The Mailman's Yarn an Ower True Tale
The narrative unfolds in the Australian bush, where a group of men, stranded due to flooding, gather around a campfire and share stories. One man, a seasoned mail contractor, recounts a harrowing experience from nearly two decades prior while delivering mail between two towns. During a particularly harsh dry season, he arrives at a familiar waterhole late at night, exhausted and cold. As he approaches a fire in the distance, he discovers three men engaged in a sinister act: they are burning the remains of two corpses. The contractor, hidden in the shadows, witnesses their gruesome task and overhears their conversation, revealing their intent to eliminate any witnesses. Terrified, he manages to escape on his horse and rides to the nearest town, where he later falls ill with fever. While recovering, he learns that the police have launched an investigation into the disappearance of two hawkers, the Colemans, who had last been seen near the same waterhole. Evidence suggests they were murdered, and the contractor's account of the fire and the men he saw becomes crucial. The investigation reveals that the Colemans had a hidden stash of money, which the murderers failed to find. Eventually, the police identify one of the suspects, a man named Campbell, who had been seen with the Colemans before their disappearance. Despite the lack of direct evidence, circumstantial details lead to Campbell's conviction and execution for the crime. The contractor's chilling tale serves as a reminder of the dangers lurking in the bush and the dark side of human nature. The story concludes with the contractor expressing relief at being safe, reflecting on the horrors he witnessed.
By Rolf Boldrewood · First published 1891 · Genre: Adventure, Mystery, Thriller · 3,562 words
First lines
'Rum things happen in the bush, you take my word for it,' suddenly broke out Dan M'Elroy as we were sitting smoking round a camp fire, far back in the 'Never Never' one night. The whole tract of country west of the Barcoo was under water that summer. We were all stuck hard and fast, about fifty miles from Sandringham, waiting for the creeks and cowalls to go down. They weren't small ones either-twenty feet deep in some places and half a mile wide. There were a dozen teamsters with wool-waggons, Jim and me and two black boys with four hundred head of fat cattle from Marndoo. A police trooper bringing down a horse-stealer for trial, committed by the Bench there, made up the party. The prisoner was made comfortable-only chained to a log for safety. Here we were, waiting, waiting, and had to make the best of it. We walked about in the daylight, and did a bit of shooting. We'd put up a bough yard for the cattle, more for the exercise than anything else; and to make the time pass we'd taken to telling yarns. Some of them were that curious I wish I hadn't forgotten 'em. But this one that Dan told that night I shall remember to my dying day. He was the mail contractor between St. George and Bolivar Run, a weather-beaten Bathurst native, as hard as iron-bark, who'd have contracted to run the mail from the Red Sea to Jordan in spite of all the Arabs if they'd made it worth his while. He was afraid of nothing and nobody. In his time he had been speared by blacks, shot at by bushrangers, fished for dead out of flooded creeks, besides being 'given up' in fever, ague, and sunstroke in exploring of mail routes through the 'Never Never' country. Hairbreadth escapes were daily bread to him. He seemed to thrive on 'em, but this one must have been out of the common way.
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The Mailman's Yarn an Ower True Tale is listed on Textopian as a short story by Rolf Boldrewood, dated 1891 CE.
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- Work type: Short story
- Author: Rolf Boldrewood
- Date: 1891 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Adventure, Mystery, Thriller, Historical Fiction, Western
- Length: 3,562 words
- Structure: 1 section, 19 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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Genres
- Adventure — The plot revolves around the dangerous and unpredictable life of a mailman in the Australian bush, highlighting themes of survival and peril.
- Mystery — The narrative includes a murder investigation and the suspense surrounding the discovery of a crime, engaging readers in unraveling the mystery.
- Thriller — The tension and fear experienced by the protagonist during the encounter with the murderers create a thrilling atmosphere.
- Historical Fiction — The story is set in a specific historical context of 19th century Australia, reflecting the social and environmental conditions of the time.
Tags
Australian literature · historical fiction · rural life · mail delivery · adventure · storytelling · 19th century · bush life · character study · local color · humor · community