Part 14 (1/2)
Turning tois done for!
It will beto set as we reached the thinly-ti with the greatest possible care
Beyond the wood, a vast plain stretched before us, where neither fence nor house was visible, far as the eye could reach He drove steadily towards a far-distant point, which was in the direction of his home At last we struck upon the wire fence that bounded his property The horses were now getting badly fagged; and, in order to save the round-about drive, he lifted and laid low a portion of the fence, led his horses cautiously over it, and, leaving it to be re-erected by a servant next day, he started direct for the Station That seeround; and though areat patriarchal trees here and there, and safely past dangerous water-holes, ung steadily on, reached his home in safety, and had a joyous welcoreat excite had, of course, been abandoned hours ago: and the people were all gone, wondering in their hearts ”whereto this would grow!”
At that tiht into rivers of mire, and at many points almost impassable even for well-appointed conveyances In connection therewith, I had one very perilous experience I had to go from Clunes to a farm in the Learmouth district The dear old Minister there, Mr Downes, ith me to every place where a horse could be hired; but the owners positively refused--they would sell, but they would not hire, for the conveyance would be broken, and the horse would never return alive! Noas advertised to preach at Learet over the nine miles that lay between This would have been comparatively practicable, were it not that I carried withof ”curios,” and a heavy bundle of clubs, arrows, dresses, etc, from the Islands, ith to illustrate my lectures and enforce e, nor could I get it sent afterno alternative opening up my path, I committed myself once more to the Lord, as in harder trials before, shouldered , and started off on foot They urged , ”As thy days, so shall thy strength be” There cae that had in youthful difficulties, spurred ht that with these two in his heart, a Scotchman and a Christian would not be easily beaten
When I found the road wrought into erous, or i in the plowed fields--though they were nearly as bad My bundle was changed fro frohly tired of both
Pressing on, however, I arrived at a wayside Public-house, where several roads met, and there I inquired the way to Lear, answered--
”This is the road If you are on horseback, it ht be three to four miles just now, as your horse is able to take it If you are in a conveyance, with a good horse, it ht or tenHow hingly replied, ”You will find it a long way indeed this dark night, considering the state of the road, fenced in on both sides so that you cannot get off”
I passed on, leaving ot uponood effect,--they stirred uppersevered along the Lear on with a bundle of ropes They were on their way to relieve a poor bullock, which by this ti in the ht, visible through the dusk That was the farm at which I was to stay, and they advised ht, as the as good
With thankful heart, I did so The light was soon lost to me, but I walked steadily on in the direction thereof, to the best of round all floating under me Then at every step I took, or tried to take, I sank deeper and deeper, till at last I durst notin a deadly swaain, and ”coo-ee-d” with all rew extre to God for deliverance About reat distance I began ”coo-ee-ing”
again, but ht was perfectly cal for help At length I heard one voice remark to the other, ”Some one is in the swamp” And then the question caer Oh, do help et in there?”
And I feebly replied, ”I have lost et him out, whoever he may be WeAs you pass by our door, tellsome poor creature out of the swa to h the darkness, till, not without peril, he ed out, he gotmy clubs on his shoulder, and in a very short ti and dirty and cold Had God not sent that man to save me, I must have perished there, as many others have similarly perished before The farmer's wife heartily welcoone to rest, they had given up all hope of seeing me I heard the kind servant say to his mistress, ”I don't knohere he caot him stuck fast in the swa his clubs!”
A cup of waravewonderfully refreshed, though arms and shoulders were rather sore with the burdens of yesterday I conducted three Services, and told the story of ratifying results in ave liberally to the work
Thereafter, a School distance across the country to Violet Tohere for the night we had to stay at an Inn We had a taste of what Australian life really hen the land was being broken in A co there at the tinal for an outbreak of maliciousMedical, rushed upon me as I left the conveyance, seized , ”A parson! a parson! I will do for the parson!”
Others with great difficulty relievedas if at his ot into the only bedroom in the house, available for two
The Teacher and I locked ourselves in and barricaded the door, hearing in the next roo over their cards By and by they quarreled and fought; they s each other; everyin, as they were thrown or lurched against it Their very language made us tremble One man in particular see hiroaned and cried for protection, all in vain We spent a sleepless andI arose, and was glad to get away by the early coach My friend also left in his own conveyance, and reached his hoerous for any decent traveler to stay at h country Everythat which was right to his own eyes; and Might was Right
CHAPTER XLVII
AMONGST SQUATTERS AND DIGGERS
AFTER this, I inal fashi+on, right across the Colony of Victoria, from Albury in New South Wales to Mount Gambier in South Australia I conducted Mission Services almost every day, and three orall Sunday Schools that could be touched on the way When I reached a gold-digging or townshi+p, where I had been unable to get any one to announce awas to secure so that, to fix on some suitable spot in the open air Then, I was always able to hire so Feill believe how large were the audiences in this way gathered together, and how very substantial was the help that thereby came to the Mission fund
Wheresover railway, steamboat, and coach were available, I always used theed to friends of Missions for drivingreached a certain place, from which my way lay for many miles across the country, where there was no public conveyance, I walked to the nearest squatter's Station and frankly informed the owner hoas situated; that I could not hire, and that I would like to stay at his house all night, if he would kindly sendby any sort of trap to the next Station on ood Christian and a Presbyterian, and gaveof his servants was called, which I had the pleasure of addressing Next aveme to retain it all day, if necessary
On reaching the next squatter's Station, I found the master also at home, and said, ”I a Victoria to plead the cause of the Mission I would like to rest here for an hour or two Could you kindly send me on to the next Station by your conveyance? If not, I ay, until I reach it”
Looking with a queer smile at me, he replied, ”You propose a rather novel condition on which to rest at my house! My horses are so e you on But come in; both you and your horses need rest; and lad to see you”
I iow, froed when a student at the Free Nore