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all　these；　and　if　they　were　all　there；　and　the　mob　looked　large
enough；　I　might　rest　assured　that　all　was　well。　　It　is　surprising
how　soon　the　eye　becomes　accustomed　to　missing　twenty　sheep　out　of
two　or　three　hundred。　　I　had　a　telescope　and　a　dog；　and　would　take
bread　and　meat　and　tobacco　with　me。　　Starting　with　early　dawn；　it
would　be　night　before　I　could　complete　my　round；　for　the　mountain
over　which　I　had　to　go　was　very　high。　　In　winter　it　was　covered
with　snow；　and　the　sheep　needed　no　watching　from　above。　　If　I　were
to　see　sheep　dung　or　tracks　going　down　on　to　the　other　side　of　the
mountain　（where　there　was　a　valley　with　a　streama　mere　cul　de
sac）；　I　was　to　follow　them；　and　look　out　for　sheep；　but　I　never　saw
any；　the　sheep　always　descending　on　to　their　own　side；　partly　from
habit；　and　partly　because　there　was　abundance　of　good　sweet　feed；
which　had　been　burnt　in　the　early　spring；　just　before　I　came；　and
was　now　deliciously　green　and　rich；　while　that　on　the　other　side
had　never　been　burnt；　and　was　rank　and　coarse。

It　was　a　monotonous　life；　but　it　was　very　healthy　and　one　does　not
much　mind　anything　when　one　is　well。　　The　country　was　the　grandest
that　can　be　imagined。　　How　often　have　I　sat　on　the　mountain　side
and　watched　the　waving　downs；　with　the　two　white　specks　of　huts　in
the　distance；　and　the　little　square　of　garden　behind　them；　the
paddock　with　a　patch　of　bright　green　oats　above　the　huts；　and　the
yards　and　wool…sheds　down　on　the　flat　below；　all　seen　as　through
the　wrong　end　of　a　telescope；　so　clear　and　brilliant　was　the　air；
or　as　upon　a　colossal　model　or　map　spread　out　beneath　me。　　Beyond
the　downs　was　a　plain；　going　down　to　a　river　of　great　size；　on　the
farther　side　of　which　there　were　other　high　mountains；　with　the
winter's　snow　still　not　quite　melted；　up　the　river；　which　ran
winding　in　many　streams　over　a　bed　some　two　miles　broad；　I　looked
upon　the　second　great　chain；　and　could　see　a　narrow　gorge　where　the
river　retired　and　was　lost。　　I　knew　that　there　was　a　range　still
farther　back；　but　except　from　one　place　near　the　very　top　of　my　own
mountain；　no　part　of　it　was　visible：　　from　this　point；　however；　I
saw；　whenever　there　were　no　clouds；　a　single　snow…clad　peak；　many
miles　away；　and　I　should　think　about　as　high　as　any　mountain　in　the
world。　　Never　shall　I　forget　the　utter　loneliness　of　the　prospect
only　the　little　far…away　homestead　giving　sign　of　human　handiwork；…
…the　vastness　of　mountain　and　plain；　of　river　and　sky；　the
marvellous　atmospheric　effectssometimes　black　mountains　against　a
white　sky；　and　then　again；　after　cold　weather；　white　mountains
against　a　black　skysometimes　seen　through　breaks　and　swirls　of
cloudand　sometimes；　which　was　best　of　all；　I　went　up　my　mountain
in　a　fog；　and　then　got　above　the　mist；　going　higher　and　higher；　I
would　look　down　upon　a　sea　of　whiteness；　through　which　would　be
thrust　innumerable　mountain　tops　that　looked　like　islands。

I　am　there　now；　as　I　write；　I　fancy　that　I　can　see　the　downs；　the
huts；　the　plain；　and　the　river…bedthat　torrent　pathway　of
desolation；　with　its　distant　roar　of　waters。　　Oh；　wonderful！
wonderful！　so　lonely　and　so　solemn；　with　the　sad　grey　clouds　above；
and　no　sound　save　a　lost　lamb　bleating　upon　the　mountain　side；　as
though　its　little　heart　were　breaking。　　Then　there　comes　some　lean
and　withered　old　ewe；　with　deep　gruff　voice　and　unlovely　aspect；
trotting　back　from　the　seductive　pasture；　now　she　examines　this
gully；　and　now　that；　and　now　she　stands　listening　with　uplifted
head；　that　she　may　hear　the　distant　wailing　and　obey　it。　　Aha！　they
see；　and　rush　towards　each　other。　　Alas！　they　are　both　mistaken；
the　ewe　is　not　the　lamb's　ewe；　they　are　neither　kin　nor　kind　to　one
another；　and　part　in　coldness。　　Each　must　cry　louder；　and　wander
farther　yet；　may　luck　be　with　them　both　that　they　may　find　their
own　at　nightfall。　　But　this　is　mere　dreaming；　and　I　must　proceed。

I　could　not　help　speculating　upon　what　might　lie　farther　up　the
river　and　behind　the　second　range。　　I　had　no　money；　but　if　I　could
only　find　workable　country；　I　might　stock　it　with　borrowed　capital；
and　consider　myself　a　made　man。　　True；　the　range　looked　so　vast；
that　there　seemed　little　chance　of　getting　a　sufficient　road
through　it　or　over　it；　but　no　one　had　yet　explored　it；　and　it　is
wonderful　how　one　finds　that　one　can　make　a　path　into　all　sorts　of
places　（and　even　get　a　road　for　pack…horses）；　which　from　a　distance
appear　inaccessible；　the　river　was　so　great　that　it　must　drain　an
inner　tractat　least　I　thought　so；　and　though　every　one　said　it
would　be　madness　to　attempt　taking　sheep　farther　inland；　I　knew
that　only　three　years　ago　the　same　cry　had　been　raised　against　the
country　which　my　master's　flock　was　now　overrunning。　　I　could　not
keep　these　thoughts　out　of　my　head　as　I　would　rest　myself　upon　the
mountain　side；　they　haunted　me　as　I　went　my　daily　rounds；　and　grew
upon　me　from　hour　to　hour；　till　I　resolved　that　after　shearing　I
would　remain　in　doubt　no　longer；　but　saddle　my　horse；　take　as　much
provision　with　me　as　I　could；　and　go　and　see　for　myself。

