Clambering out up the opposite bank, and by
next sundown - after scrambling through a few more rivers - we found
ourselves looking down at the flooded Katherine, flowing below in the
valley of a rocky gorge.
Sixty-five miles in three days, against sixty miles an hour of the
express trains of the world. "Speed's the thing," cries the world, and
speeds on, gaining little but speed; and we bush-folk travel our sixty
miles and gain all that is worth gaining - excepting speed.
"Hand-over-hand this time!" Mac said, looking up at the telegraph wire
that stretched far overhead. "There's no pulley here. Hand-over-hand, or
the horse's-tail trick."
But Mine Host of the "Pub" had seen us, and running down the opposite
side of the gorge, launched a boat at the river's brink; then pulling
up-stream for a hundred yards or so in the backwash, faced about, and
raced down and across the swift-flowing current with long, sweeping
strokes; and as we rode down the steep winding track to meet him, Mac
became jocular, and reminding us that the gauntlet of the Katherine had
yet to be run, also reminded us that the sympathies of the Katherine were
with the stockmen; adding with a chuckle, as Mine Host bore down upon us.
"You don't even represent business here; no woman ever does."
Then the boat grounded, and Mine Host sprang ashore - another burly
six-foot bushman - and greeted us with a flashing smile and a laughing
"There's not much of her left." And then, stepping with quiet unconcern
into over two feet of water, pushed the boat against a jutting ledge for
my convenience. "Wet feet don't count," he laughed with another of his
flashing smiles, when remonstrated with, and Mac chuckled in an aside,
"Didn't I tell you a woman doesn't represent business here?"
CHAPTER IV
The swim being beyond the horses, they were left hobbled out on the north
banks, to wait for the river to fall, and after another swift race down
and across stream, Mine Host landed every one safely on the south side of
the flood, and soon we were clambering up the steep track that led from
the river to the "Pub."
Coming up from the river, the Katherine Settlement appeared to consist
solely of the "Pub" and its accompanying store; but beyond the "Pub,"
which, by the way, seemed to be hanging on to its own verandah posts for
support, we found an elongated, three-roomed building, nestling under
deep verandahs, and half-hidden beneath a grove of lofty scarlet
flowering ponchianas.
"The Cottage is always set apart for distinguished visitors," Mine Host
said, bidding us welcome with another smile, but never a hint that he was
placing his own private quarters at our disposal.
