The Empty House by Bond Ruskin

Author:Bond, Ruskin [Bond, Ruskin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rupa Publications India
Published: 2016-11-01T00:00:00+00:00

Some Early Australian Ghosts

Anonymous

I n the spring of 1850, I was employed in driving a large herd of cattle from New England down into the Melbourne country. The grass was plentiful, and the cattle travelled along at their leisure across the wide plains which lie between the Lachlan, Murrumbidgee and Edward Rivers.

It was nearly sunset on a fine evening in August when we came to the crossing-place of the Edward; and driving the cattle down into an angle of the river, we camped close to the foot of the sandhill on which the township is built. There was a pretty large crowd around our campfire, and there was a long argument as to the best track across the Old Man Plain. Most of us were in favour of Lang’s Crossing, but a stockman named Driscoll objected, asking, ‘And how do you propose to avoid the Black Swamp and the ghost of the Trotting Cob?’

His objection was received with a roar of laughter; but Driscoll jumped up in a rage and said: ‘You may laugh as much as you like, boys, but as sure as I am standing here, I saw it myself, worse luck, and seeing’s believing! ’

Of course, when we heard this, we were all anxious to hear the story. And Driscoll was soon prevailed upon to tell us his adventure.

‘You all know Wantabadgery Station above Wagga-Wagga. Well, two years ago, Bill Kelly and I took three hundred fat beasts from there to Bendigo. The feed was good, and we came down the riverbank until we reached Lang’s Crossing, where we took the cattle across. It was late in the afternoon when we got out on the plain, and the sun was just dipping as we were abreast of the Black Swamp; so we rounded up the cattle and decided to stop there for the night. We hobbled our horses close at hand, lit our fire and had our suppers. Then we agreed that I should take the first watch. Kelly rolled himself up in his possum rug, and I went down to have a look at the cattle and horses. I found them all right; so I went back to the fire, heaped on fresh fuel, and stretched myself out to have a comfortable smoke. I was pretty tired with riding all day, and the fire was hot, so in a short time I dozed off.

‘I must have slept three or four hours, for the cold awoke me. I got up to put more wood on the fire, and then I thought I would just go round to check the cattle before I woke Kelly to take his watch. So I caught and saddled a mare, and rode off to the cattle range. The moon was at the full, and shining brightly, and the beasts had drawn out on the plain to feed. So I started to head them back. I was cantering along when all of a sudden the leading cattle came galloping back. As they wheeled, a man passed close to me, riding a bald-faced cob, and coming from the opposite direction.

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