The Gold Hunter's Adventures Or, Life In Australia Volume 2 ( Of 2 ) by William H. Thomes (books to read in your 30s TXT) π
Friends To Give Them A History Of My Adventures In That Land Of Gold,
Where Kangaroos Are Supposed To Be As Plenty As Natives, And Jump Ten
Times As Far, And Where Natives Are Imagined To Be Continually Lying In
Ambush For The Purpose Of Making A Hearty Meal Upon The Bodies Of Those
Unfortunate Travellers Who Venture Far Into The Interior Of The
Country--Where Bushrangers Are Continually Hanging About Camp Fires,
Ready To Cut The Weasands Of Those Who Close Their Eyes For A
Moment--And Lastly, Where Every Other Man That You Meet Is Expected To
Be A Convict, Transported From The Mother Country For Such Petty Crimes
As Forgery, House-Breaking, And Manslaughter In The Second Degree.
Read free book Β«The Gold Hunter's Adventures Or, Life In Australia Volume 2 ( Of 2 ) by William H. Thomes (books to read in your 30s TXT) πΒ» - read online or download for free at americanlibrarybooks.com
- Author: William H. Thomes
Read book online Β«The Gold Hunter's Adventures Or, Life In Australia Volume 2 ( Of 2 ) by William H. Thomes (books to read in your 30s TXT) πΒ». Author - William H. Thomes
Then Go To Bed? I Am Ready To Hear A Few Words On Both Sides Of The
Question, But No Long Arguments."
Our Host Meant Work; I Could See That By His Flashing Gray Eyes.
"Can't We Drink The Punch After We Return?" Asked Mr. Brown.
"Ay, And As Much More As You Wish," Promptly Responded Our Host, Rising
From The Table, An Example That We Were Not Slow To Follow.
Jackson, Who Had Remained Waiting In The Room During The Interview, Now
Stepped Forward, As Though Aware That His Services Would Be Required By
His Master.
"Bring Me My Pistols, And Oil-Cloth Coat And Cap, And Be In A Hurry,"
Were The Only Commands That Mr. Wright Issued, And Jackson, Who Knew The
Man's Impulses, Did Not Delay An Instant In Executing The Order, And
With The Articles Named He Brought Coats And Water-Proof Hats For Us,
While To Our Surprise, He Placed Upon The Table The Revolvers Belonging
To Mr. Brown And Myself, Cleaned, Oiled, And Loaded.
"I Supposed That You Would Want Them In Good Condition When You Left The
Farm, So While You Were At Supper I Took The Liberty Of Attending To
Them," Jackson Said, In An Apologetic Tone, As Though Fearful That He
Had Exceeded Instructions.
"You Are Deserving Of A Pardon, And Hang Me If I Don't Get You One
Before Six Months Are Passed," Cried My Friend, Enthusiastically, After
A Slight Examination Of His Weapon, Which Showed Him That It Was Loaded
Correctly And Capped With Great Nicety.
The Poor Fellow Started With Surprise, And His Face Flushed With
Agitation. I Saw Him Turn Away, As Though Ashamed To Display His
Weakness.
"There Is No Such Joyful News For Me, Sir," He Said, At Length, In As
Firm A Voice As He Could Command.
"Don't You Believe That Story," Cried Mr. Brown, Heartily. "Plenty Of
Men Have Received Pardons, And They Didn't Deserve Them As Much As You.
My Word For That."
"Bushrangers Get There Before Us," Muttered The Natives.
"Kala Is Right. We Must Be Under Way, Or The Fellows Will Slip Through
Our Fingers. One Drink All Round, And Here's Success To Our Expedition."
While I Was Fitting My Head Gear The Door Opened, And In Walked Day, His
Eyes Glistening As Though He Had Drank A Cup Too Much Of Mr. Wright's
Strong Water.
"No, You Don't," He Said, Surveying Us From Head To Foot; "If You Think
That You Can Get Off Without The Best Ghost That The Country Can Produce
You Are Mistaken. You Can Count Me In." "Then Hurry And Get Ready," I
Exclaimed, "For We Have Not A Moment To Lose."
"Ready?" Asked The Shepherd, "Ain't I All Reedy As I Am? I Don't Want
Your Ile-Skins To Keep Off A Little Wet. I'm Used To It. Lead The Way,
Blackies, And I'll Keep Close To Your Heels."
"But You Have No Weapons," Mr. Wright Said.
"Ain't I Got 'Em? Look Here!" And To My Surprise, He Produced From The
Bosom Of His Flannel Shirt A Large Pair Of Horse Pistols, Which He Had
Borrowed From One Of The Farm Hands.
"You'll Do; Go Ahead," Our Host Said. And As We Sallied Into The Entry
We Saw That All The Laborers Were Drawn Up In A Line, As Though To Take
Formal Leave Of Us.
