was unfurled, and she swung round, with her stem towards the white line of ravening57 breakers. We had before us the unusual spectacle of a ship with every stitch of canvas set going before the wind, and such a wind, dead on to a lee shore.
Proudly and swift she came gallantly58 on, while we watched, half-breathless, to see her strike. A sudden pause, a total arrest. The good ship struggled for a space, like a sentient59 creature in the toils60, then broached61 to, and the wild, triumphant62 waves broke over her from stem to stern.
But the situation had been foreseen. A dozen willing hands dragged out one of the whaleboats, and what sea ever ran which a whaleboat could not live in? She was safely, though with desperate exertion, launched, and we soon watched her rising and falling amid the tremendous rollers that came thundering in. At her stern was the tall form of Charley Mills standing63 unmoved with a 16-foot steer64 oar in his strong grasp, one of the grandest exhibitions of human strength, skill, and courage that eyes ever looked on.
The skipper had carried out his immediate65 purpose successfully. He had run his vessel in comparatively close, by charging the beach at the pace which he had put on; and in successive trips[Pg 29] of the whaleboat the crew were landed in safety. And though the barque's "ribs66 and trucks" added another unprepossessing feature to Port Fairy harbour, no greater loss occurred.
Captain John Mills, afterwards harbour-master of the port of Belfast, and long a master mariner67 in the trade between Belfast and Sydney, was the elder of these two brothers. In his way, also, a grand personage. Not quite so tall as his younger brother, he was fully8 six feet in height, powerfully built, and a very handsome man to boot. There was an expression of calm courage about his face and general bearing which always reminded one of a lion. He had had, doubtless, as a whaler and voyager to New Zealand and the islands, scores of hairbreadth escapes. After such a stormy life it must have been a wondrous68 change to settle down, as he did, quietly for the rest of his days in the little village as harbour-master. He is gone to his rest, I think, as well as the grand, stalwart boat-steerer. They will always live in men's minds, I doubt not, on the west coast of Victoria, among the heroes of the storied past. I remember once, indeed, at a great public dinner, when a popular squatter69, whose health had been drunk, declared with post-prandial fervour that he regarded all the inhabitants of old Port Fairy as his brothers. During a lull70 in the cheering, a humorous mercantile celebrity71 placed his hand on Charles Mills's shoulder, and cried aloud, "This is my brother Charley"—a practical application which brought down the house.
Ah! those were indeed the good old days.[Pg 30] How free and fresh was the ocean's breath as one looked westward72 over the limitless Pacific, where nothing broke the line of vision nearer than Lady Julia Percy Island! How green was the turf! How blue the sky! How strong and unquestioning was friendship! How divine was love "in that lost land, in that lost clime"—in the realm of poesy and the kingdom of youth!
Port Fairy certainly had the start in life, and Belfast was, as I have narrated73, a townlet before an acre of land was sold in Warrnambool. But it turned out that Warrnambool was situated74 in nearer vicinity to the wonderfully rich lands of Farnham and Purnim. The great wheat and potato yields began to affect shipments, and at this day I rather fancy nearly all the mercantile prosperity has taken lodgings75 with Warrnambool, while the broad, limestone-metalled streets of Belfast are less lively than they were wont76 to be a score of years agone.
To the Johnny Griffiths dynasty succeeded that of Mr. John Cox, the younger, of Clarendon, Tasmania, a worthy77 scion78 of a family which had furnished, perhaps, more pattern country gentlemen to Australia than any other. He had quitted Tasmania for the western portion of the new colony, which promised wider scope for energy and enterprise. His earlier investments were a trading station at Port Fairy, the purchase of such town allotments and buildings as seemed to him likely bargains, and the first occupation of the Mount Rouse station, long afterwards known as perhaps the choicest, richest run of a crack district.
Mr. Cox, however, relinquished his not wholly[Pg 31] congenial mercantile task to the late Mr. William Rutledge, of Farnham Park, whose commercial talent and business energy soon made quite another place of Belfast. Mr. Cox from that time forth79 devoted80 himself wholly to pastoral pursuits, and having been unhandsomely evicted81 from Mount Rouse, which the Governor, without much practical wisdom, wished to turn into an aboriginal82 reservation, he retired83 to Mount Napier, a run only second in extent and quality.
I may mention that some years after, the Government, finding that the aboriginal protectorate system merely served to localise gangs of lazy and mischievous84 savages85 without any sort of benefit to themselves or others, revoked86 the reserve. But instead of handing back the land to those from whom it had been taken unjustly, they had the meanness to let it by tender. This run of Mount Rouse brought a rental87 of ￡900 per annum, a price altogether unprecedented88 in the history of pastoral leases.
