SALTBUSH BILL.

Colonist, Volume L, Issue 12159, 6 February 1908, Page 6 (Supplement)

SALTBUSH BILL.

"Sartbush Bill,", who states bis Sunday name is Wilha-ni Mills, was born in Gippsland (Victoria), is sixteen stone, tall, broad, deep-chesi.ed, tanned, and is a distinguished personage in his red sbirt and top boots, especially when seen with his great stock-whip coil on his forearm like a sleeping boa constrictor. He learnt to ride, he says, ' ' when a little kiddy by riding steers. ' ' Of course the steers did not take kindly to the game, and bucked and bounded like indiarubber things. Aft«r a few tumbles Bill aDd his mates became proficient, and they stuck their knees into the sides of the beasts, and only got off. when they wanted to. As child|en they made stock-whips, plaiting the hide.them--1 selves, and they eventually became so proficient in the use of the whip that the wildest and maddest mob j began to have a regard for them. I" A stock-whip, ' ' says Bill, ' ' is. to | cattle what a liberal education is to a man, and to handle cattle sucessfully you must have a stock-whip, land know how to use it." Bill haa passed through some thrilling experiences while driving cattle for weeks through the Never-Never. He says the blacks in North Queensland .will spear you with equal impartiality as they do cattle, and a watch must always be on duty when camping for the night. Bill is a true lover of nature, and is very fond of walking, particularly in the mornings, when he lov6s a ramble over the hills. He once had a | severe sunstroke. His mates got some leeches from a water-bole, and stuck them on his ueck and the back of nis head. Bill declares the blood the leecnes drew out of him was the color of ink. He got all right again, Bill Las never been a drinker, and he speaks with compas sion of the victims of the driuk crave he has seen. He has seen a shearer arrive with £100 and two pack horses, and in a week that shearer has departed wich only the clothes he stood in, and a black eye. Bill used to drive for the late Mr Tyson, the ca ttle king. One joke Mr Tyson used to, enjoy. '.Be carried a rum bottle, duly labelled. When a swagsman or bushie was met. the bottle was produced, and an invitntion to take a nip' was accepted with, alacrity. Then that millionaire's features would relas into something resembling a gtin, when the disgusted recipient spet out a quantityfof cold tea, accom pan led frequently with warm language. The biggest stock-whip BilJ has ever cracked was 52 feet long and thick in proportion. Whilt others us«*d both hands, Bil' cracked the monster with one hand. Bill intends to visit England and Amerion. and then return to cattle driving in Australia, which is^ * life with many charms for him.