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LETTER HOME
Dear Mum, Dad and Jess,
Here we go again, and this time in triplicate
because a copy of the screed may be useful as a Real Australian article
and save time later on. When such articles are call for it is not always
easy to give the attention to them just when the demand is made. It will
be useful to have an article 'up my sleeve'. Picking up from 3rd inst.
This was Sunday and a day of extra services for W/ca. One person came
to 8 a.m. and she was a stranger to the town. This day began the daylight
saving period and may be mentioned as the beginning of troubles. Things
were about normal. After Church a few came in to supper.
Next day was washing day and _ Hours Day.
Today I boxed up a few tyres and sent them to T Jones. He is desperately
short and so I sent him some that he may be able to have patched. Bill
was sick today and stayed in bed I think. He was home from school the
next day for a while. He is O.K. now, in fact was soon back to normal.
Since then Brian has had an 'off colour' spasm and was fixed with the
help of the oil bottle. The car had to be o/hauled in prep. for the trip.
Accounts of Church and Hostel took time at night.
On Tues 5th. I was buzzing about getting
petrol etc. There is a lot of time wasting messing about now necessary,
due to was conditions. Before a drum of petrol can be bought, one has
to get a special permit from the policeman. In this instance it was first
necessary to find the policeman. A twelve gallon drum left at the garage
to be mended, had not been attended to so that matter had to be arranged.
Because now only limited supplies of petrol are obtainable at a limited
number of places, and it is necessary to carry so much on a long bush
trip, I had to borrow a 25 gal. three 12 gal. drums and the car tank had
to be filled and stowed away and in addition, the lantern, water, oil,
tools and spares, bedding, tucker box, books and personal effects, shovel
and axe. With the back of these jobs broken I visited the hospital. Then
discussed certain matters with Matron (Hostel). At night there were book-keeping
jobs to be seen to.
Off at 9 a.m. next day I was running a day
late. On the way to Ivanhoe there was a block in the petrol pipe but I
arrived 1.45 p.m. in plenty of time to meet the B/p/. He was suffering
from a heavy cold, one of the worst he had ever had. We both wondered
(without telling each other) how travelling would affect him. We had a
service in the evening and then most of the Congregation retired to the
local cafe for supper. There the Bishop was officially farewelled at a
friendly and cheerful little gathering. After the departure of the others,
we retired to Clark's and had another and extra late supper.
H.C. next morning at 7.30 a.m. and off at
9 a.m., calling at a place on the way home, where we arrived 2 p.m. The
B/p was settled in and all things put in order in nice time for the service
(Confirmation) at night. Late the "crowd" (a good houseful)
came in for a basket supper and the B/p had to face another official farewell.
It went off very well. Brand (Meth) spoke too and told of the experience
of three men in China. One was C.of E. one Pres. one Meth. They were held
up by a bandit and relieved of their valuables. After some time the Meth
man was released and given his property by the bandit-in-chief. "Where
are the others" asked the man and learned that they were still in
bonds. "Why am I favoured" he next asked. The bandit whispered
in his ear "I'm a Methodist too." (Birds of a feather.)
The B/p was in fair form in spite of his
cold. When the tumult and the shouting died we three had another supper
and so to bed.
Next day we really began our trip. Towards
White Cliffs, to which we were bound, there were heavy dark clouds and
ominous rumblings that seemed to indicate a bad beginning, if not a bad
trip. We ran straight through to White Cliffs. There were some arrangements
to be made for the trip and for our return, and a little business on behalf
of an old-age pensioner now in W/ca Hospital. From there we went on to
Glenhope and had lunch, the B/p nearly falling asleep before and after.
He managed to keep wide awake when the food confronted him. He became
sleepy ever afternoon. On the way north a good many cars passed us. The
folk were off to "The Cliffs" for a dance that night with a
Gymncarna and dance to follow on the Sat. As a consequence, most of the
places we passed were empty. At two we were made welcome.
I hade hopes of camping for the night at
a place a good way up the track. Petrol pipe troubles delayed us and when
we arrived at 7 pm it was to discover that the man was away and his deaf
wife and a young daughter were holding the fort. We could not stop there,
so we pushed on. One spectacular sight seen on the way to this place was
the beginnings of a decent sized dust cloud that must have given troubles
to housewives somewhere or other. On the horizon, columns of red dust
were sweeping up into the air to feed a mighty billowing cloud. On our
side the cloud looked red,-rusty red, the same as the dust here. But on
the side furthest from the sun (why, is still a mystery to me) it was
a glowing and splendid purple. How majestically it rolled along. We were
glad we were missed by it. The worst we got was to be submerged by one
of the tearing swishing columns. At times the track was blotted out and
we had to stay still. There was dirt in our eyes, ears, teeth, and up
our noses. The driven sand stung the unprotected parts of the body hard
enough to cause considerable discomfort. But it didn't last long. This
sort of blow causes havoc with the feed. In these parts there had been
good rains and the grass and herbage was coming on nicely.
