Up the Country: A Saga of Pioneering Days

Rachel always saw her new home, nestling under the brow of a hill crowned with brittle gums, all in bloom, as she came to it over the plains that March afternoon. A swift, clear stream circled the slope before it. Everywhere were flowers and blooming shrubs. The large flocks of sheep of later years had not yet eaten out by the roots the beautiful unnamed species, which now waved to the hub of the wheels among the tussocks and undulated like a glory of coloured waves when the wide-sweeping zephyrs caught them. They curved up to the front gate through the gum trees, their heavenly perfume filling the sunset hour and wreathing itself amongst a million moths, beautiful as butterflies, hovering in the air. The hills rang with the mellow, conversational calls of the magpies.

Rachel was delighted with the flower garden, where Mrs Millburn and a few others waited to welcome her. Among the older settlers, only four families had social standing approaching that of Labosseer. The others were ex-shepherds, ex-stockmen or worse, people with whom Labosseer desired no social intercourse. The four first families of the area were the Gilberts, the Timsons, the Healeys and the McEacherns: of these, in Labosseer's estimation, the nearest, the McEacherns, were also the dearest. Both Mr and Mrs McEachern were waiting to welcome the bride.