THE COUSINS.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 3, Issue 14, 19 February 1892, Page 3

THE COUSINS.

A Tale of the Otago Diggings.

Written fob the Guardian.

(All rights reserved.)

It was the month of December in the year 1868 that two miners and their briuJled bull dog were making their way through * traek of wild country in tne southern part of the Middle Island of NewZealaid. Tjtiey had been out prospect ing for four months, and had been fairly sue cessful, each man on this day having over one hundred ounces of gold in bis swag. * : * , , The day had been sultry, and the country was both scrubby and steep. ,sci these two men whom I will introduce later on, appeared jaded and worn as they mm-hed on their desolate way. : . lifter descending a sleep hill they came to a det-p rock-bound creek with '"* 'little elbows & bends in its bed "i Uhit'Cbntoinajtwli room enough topitipb afent. they resolved to camp for tbe night, and after lighting a fire began to pull dry fern leaves to form their bed. •'"•-' 1 cßoth men weiejtaU and strong, but both bore saa* traces of overwork and * shdnfrer, and their dog was nothing but •kill •»! bone. The/ hftd started from Queenstown four months previous, determined to -make their*way ta the coast, and walk round the beach t» the G ey rirer. * They were Well; furnished with the necessarioe of life when they left 'Q«eeMtown r they had a good horse, revolvers* and a double barrel shot gun. But owing to the rough nature of tbe country thrir horse broke its neck before they were a month out, and ijiqce th'»t time the*e hardy miners had carried their own swags. Having discovered a small but rich goU bearing creek, where they had made their iftUe rise, and being hard pressed^ ftdt food they were then makiug their way to thecoa>t,f eing convinced it wif much nearer to their disthan Queenstown. They had been making long stages for Christmas was drawing nigh, and they wanted to spi-nd it in a civilized manner if possible, and the men also wanted to organise a large party tc rkthiiv creek. food for the last few weeks of wbod : hens and the •{noer pith of tbe mamaku, the giant IJee fern of sew Zealand, and, the dog jiyjd, evidently received thp smallest The prospect before them that evening was comfortle:s.m the extr m?, food th*f had none, and about half a pound of tea and a little tobacco was all that r was left of the store* they had started

' with i Bat the eye of the Lord is o?er til . Hit worknj ana\even in this lone gulf/ lhe« two men were not forgotten, for • fief were suddenly startled by a flock of blue mountains ducks that flew and settled in a deep hole a little above

tbenv These ducks are vert tame, so in a , few roinutet they managed to shoot f ur of them. It wsa •itoolshing what a chaofe this stroke of lu<* naade in the of m*W"> ••**«*

can understand if fully unless at. some time they may hare had the misfortune to be half etarved.

In a very short lime the ducks were cleaned and hanging in the billy to boil while the men watched them wit i a wolfish look in their eyes not pleasant to sre, but hunger is the great brufcalfzer of the human race, and these mil were well nigh starved. However all sub'unary eventa soon come to a close and the duck- were soon sufficiency cooked to suit the uvn, leaving them to despatch the'r frugal meal I will introduce them to the reader.

Be it known, then, that fiey were cousins, one named John and the other James Jackson, both were natives of Australia, one thirty and the other twenty-eight years old, strong and good looking young men. Thet had come to Otago to try their luck, and aft r twelve months indifferent success had started op tl* present .expedition. Let us join them as they are about to finish thejf repast, and listen to their conversation.

•Here James, cried John, there 13 still due duck left: let us finish him up, yonitake the largest half, as you are the oldest.

Not so, replied his compani >n, I had the largest half last time, and turn about is fair play. So saying, he took up the smaller half and commenced eating it. Considering the state th< y were in, both men were liberal to the dog, who, between the two, obtained his full share.

When their meal ended James unrolled hga swag and produced a couple large cakes of Cavendish tobacco, and pasted one over to his cousin, exdaimingi Ihere, my boy, that is the last of the Mohicans; make the most of it, for we shall get no mere on this side of the Grey, bat he spoke without knowledge as after everts proved. I do not care much for it, replied J ho, tou keep them both, and possibly tie? may last you until we get there. Do you think I am a pig, answered James, take the tobacco, man, befo>e 1 fling both cakes in the creek. Amen, said John, we have gone share and share alike all through, so we may as well keep it up to the end of th? chapter; flaring filled their pipes and smoked in silence x for a few minutes James rolled over on his elbow, and asked his companion hoV long he thonght it would take them to make the Grey. About fire days, replied John, provided we do not die of starvation on the way ; but as soon as we make the lowlands, which we ought to do tomorrow night, we ough+ to fall in with some wild cattle or nigs, and after what we have gone through we ought to be able to exist well on pork and beef.

I should say so, sa:d James, but I hope to make the port by Xmas Eve, for 1 feel as if 1 want fill'ng badly. How long is it to Xmas? asked John.

This is the 18th, said James, and surely six days ought to carry us,there, Where there's a will there's a way," and 1 think we both have the will.

: You are right, said John, but we must not forget the old prov rb, {: Man proposes, but God disposes," although I have no doibt we slull accomplish the journey easily in six days, especially if food is plentiful' on f, 1 way. ■ , " '• v ? Have no fear, answered Ja,nrs, the Power that brought us so faf'fqr Pis own purpose will no doub carry us right through ; remembr, we knew not where to get our supper a little Vhile ago ; have faith, mate, and all will end well.

Aye, said John, faith is a wonderful thing i while a man c«n keep that no enterprise is too great for him to undertake ; ; faith and hope will carry a man through this world with flying colours, and cover with fl-wrs the chasm which divides this from the next, so, as we have done all through, wo will trust in Gol and abide the event.

While they wen? talking their dog made a rush into the scrub, and after a short struggle returned with a See kakapo in his mouth, The kakapo is a large ground parrot as large as a young turkey, and of a beautiful green colour.

As soon as the cousins saw what it was they sprang to their feet, knowing those birds always go in pairs. After a few moments they succeeded in catching the other one, and then satisfied thnt their breakfast was provided, they ret red to rest and enjoyed tlat sweet repose that hard bodily labour ensures.

Render, did you erer toil for days in a wilderness without your usual food, struggling over rough mountain ranges, and through tangled thickets, where lawyer bushes and supple-jacks formed an almost m.passable harrier ; if ao yon can understand how the cousinfl enjoyed, thejr* repose; How strangp J? Ijfp here whore two inert, thousands of mjles from their home, and a hundred at least from their fellowmen, sleepng'peacefully in t lone gully, whioh probably the eye of man had never b fore seen. The eve Of a white man had certainly not, though the eye ot same gaunt savage driven back in the oid djys by some intertribal war may for all I know. Be that as it may, the gully was ▼#>y beautiful; trees of every shade of green bordered the stream, and the stately fronces of the nikau palm and tree ferns form, d a sight that once seen is not easily forgotten. (To he Continued.)

A watch iiiwiufaetuivf of Liverpool hai invented a lever \Vatqh thrtt ooly r<«juirw Trying qmq ererjr ei^hfc