, eventually finding the absconders
where the Woolgar diggings now are. On our return we ran out of rations,
and lived on iguanas, snakes, opossums, etc. Childs induced me to take
charge of a mob of bullocks, and drove them to Wandovale, where Mr. and
Mrs. Mytton were now living.

After delivering the bullocks at Wandovale, I returned to Oak Park to
muster my bullocks and horses, and found a bay mare missing. Although
assisted by the stockmen, we failed to find her. I then determined to
start for Townsville, and again take up carrying. When I reached
Wandovale on my way down, I camped at the station. Returning from
putting my bullocks on grass, I saw a number of Chinamen with pack
horses preparing to camp at the creek. One of their horses attracted my
attention, so I rode over and recognised my mare. I rode on, and watched
the direction in which the Chinamen hobbled their horses. Mr. Mytton and
I then decided that I should go out before daybreak to bring the mare
in. He was to be at the slip rails to allow the animal to be driven into
the paddock. In the dark of the early morning I had a difficulty in
locating the animal amongst so many horses. Eventually, I found her, but
I could not catch her. At daybreak I saw she was long hobbled, and
getting near enough, struck her with the bridle, I turned her towards
the station. The Chinamen were just starting out for their horses, and
seeing me, tried to cut me off, and then ensued a race for the slip
rails. I had half-a-mile to go to reach the paddock; however, putting on
a spurt, I succeeded in reaching the slip rails first, hunting the mare
through them, but I was completely winded. In response to the Chinamen's
"Wha for," Mr. Mytton said he was a Justice of the Peace, and dared them
to interfere with anything on his property. It ended by my giving my
name and address, after stating that the mare was my property, and had
been stolen from Oak Park Station.

Some time afterwards Inspector Clohesy, who was in charge of the police
on the Gilbert, informed me that the Chinamen had come to him for
redress, but he remembered how I had helped him and his escort across
the Broken River, and assured them that he knew I would not have taken
such action unless the mare was my property. The matter ended, and I
found out afterwards the mare had been stolen and sold to the Chinamen.

Mention of Inspector Clohesy reminds me that he was a remarkable
personality, now-a-days not so common--t