RIVER KARUAH.
I had to ascend the Karuah river, flowing into the north-west corner of Port Stephens, for twelve miles, to a place called Boorral, the furthest point at which it is navigable, and where all goods are landed for the Company's stations up the country. Mr. Ebsworth the treasurer of the Company resides there in a charming cottage, almost covered with roses and honeysuckle, and commanding two picturesque reaches of the Karuah.
About two miles within the entrance, the river winds between high and steep banks, densely covered with creepers, acacias, and other vegetation of a tropical character, all quite matted together, and hanging in festoons, the ends of which are immersed in the water.
Mr. White, who had charge of the Company's stock, met me at Boorral, with horses, and we were not long in reaching Stroud, about seven miles higher up on the eastern bank of the river. It is the head-quarters of the Company, and has quite the appearance of a truly English village, each cottage having its neat little garden. I was very much pleased with the whole arrangement of the place, as I strolled through it in the evening, and was delighted to find the inhabitants of a remote part of Australia, retaining such vivid recollection of tastes so characteristic of Englishmen. Several experiments had been tried in clearing the land in the neighbourhood of Stroud, one of which was by what they call ringing the trees; that is to say, they cut off a large circular band of bark, which, destroying the trees, renders them easier to be felled. But the danger of this practice was, that in stormy weather they were blown down, thereby endangering the lives of persons or stock passing. In the thickets near Stroud, great numbers of the Lyre Bird are found. They receive their names from the shape of their tails, which one could hardly suppose so small a bird, having no other beauty, could possess.
TRIP UP THE COUNTRY.
At Mr. White's hospitable cottage, I met two gentlemen on their way to the Hunter river, and as fortunately the route I proposed taking, lay in that direction, we started together early the next morning. Crossing the Karuah, our road for some distance lay over a rugged country, along a winding path between very steep hills. Six miles West-South-West from Stroud, we passed through a range trending North-West from two to three thousand feet high, the debris from which enrich the flats of the Karuah on its eastern, and the Williams river on its western side. Our guide amused me by pointing to some of the steep parts of the range which he had galloped down, while hunting wild cattle, the most useful and exciting sport known in Australia--useful, inasmuch as it prevents the wild cattle from coming down to the plains and enticing away the tame herds; and exciting, from the rough nature of the country, in which the sport is pursued.
WILD CATTLE.
The wild cattle invariably keep on high ranges, and from their acuteness of smell, are difficult to get at, and it is only to leeward that one can approach them. The bulls being the leaders of the herds are always singled out, and after a desperate and trying gallop over a rugged country, the huntsman finds himself going stride for stride alongside one of these Kings of the Forest, and wondering how an animal so ungainly in his gait, can get over the country at such a pace. Jumping over fallen trees, and dodging round others, he at last finds himself on a clear spot, when drawing a pistol from his holster, and riding up so as almost to touch the animal's side, he lodges a well directed ball just behind the fore shoulder. This is the most critical moment. Great command of your horse is required, for the bull, if not mortally wounded, turns suddenly half mad with rage on his pursuer, and puts his nerves and judgment to a severe test.
On these occasions almost incredible feats of horsemanship are performed; and nearly precipitous slopes are descended. I have seen similar exploits nowhere but in Chile, where horses are ridden down the sides of frightful ravines on their haunches at half speed for bets; but in that country the severity of the bit gives the rider a power over his steed unknown elsewhere.
INCIVILITY OF A SETTLER.