Page:Victoria, with a description of its principal cities, Melbourne and Geelong.djvu/73

 and loose herbage, and along the banks of a pretty stream, through a large plain here and there interspersed with trees, under whose shade lay the grouping flocks,—scenery not surpassed in the pastoral districts of England, though having a degree of wildness and an absence of the human form divine — brought us to a line of paling stretching across the plain; and this our guide pointed out as the general landmark to find a station, for, from the extent of the runs, they cannot be fenced, but a few hundred acres around the station are generally more or less so, with posts and rails for the purpose of occasionally collecting the flocks and herds,—the former for shearing, and the latter for branding, which last operation is necessary from the constant occurrence of cattle straying into other runs, and the difficulty occasioned thereby of identification; and as the branding only takes place every second or third year, it is rendered more necessary, for the sake of the increased number during the interval, and which are only known by the general resemblance to the herd which they accompany.

While speaking on this matter, we may further describe it as rather an exciting event to the squatters. When a proprietor resolves to have a grand branding-day, his neighbours for miles around are invited to assist, he returning the compliment when required. We joined one of these battues, and were it not for our being under the particular guardianship of a Bush horseman, we certainly would have been