After I had been a dweller89 on the banks of the Merai for a few months, I resolved to move farther westward, where there was country to spare and a more favourable90 opportunity of getting an extensive run than in my present picturesque91 but restricted locality. I was grieved to lose my pretty and pleasant home just as I had begun to get attached to it, but I judged rightly that to the westward lay the more profitable pastures, and I adhered to my resolution.
A few days' muster92 saw us once more on the road. Our herd93 was increased and complicated by[Pg 32] the presence of many small calves94, of ages varying from a week to three months. These tender travellers would have much retarded95 our march under other circumstances. But we had not, as luck would have it, much more than fifty miles to move, and for that short distance we could afford to travel easily, and give time to the weaker ones. All our worldly goods were packed upon the dray, which, as before, sufficed to carry them.
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1
plentiful
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| adj.富裕的，丰富的 | |
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scotch
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| n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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daunted
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| 使（某人）气馁，威吓( daunt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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feat
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| n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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scatheless
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| adj.无损伤的，平安的 | |
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plucky
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| adj.勇敢的 | |
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quarry
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| n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找 | |
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grassy
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| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
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trampled
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| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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fangs
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| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
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inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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gashes
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| n.深长的切口（或伤口）( gash的名词复数 )v.划伤，割破( gash的第三人称单数 ) | |
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hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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oar
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| n.桨，橹，划手；v.划行 | |
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prone
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| adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的 | |
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sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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bin
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| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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stanch
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| v.止住（血等）；adj.坚固的；坚定的 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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tonic
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| n./adj.滋补品，补药，强身的，健体的 | |
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exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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marshes
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| n.沼泽，湿地( marsh的名词复数 ) | |
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lashed
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| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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gales
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| 龙猫 | |
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gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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warehouses
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| 仓库，货栈( warehouse的名词复数 ) | |
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villas
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| 别墅，公馆( villa的名词复数 )； （城郊）住宅 | |
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nought
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| n.／adj.无，零 | |
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limestone
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| n.石灰石 | |
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garnished
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| v.给（上餐桌的食物）加装饰( garnish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
wrecks
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| n.沉船( wreck的名词复数 )；（事故中）遭严重毁坏的汽车（或飞机等）；（身体或精神上）受到严重损伤的人；状况非常糟糕的车辆（或建筑物等）v.毁坏[毁灭]某物( wreck的第三人称单数 )；使（船舶）失事，使遇难，使下沉 | |
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42
superintendent
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| n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长 | |
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43
relinquished
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| 交出，让给( relinquish的过去式和过去分词 )； 放弃 | |
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redress
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| n.赔偿，救济，矫正；v.纠正，匡正，革除 | |
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45
etiquette
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| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
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46
contumacious
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| adj.拒不服从的，违抗的 | |
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47
lieutenants
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| n.陆军中尉( lieutenant的名词复数 )；副职官员；空军；仅低于…官阶的官员 | |
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48
physically
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| adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律 | |
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49
plank
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| n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目 | |
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50
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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51
crests
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| v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的第三人称单数 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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52
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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53
anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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54
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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55
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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56
transcended
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| 超出或超越（经验、信念、描写能力等）的范围( transcend的过去式和过去分词 )； 优于或胜过… | |
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57
ravening
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| a.贪婪而饥饿的 | |
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gallantly
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| adv. 漂亮地，勇敢地，献殷勤地 | |
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sentient
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| adj.有知觉的，知悉的；adv.有感觉能力地 | |
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toils
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| 网 | |
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61
broached
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| v.谈起( broach的过去式和过去分词 )；打开并开始用；用凿子扩大（或修光）；（在桶上）钻孔取液体 | |
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62
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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63
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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64
steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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65
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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66
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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67
mariner
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| n.水手号不载人航天探测器，海员，航海者 | |
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68
wondrous
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| 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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squatter
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| n.擅自占地者 | |
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70
lull
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| v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇 | |
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71
celebrity
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| n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望 | |
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72
westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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narrated
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| v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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74
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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scion
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| n.嫩芽，子孙 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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evicted
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| v.（依法从房屋里或土地上）驱逐，赶出( evict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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aboriginal
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| adj.（指动植物）土生的，原产地的，土著的 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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mischievous
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| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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revoked
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| adj.[法]取消的v.撤销，取消，废除( revoke的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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rental
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| n.租赁，出租，出租业 | |
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unprecedented
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| adj.无前例的，新奇的 | |
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dweller
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| n.居住者，住客 | |
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favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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muster
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| v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册 | |
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herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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calves
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| n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子，腓；腿肚子( calf的名词复数 )；牛犊；腓；小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 )；（冰川）崩解；生（小牛等），产（犊）；使（冰川）崩解 | |
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retarded
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| a.智力迟钝的，智力发育迟缓的 | |
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