Page:Victoria, with a description of its principal cities, Melbourne and Geelong.djvu/77

 attention being devoted to cracking their whips and shouting. What a moment of intense anxiety, as some lordly bull of the herd would turn round and present a hostile appearance, the whole herd imitating him in preparing for a grand rush. As the cordon grew more distinct, and the opening became more exposed, the herd, now about 1500 in number, discovering it, made one grand rush, heading as we wished them to go. The day now was partly won, for, having once succeeded in collecting the entire body, and giving them the lead in the proper direction, the rest was not attended with much difficulty, except to keep them blindly at fall pace as long as possible. The shouts and cracking of whips were stunning, and we all dashed into the wood as if infected with the same wildness as the animals; indeed, the horses seemed to enter most heartily into the spirit of the thing, and on they went with headlong speed: crashing through the woods, over fallen timber and deep ravine, wading rivers, "o'er bank, bush, and scaur," they hurried on, until we opened on the plain, when the now foaming cattle drew up to breathe. After whipping in the loiterers, and forming all in a compact body, we drew in rein and dismounted, most of the party to light their pipes, which form the constant companions of the Bushmen. We had still six miles to take them. On the verge of the plain ran the river, over which, with considerable difficulty, we urged them, and as we waded after them, and reached the opposite bank,