"Please, Sir, Let Me Go Wid You," I Heard The Familiar Voice Of The
Irishman, Who Greeted Me On My Arrival, Say.
"And Me," Cried A Dozen Voices, In The Same Breath.
"I Don't Want You All, But Mike May Go," Was The Brief Reply.
"Glory To God! We'll Lick Thunder Out Of All The Bloody Bushrangers That
Iver Dared To Show Their Homely Faces This Side Of The Loddon. I'm Off;"
And Mike, Who Feared That The Order For His Going Would Be Revoked,
Snatched A Long Spear That Stood In The Entry, And Rushed Out Of The
House Hatless And Shoeless, And Full Of Fight.
"Take Good Care Of The House, Jackson," Mr. Wright Said, Addressing His
Servant, Who Stood Near Him.
"You Don't Wish Me To Accompany You, Sir?" He Asked.
"No, No. Stay Here And Take Care Of The House, And Mind That You Defend
It Against All Odds, In Case Of An Attack."
"Bushrangers Move Quick," Muttered Kala.
"I'm Coming. Now, Gentlemen, We Will Try The Speed Of Your Limbs;" And
Out Of The House We Sallied, And Stood In The Driving Storm For A Few
Minutes, Completely Blinded By The Sudden Transition From Light To
Pitchy Darkness.
"Follow Kala," Muttered The Native; But The Request Was An
Impossibility, Because Kala Was Invisible Even A Foot From Where We
Stood.
"Give The Strangers Your Arms, And Lead Them Until Their Eyes Get
Accustomed To The Darkness," Mr. Wright Said, Addressing The Natives.
"That Is A Good Arrangement For Us, But How Are You To Find The Way?"
Cried Mr. Brown.
"We Know Every Foot Of Land Within A Circle Of Five Miles," Was The
Prompt Response Of Our Host; And To Show That He Made No Idle Boast, He
Started Towards The Field Of Wheat Which We Had Noticed Early In The
Afternoon, While We Followed Close At His Heels As Best We Could, Much
To The Disgust Of The Natives, I Have No Doubt, For They Could Scarcely
Restrain Their Impatience At The Slowness Of Our Pace.
The Dogs Saluted Us With A Mighty Howl As We Passed Them, But A Word
From Their Master Quieted Their Valor, And By The Time We Had Got Clear
Of The Cattle Pens Our Eyes Were Sufficiently Accustomed To The
Darkness, And Were Enabled To Dispense With The Guidance Of Kala And
Iala, Who Gladly Got At The Head Of The Column And Led The Way Towards
The Creek, Which It Was Stated The Bushrangers Would Have To Pass.
"Under This Tree," Said Our Host, Pointing To A Gum Tree Of Gigantic
Proportions, "I Killed One Of The Largest Diamond Snakes That I Ever
Saw In The Country. There Used To Be A Nest Of Them Near This Place, But
I Think That They Are Exterminated By This Time. You Recollect The
Snake, Do You Not?" He Continued, Addressing The Natives In Their
Dialect.
"We Remember," Was The Brief Reply.
"Couldn't You Conveniently Change The Conversation?" Mr. Brown Asked,
And I Shared His Interest In The Matter, For I Didn't Like The Topic In
So Dark A Night.
"Pooh! You Ain't Afraid Of Snakes, Are You?" Mr. Wright Asked, In A Tone
That Implied That He Was Not.
"Well, I Don't Care If I Confess That I Have Seen More Agreeable Sights
Than A D----N Big, Black Snake, With A Mouth Large Enough To Swallow A
Baby Without Much Trouble. I Don't Wish To Be Rigid, But It Strikes Me
That I Prefer Daylight When The Conversation Is Tending Towards Such
Cheerful Topics."
I Could See That Mr. Brown Was Intently Engaged In Scanning The Ground
While Speaking, As Though He Feared There Might Be A Few Of The Varmints
Unkilled From The Nest Spoken Of.
"About A Mile Further, Gentlemen," And We Felt Thankful For The
Information, For A More Disagreeable Night's Tramp, So Far, I Had Never
Experienced. Still, The Thoughts Of The Two Suffering Women Enabled Me
To Keep My Spirits Up, And To Press Forward With Eagerness To The Point
At Which We Expected To Relieve Them.
There Was No Cessation To The Rain, And The Lightning Was As Vivid As
Ever, But The Thunder Was Rolling Away To The Southward, And Muttering
And Growling As Though Sorry At Having Relinquished The Battle Without
More Of A Struggle.
"If I Was Only As Wet Within As I'm Without, It's In Fighting Trim I'd
Be," Mike Said, Addressing The Shepherd, Who Was Tugging Along With The
Most Stoical Indifference As To The Fulling Rain And Bad Road.