But　over　and　above　these　thoughts　came　that　of　the　great　range
itself。　　What　was　beyond　it？　　Ah！　who　could　say？　　There　was　no　one
in　the　whole　world　who　had　the　smallest　idea；　save　those　who　were
themselves　on　the　other　side　of　itif；　indeed；　there　was　any　one
at　all。　　Could　I　hope　to　cross　it？　　This　would　be　the　highest
triumph　that　I　could　wish　for；　but　it　was　too　much　to　think　of　yet。
I　would　try　the　nearer　range；　and　see　how　far　I　could　go。　　Even　if
I　did　not　find　country；　might　I　not　find　gold；　or　diamonds；　or
copper；　or　silver？　　I　would　sometimes　lie　flat　down　to　drink　out　of
a　stream；　and　could　see　little　yellow　specks　among　the　sand；　were
these　gold？　　People　said　no；　but　then　people　always　said　there　was
no　gold　until　it　was　found　to　be　abundant：　　there　was　plenty　of
slate　and　granite；　which　I　had　always　understood　to　accompany　gold；
and　even　though　it　was　not　found　in　paying　quantities　here；　it
might　be　abundant　in　the　main　ranges。　　These　thoughts　filled　my
head；　and　I　could　not　banish　them。



CHAPTER　II：　　IN　THE　WOOL…SHED



At　last　shearing　came；　and　with　the　shearers　there　was　an　old
native；　whom　they　had　nicknamed　Chowbokthough；　I　believe；　his
real　name　was　Kahabuka。　　He　was　a　sort　of　chief　of　the　natives；
could　speak　a　little　English；　and　was　a　great　favourite　with　the
missionaries。　　He　did　not　do　any　regular　work　with　the　shearers；
but　pretended　to　help　in　the　yards；　his　real　aim　being　to　get　the
grog；　which　is　always　more　freely　circulated　at　shearing…time：　　he
did　not　get　much；　for　he　was　apt　to　be　dangerous　when　drunk；　and
very　little　would　make　him　so：　　still　he　did　get　it　occasionally；
and　if　one　wanted　to　get　anything　out　of　him；　it　was　the　best　bribe
to　offer　him。　　I　resolved　to　question　him；　and　get　as　much
information　from　him　as　I　could。　　I　did　so。　　As　long　as　I　kept　to
questions　about　the　nearer　ranges；　he　was　easy　to　get　on　withhe
had　never　been　there；　but　there　were　traditions　among　his　tribe　to
the　effect　that　there　was　no　sheep…country；　nothing；　in　fact；　but
stunted　timber　and　a　few　river…bed　flats。　　It　was　very　difficult　to
reach；　still　there　were　passes：　　one　of　them　up　our　own　river；
though　not　directly　along　the　river…bed；　the　gorge　of　which　was　not
practicable；　he　had　never　seen　any　one　who　had　been　there：　　was
there　to　not　enough　on　this　side？　　But　when　I　came　to　the　main
range；　his　manner　changed　at　once。　　He　became　uneasy；　and　began　to
prevaricate　and　shuffle。　　In　a　very　few　minutes　I　could　see　that　of
this　too　there　existed　traditions　in　his　tribe；　but　no　efforts　or
coaxing　could　get　a　word　from　him　about　them。　　At　last　I　hinted
about　grog；　and　presently　he　feigned　consent：　　I　gave　it　him；　but
as　soon　as　he　had　drunk　it　he　began　shamming　intoxication；　and　then
went　to　sleep；　or　pretended　to　do　so；　letting　me　kick　him　pretty
hard　and　never　budging。

I　was　angry；　for　I　had　to　go　without　my　own　grog　and　had　got
nothing　out　of　him；　so　the　next　day　I　determined　that　he　should
tell　me　before　I　gave　him　any；　or　get　none　at　all。

Accordingly；　when　night　came　and　the　shearers　had　knocked　off　work
and　had　their　supper；　I　got　my　share　of　rum　in　a　tin　pannikin　and
made　a　sign　to　Chowbok　to　follow　me　to　the　wool…shed；　which　he
willingly　did；　slipping　out　after　me；　and　no　one　taking　any　notice
of　either　of　us。　　When　we　got　down　to　the　wool…shed　we　lit　a　tallow
candle；　and　having　stuck　it　in　an　old　bottle　we　sat　down　upon　the
wool　bales　and　began　to　smoke。　　A　wool…shed　is　a　roomy　place；　built
somewhat　on　the　same　plan　as　a　cathedral；　with　aisles　on　either
side　full　of　pens　for　the　sheep；　a　great　nave；　at　the　upper　end　of
which　the　shearers　work；　and　a　further　space　for　wool　sorters　and
packers。　　It　always　refreshed　me　with　a　semblance　of　antiquity
（precious　in　a　new　country）；　though　I　very　well　knew　that　the
oldest　wool…shed　in　the　settlement　was　not　more　than　seven　years
old；　while　this　was　only　two。　　Chowbok　pretended　to　expect　his　grog
at　once；　though　we　both　of　us　knew　very　well　what　the　other　was
after；　and　that　we　were　each　playing　against　the　other；　the　one　for
grog　the　other