contemplated carrying. The latter was credited with being
double-jointed, and I believe it. He was the strongest man I ever met.
He afterwards married the widow of Jimmy Morrell, who had lived for
seventeen years with the blacks in the Cleveland Bay district.
It is related that when he saw a white man after this length of time,
Morrell jumped on a stock-yard fence, and called out, "Don't shoot, I'm
a British object." The Government gave him a position in the Customs in
Bowen, where he died a few years afterwards.
I later on attended Jack Howell's wedding. It was held in a house at the
foot of Castle Hill, in Townsville. Some, uninvited, came up to
tin-kettle the newly-married couple, but on Jack putting in an
appearance they showed discretion and scampered away, leaving one of
their mates hung up on a clothes line.
During our stay of three days at Oak Park, we received great kindness,
which led to a life-long friendship with Edward Mytton. Carolan and I
returned to Craigie Station to give back the borrowed rifle. I then
decided to purchase the seven bullocks and dray, giving Saunders a
cheque for the price mentioned. I had to muster the bullocks myself,
finding four of them the second day. Mr. Saunders said he would go out
to find the remainder, as he knew where they were running. We both
started, but in different directions. I found the tracks, and succeeded
in bringing the bullocks to the yard, but Mr. Saunders did not turn up
until the next evening, having been bushed on his own run. The bullocks
were very fat, and had no leaders amongst them, so Mr. Saunders gave me
a hand by leading my horse and driving the spare bullock. At every
water-hole we came near these brutes would rush in, and I had to go,
with my clothes on, after them. Carolan had left me at Craigie, and gone
on to a public house at Nulla-Nulla, on the main Flinders road from
Townsville. He bought in shares with a teamster, who had two teams, and
as there was good grass and water, there he decided to camp. Here I met
"Black Jack," who said he was the first white man to cross the Burdekin.
Carolan having come out to give me a hand, Mr. Saunders returned to
Craigie.
There were several carriers camped at Nulla, amongst them being a man
named James Wilson, from whom I bought five bullocks. One of these was a
good near-side leader, for which I was grateful. From that time Wilson
and I became travelling mates. We loaded in Townsville for the Cape
Rive
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