ORIGIN OF THE WILD HOUSE OF AUSTRALIA.

Timaru Herald, Volume L, Issue 4825, 23 April 1890, Page 3

ORIGIN OF THE WILD HOUSE OF AUSTRALIA.

It may bo somo twenty jeare or ao sgo that a settler lost two valuablo maro?. The sandllics woro bad, and driven bj them, now walking, now trotting, theso mares, ono followed by a nobla colt foal, uovor touched hj man's hand, and with blood m him that could toll of Ifpsom and tho Grand National, journeyed on towards tho weat. Fifty miles from their ownor's hpuso is reaohed. But tho country is rugged and not to their tn6te, und on they go. Another fifty miles, and a pleasant valley affords good water and_plontifid grass. But a Budden panic — cauecd, pcihaps, by a pnrty of blacks chasing game -starts thorn afroah, and still westward they go, till finally they rest m poaoo far from tho dwelling* of men — far from the sounJ of olaoging hobble-chain or tinkling horse-bell. Mouth after month rolls on. Eaoh mare foaU apain, and two strangers, straying from eomo other part, join themselves to tho little herd of five, and raise their number to sorou. Then another summer begins, and four additional little foals bring up the total to eleven Tbo next recruits arrive with' hobbles on their legs, nod, could they but speak, wot Id tell the others v strange, sad tragedy. Not thirty milts from here, while they, thus hobbled, fed quietly on the green grasswilbin sight of their owner's camp, thoy had scou their master ut sunrise advancing slowly, bridlo and halter m h»nd, towards thorn. Then from the ground, as it where, a black stump suddenly grow into a black man; then anot hor appeared, and another, then a short dialogue between the ono white man and the fifty bl:ick devils, followed by a death cry and tho yells of many demons. Fear lent them wings, and, manacled as they wore, they (lew many a weary mile till now, with a joyous neigh, vi.d the senso of Bafety m nu:r.bors, they throw themselves into the littlo group who Bt and shaded by tho leafy curragonß. Theeo trot round m somo alarm, and snort at the jangling hobble, chain, but tho older marcs uro soon reconciled, and the young stallion, the siro of countlesa future brumbies, adds those two last comers to his increasing harem. Such, then; was the origiu of the brumbies. Daily they grew wildor and more on tho alert for- danger ; constant gnl lops from imaginary enemies strengthened their einews and improved tin if wind. Becruits began to pour m as civilisaum invaded the wild West, and when finally they wero first roally determinidly hu: tid by the whita man, ho succeeded m taking but a few of the quieter ones, while, those . who escaped became sharper than the sharpest, wilder than tho wildest, fleeter thon tho fleetest roebudc — From ' Oa>seU's Picturesque Australasia," for February."