TAKING IN A NEW CHUM.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 9292, 22 December 1890, Page 2

TAKING IN A NEW CHUM.

A correspondent of the Queenslandtr ia responsible for the following story Mildura station ia one of the largest squatting runs in the. Lower Murray district, yet it supported probably not more than a dozen souls the year round. It originally belonged to Messrs' Phelps and Jamieson, who sold it some twentyfive years ago, just when experience was demonstrating that even in wild dog and scrubby country sheep could be kept at large instead of being shepherded. It was then fenced in, and eighty thousand sheep kept on it for years, then again the owner wisely sold. The new purchaser expected to do the same as his predecessor,, and. kept permanently eighty thousand sheep,. but the cream had been skimmed by overstocking, and the rabbits had come. It fell into the bands of a banking institution, and remained on their hands unwillingly. Mr William Paterson was the manager. One day, about four years ago, at a neighbouring township, a quiet middle aged gentleman cams up to Mr Paterson, and without giving his name stated that he was on his way to Mildura, and would liketo stay a few days. He was mistaken by the manager for ths “ drummer " of an Adelaide film who had sent up a case of execrable whiskey, so hs was told "he might save himself ths trouble for he was not. wanted.” Half an hour afterwards the stranger quietly cams up again, said his name was Chaffey— George Chaffey—and handed a letter from the manager of the bank, which simply intimated the bearer was a "probable buyer of the station.” The station manager felt awkward, decidedly awkward, but apologised and explained, and the "probable buyer” laughingly admitted that a case of bad whiskey vasiunplvdeaetving of a rough reception. At sundown the pretty homestead was reached and theeveningspent over good whiskey,by the manager in talking "sheep” and descanting upon the superior grazing capabilities of the run, and by the probable buyer in quietly listening. It transpired daring the evening that tho new comer was a new chum to the Colony, was new to squatting, and had the money. "What a godsend,” thought the manager; "it shall not be my fault if I don’t shove the old worn out run on to him.” Next day the horses were got up, and the inspection, which could not possibly be done under several days, commenced. The manager took the lead and did the talking; the lead was over the saltbush plains and through the straggling open mallee, and the new chum was told of the exceeding fattening quality of all saltbushes, and how open malice - waa equally as good as the plains; he was told that the absence of grass was nothing, for that after the slightest rain numerous saline herbs grew, all eagerly relished by .sheep. The belts of dense mallee and pint ridges where not a blade of grass was to be found were carefully avoided,; and the ride home was along the river flats whew, under the huge red gums and the stunted box, flooded grass-was long aad plentilal ; and the manager thought he had made an impression. Next day the new chum began to assert himself; he kept to the river, inquired as to how low it fell in the summer, how long it kept in flood; examined the cliffs, and looked at the subsoil, and at the subsoil exposed in any rain gullies; was greatly pleased with the long anabranch or " billabbng ;”how deep was it? how was it filled? did it retain the water P &c.i, &c._ The- dense mallee belts avoided-the previous day were not only visited but critically exatained in the soil and subsoil, so were the pine covered sandhills. " Would he not go and see the sheep ?’’suggested the manager. “No. I suppose they are wbat you say they ate, but how high do you think this ridge is above the river ? That distant pine scrub must be higher. Let us go, and see it,” was the' strange reply of the stranger. The pretty garden, too, at the home, station came in for special examination, every tree and shrub noted, and particular, pleasure expressed at tho orange and lemoiis and the vines. Conversation slackened somewhat that evening. The manager was completely nonplussed; he had said hit say and had got a rank new chum- to say it to, but what was the good when his man did not care whether the points of tho station were good or bad ? He was asked, " Whether there waa a theodolite on the' station?” "Yes." "Is it in order?” "Yes. We need it to run the boundary lines. You win find them quite correct.” «I should like to take it with' us tomorrow," was the quiet reply of the green new chum. The manager said nothing, 1 but thought a deal, as he went to his room Ito bed. Nest day the theodolite wa* taken, but not to the boundary line. Oh, no! only to the river bonk, and the height above water noted; then the height of the saltbush flat and rises, and these heights marked down in a pocket book; then this, that and the other mallee sad pitte ridges had their levels taken, till at noon a halt was made for lunch, and the whiskey brought put. The station manager felt himself worked up to “ ropable ” condition. He could stand this tomfoolery sort of inspection no longer. This man is no squatter, but a—- fool, and what is the use of wasting time over him ? So out it came. "Look here, Mr Chaffey, you are a mystery to me. Who ate you P What do you want ? Are you a bond fidt buyer ? You seem to care nothing abput the quality of the saltbushes or herbs, never even look at the grass, and will not go to see tho sheep, but instead keep ’poking about the river bank and taking the levels of those barren mallee ridges. What is your game P I have been trying to pump you these three days. I am sick of this useless work." Then the quiet new chum smiled and quietly replied, *• Mr Paterson, you are not tho only one who has considered me a mystery during this visit down the Murray and my inspection of several stations; all have tried to pump me and ineffectually, but £ will tell you. I like the place, and shall buy \ it.” « Why, you have not even seen the | sheep ?” “ No, they do not matter." “Good heavens!" exclaimed the manager aloud, and to himself he thought, " What I a greenhorn I” Then the quiet man slowly unfolded the gigantic schemes that were working in his brain. Told of the irrigation Colonies he had successfully, organised in California. How he had come to Australia to duplicate these on a still larger scale, and how he contemplated irrigating 1 250,000 acres of the Mildura run. The station manager was as one thunderstruck. “Greenhorn,” indeed, he thought, why I am the, “greenhorn." But they were kindred spirits after all, for the manage* had been doing some experimental irriga* tion on 200 acres of natural grasses, and the mystery being no longer a mystery a fellow friendship ensued which continue! to this day, for Mr William Paterson i! head manager of the station and principal representative of the Messrs Chaffey during their absence from Mildura.