Explore "Pioneering Days: Thrilling Incidents" by George Sutherland on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Few of the early pioneers of Western and North-Western Queensland are now in the land of the living, and to collate any reminiscences of the distant past, of men and matters--the dangers and hardships they underwent through, droughts and floods, savage blacks, hunger and thirst, &c., &c.--may be of interest to many readers of the present day and to certain extent illustrate the hard conditions of life in the wild regions at that period.
The aim of our party was to buy sheep and start with them in quest of new country. At that time there was a big rush for runs if the quality of the country was at all favourable. When two or more discovered the same piece of country a race took place between them to Brisbane, as the first applicant's tender secured the country. It was no joke to ride hundreds of miles and then a slow boat trip, perhaps, to Brisbane, but the hot fever of securing runs was rampant and traveling magnificent distances no object so long as the land was safely secured.