Narrative Of The Overland Expedition Of The Messrs. Jardine, From Rockhampton To Cape York, Northern Queensland By Frank Jardine And Alexander Jardine
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- At sunrise the cattle was started with Cowderoy and
two black-boys, Eulah and Barney, the former acting as pilot.
Their
instructions were to camp at the swamp at the junction of Pluto
Creek, seventeen miles from McDonald's station, mentioned on 3rd.
September. The pack-horses were not got away until half-past 12,
two, "Rasper," and the mule (as often provokingly happens when most
wanted) being astray, and having to be hunted for. There was also
the usual amount of "bucking" incident to a start, the unpractised
pack-horses rebelling against the unwonted load and amount of gear,
and with a few vigorous plunges sending pack-bags, pots, hobbles, and
chains in scattered confusion all round them. Few starts of a large
party occur without similar mischances, but a day or two, suffices
for the horses to settle to their work, after which all goes
smoothly. The country travelled has been described in the preceding
chapter. A hill at five miles on Pluto Creek, received the name of
Mount Eulah. On reaching the swamp, the brothers found the cattle
party had not arrived. This was the first of many similar annoyances
during the journey. It being between 8 and 9 p.m., it was useless to
think of looking for them at that time of night. They therefore
encamped on the river, intending to return and run the tracks of the
cattle in the morning. The distance travelled was about 20 miles.
'October' 12. - Leaving Binney in charge of the horses, with orders
to feed them about the Lagoon, where there was better grass than at
the river, the brothers started at sunrise in quest of the cattle
party.
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