"I Can Fight, Wet Or Dry," Was The Answer.
"And Can't I Do The Same?" Asked Mike, Inclined To Take Umbrage At The
Remark.
"Show Me A Thing That An Irishman Can't Do As Well As An Englishman,"
Cried Mike.
"Can You Play The Ghost Like Me?" Demanded The Shepherd.
"And Why Not?"
"Because, Who Ever Heard Of A Ghost Speaking With The Brogue?" Asked The
Stockman, Triumphantly.
"Bedad, I Didn't Think Of That," Mike Muttered, Completely Crushed By
This New Evidence Of His Companion's Superiority.
"If You Two Grumblers Don't Stop Your Wrangling I'll Choke You," Mr.
Wright Exclaimed, Angrily.
"I'm Dumb," Mike Said.
"I'm Silent As A Corpse," Cried The Undertaker.
"I'll Spake No More This Night," Continued Mike.
"See That You Don't," Answered Our Host.
"Divil A Bit, Till I See A Bushranger, And Then I'll Give Him A Taste Of
My Spear."
"That You May Do, And You Shall Have A Glass Of Grog For Every One That
You Kill," Answered Mr. Wright.
"Holy St. Patrick! You Don't Say So. Don't Any One Go Near 'Em But Me.
I'll Fight The Thaves And Vagabonds Every One, Single Handed And Alone,
Like A Killarney Man That I Am."
For Twenty Minutes We Continued On Our Course, Expecting To Strike The
Creek Every Moment,--Yet The Night Was So Dark That It Was Impossible To
Tell Whether We Were On The Trail, Or Wading Over The Pasturage Of The
Farm.
Even Kala Was At Fault, And Glanced Towards The Trees, And Examined Them
To Discover If We Were In The Proper Locality, But Apparently Without
Much Success, And I Began To Think That Our Expedition Was A Failure,
When The Native Uttered A Grunt.
"Well, Kala, What Now?" Asked Mr. Wright
"There Be Creek," He Said, And By The Aid Of A Flash Of Lightning We
Could See His Thin Black Arm Pointing To A Line Of Trees On Our Right.
"And The Trail?" Suggested Our Host.
"We Reach It By And By. Come Now, And Don't Talk."
We Followed The Native, With The Renewed Hope Of Soon Terminating An
Adventure, And As We Gained The Edge Of The Gum Trees, Which Were
Convincing Proof That We Were Near The Water, The Australians Bent
Themselves To The Task Of Finding The Trail, Or The Place Where The
Bushrangers Were Expected To Ford. On Their Hands And Knees They Crawled
About From Place To Place, Aided Occasionally By A Flash Of Lightning,
But Still They Were Unsuccessful, Though Not Discouraged. Their Natures
Were Too Patient For That.
"To The Devil With The Trail," Muttered Mike, Hitting One Of The
Prostrate Natives With His Spear. "Let's Find The Brook, And Then We'll
Be All Right, Shan't We? Find The Main Thing First, And Then Toiler Up
The Little Ones, Used To Be The Advice Of Me Father, God Rest His Soul,
And Keep Him Well Supplied Wid Whiskey In The Nixt World! Ah, What Man
He Was To Be Sure! You Knew Him, Sir?" Continued Mike, Addressing Mr.
Wright, Who Was Awaiting The Result Of The Australians With Exemplary
Patience, Considering That The Rain Was Falling In Torrents.
"Be Quiet," Said Our Host, "Or If You Must Do Something Go And See How
Near We Are To The Creek, And Don't Make A Noise."
"I'll Do That Same," Muttered Mike, "But It's The Opinion Of A Man Who
Knows More Than A Dozen Nagers, That The Creek Is A Mile From Here In
The Udder Direction."
He Went On His Mission, Grumbling At The Supposition That The Creek Was
Near Us, When Suddenly We Heard A Loud Splash, And Mike's Voice Raised
In Supplication.
Volume 2 Chapter 75 (Mike Tumbles Into The River.--Arrival Of The Bushrangers) Pg 195
"That D----D Irishman Has Tumbled Into The Creek," Cried Mr. Wright,
Endeavoring To Suppress A Laugh That Did Find Utterance.
"Here's The River, Sure!" Shouted Mike, "And A Cussed Mane One It Is.
Help Me Out!"
"Be Quiet," Said Mr. Wright, "Or You'll Alarm The Bushrangers."
"And Do You Intend That I Shall Strangle Myself For The Purpose Of
Letting The Blackguards Git Kilt?" Remonstrated The Hibernian; "I've
Swallowed A Gallon Of The Dirty Water Already, And It's Cowld On My
Stomach. Help Me Out, Will Ye?"
We Reached The Scene Of The Irishman's Disaster, And Were Compelled To
Wait For A Flash Of Lightning For The Purpose Of Seeing
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