e not especially related to the possums of
North and South America, other than both being marsupials.

Public/Pub.: The traditional pub. in Australia was a hotel with a
"public" bar--hence the name. The modern pub has often (not always)
dispensed with the lodging, and concentrated on the bar.

Tea: In addition to the regular meaning, Tea can also mean a light snack
or a meal (i.e., where Tea is served). In particular, Morning Tea (about
10 AM) and Afternoon Tea (about 3 PM) are nothing more than a snack, but
Evening Tea (about 6 PM) is a meal. When just "Tea" is used, it usually
means the evening meal. Variant: Tea-time.

Tucker: Food.

Shout: In addition to the regular meaning, it also refers to buying
drinks for all the members of a group, etc. The use of this term can be
confusing, so the first instance is footnoted in the text.

Sly-grog-shop: An unlicensed bar or liquor-store.

Station: A farm or ranch, especially one devoted to cattle or sheep.

Store Bullock: Lawson makes several references to these. A bullock is
a castrated bull. Bullocks were used in Australia for work that was
too heavy for horses. 'Store' may refer to those cattle, and their
descendants, brought to Australia by the British government, and sold to
settlers from the 'Store'--hence, the standard draft animal.

Also: a hint with the seasons--remember that the seasons are reversed
from those in the northern hemisphere, hence June may be hot, but
December is even hotter. Australia is at a lower latitude than the
United States, so the winters are not harsh by US standards, and are not
even mild in the north. In fact, large parts of Australia are governed
more by "dry" versus "wet" than by Spring-Summer-Fall-Winter.

--A. L.

JOE WILSON AND HIS MATES

Author of "While the Billy Boils", "On the Track and Over the
Sliprails", "When the World was Wide, and other verses", "Verses,
Popular and Humorous", "Children of the Bush", "When I was King, and
other verses", etc.

The Author's Farewell to the Bushmen.

Some carry their swags in the Great North-West
Where the bravest battle and die,
And a few have gone to their last long rest,
And a few have said "Good-bye!"
The coast grows dim, and it may be long
Ere the Gums again I see;
So I put my soul in a farewell song
To the chaps who barracked for me.

Their days are hard at the best of times,
And their dreams are dreams of c