e cattle for the
twenty-day trip to Taku, China.

Then the little, fiery, doll-like skipper made the tactical error of
paying each man a couple of bob advance on his forthcoming wages.

In a shouting, singing mob we made for Brisbane, like schoolboys on a
holiday.

Two shilling apiece wasn't much. But a vagabond can make a little silver
go far. And there are more friends to be found by men in such a
condition, more good times to be had--of a sort--than a world held by
more proper standards can imagine.

In both brothel and pub the men found friends. There were other sailors
ashore, there were many swagmen just in from the bush--some with
"stakes" they had earned on the ranches out in the country ... and in
their good, simple hearts they were not averse to "standing treats."

* * * * *

As if by previous appointment, one by one we drifted together, we
cattlemen of the _South Sea King_--we drifted together and found each
other in the fine park near the Queensland House of Parliament.

We had, all of us, already over-stayed our shore-leave by many hours.
We grouped together in informal consultation as to what should be
done--should we go back to the ship or not?

"We might run into a typhoon ... with all them crazy cattle on board!"
voiced one....

* * * * *

Nevertheless, perhaps because it was, after all, the line of least
resistance, because there regular meals awaited us, and a secure place
of sleep, by twos and threes we drifted back, down the long, hot, dusty
road, to where the _South Sea King_ lay waiting for us ... the mate, the
captain, and the cattle-boss furious at us for our over-stayed
shore-leave....

* * * * *

The cattle had been there these many hours, bellowing and moving
restlessly in their land-pens, the hot sun blazing down upon them.

* * * * *

Our cattle-boss, it seems, knew all about the handling of his animals on
land. But not on sea. When, the following morning, we started early,
trying to drive the cattle on board ship, they refused to walk up the
runway. In vain the boss strewed earth and sod along its course, to make
it seem a natural passage for them ... they rushed around and around
their pens, kicking up a vast, white, choking dust,--snorting,
bellowing, and throwing their rumps out gaily in sidelong gallopades ...
all young Queensland steers; wild, b