All was plain sailing until, running along
a fence, we came to a gate. Should we go in or was there another gate
some miles further on. I was inclined to think there was another gate
further on, but having been on this road only once before, and that when
coming the other way, I could not be sure. It was decided to go via the
gate because that track headed west and it was west that we needed to
go. Thunder clouds had accumulated and we were treated to some brilliant
displays of lightning, but the rain was not worth mentioning. Petrol line
trouble and a wash-out on the track slowed down the speed average and
so when at last, after passing the wool shed (welcome sight) we arrived
at the homestead, it was after 9 pm. The manager was away but his wife
gladly welcomed us and amply provided for our needs, not the least of
which was a shower just before retiring.
Next morning the cars trouble was located
and a temporary repair made and after a check-up and breakfast, we pushed
off. Our hostess gladly accepted some reading matter, and her daughters,
some pictures. This house is miles from anywhere. In reply to inquiries
we learned that though a mail calls once per week when weather permits,
recently these people had been cut off from the rest of the world for
a stretch of six weeks. They have no phone and no pedal wireless. For
medical services and such they go, not to Tibooburra, not to White Cliffs
but to Bourke.
The next leg of the journey presented no
difficulties. The track was clear and the country attractive. At Salisbury
there was a lake in place of the usual lakette around the bore. This was
due to rains that had saturated the usually parched ground and had filled
a creek that fed the lake. On this were numerous wild birds that fled
with clattering and squawking when the car suddenly appeared.
The Homestead is in a bad state of dilapidation
and is now used only as an out-station. We met and talked with an old
boundary rider who was "home" doing his weekly washing.
The next nine miles to a telegraph line and
a well-beaten road was over indistinct tracks leading vaguely through
clay pans and sand banks. The very first attempt to circumnavigate a half-filled
clay pan brought disaster. Dry sand had hidden the danger and the car
had sunk almost axle deep before we knew it. There was a hard bottom,
but even so a good deal of digging, starting, stopping again was needed
before we at last won free. Thinking that the sand ridges, after the rain
would be firm enough I attempted to nose along on the high spots. Only
the crust was solid and soon we were stuck once more. We did the only
thing possible,- re-traced our tracks and went round another way. This
meant an extra 20 mile run.
The telegraph line road was wicked. Heavy
rain had eroded the track into sharp irregular valleys cutting across
the road. No wonder the car squeaked and the seats became extra hard.
After passing Clifton Bore and another near Whyjonta property, I missed
the turn-off. But we were following tele line heading west so decided
to keep on even if it took us to Alice Springs. I had a good idea as to
its terminus, which proved to be Milparinka. I wonder how many stones
per yard there were on the last dozen miles of that stretch! Large and
small, sharp and rounded, they rocked the bus and popped out from tyres
with small explosions.
Mrs Bonnett at Milparinka Hotel was pleased
to meet the Bishop, again and provided us with a splendid lunch at 4.30
p.m. By phone we learned that Tib. was somewhat anxious about us so we
promised to push on. Taking on board a passenger who was out on a spree
and had been ‘spreeing’ at Milparinka before our arrival we poked along
to Tib. Arriving only ten minutes after the appointed time, we learned
that the service was to be postponed until later in the evening. This
suited everyone very well. We had time for a wash and brush up...we did
not bother with feeding. There was a record congregation of 31! After
the service I hung about to make arrangements and to have a lantern show
for the youngsters in the Court House. But a Hospital Meeting was in session
at the Court House for so long that the show had to be abandoned. About
10.30 I dug out the Hosp. Sister and asked her to give the Bishop and
self a spot of supper. We were getting rather peckish. She did so, very
nicely. You must understand that the only place for meals is the pub.
When the sitting is finished, food is ‘off’. Whilst at the Hospital we
made arrangements for an early Celebration there next morning.
The Lessees of the main pub. are to relinquish
their lease and have bought out licence and building of the other pub.
The building is being renovated and we were given first use of the room
just renovated and used the furniture for the first time. We made ourselves
comfortable. The one drawback to the arrangements was that bathing arrangements
had not been completed and we had to wash in one of those trying bedroom
bowls with water from a jug. The landlady said she was putting us in the
‘new’ building because she thought it would be quieter for us. With this
I readily agreed and if you knew Tib. ‘as she can be’ you would understand.
She pointed out that if we wanted a bath we could slip across (75 yards)
to the other place and have one. somehow I sensed that somehow she would
prefer that we didn’t. The weather being not very warm, we decided we
could forfeit the bath. Any extra water needed would have to be carried
from downstairs so we minimised the quantities used. The dirty water was
put in the ‘jerry’ and after it accumulated and at a time no one was about
to make observations, emptied from the window.
At 8 a.m. we had Communion at the Hosp. then
breakfast at the pub. It was necessary to get directions for the road.
I should say too that the Saturday night service was to have been a Confirmation
but the birds had flown. The girls who had been prepared were from across
the Q’ld border. When, for some reason not understood, it was no longer
possible for them to be accommodated at Tib. they had to go home. It was
decided that since the girls could not come to the Bishop, then the Bishop
must go to them. So after breakfast on the Sunday, away we went. We went
via Yalpunga P.O. the department of the P.M.G. that is furthermost NW
in N.S.W. Here the Bishop posted a letter. On to the home of the Border
Fence Overseer and his assistant at Onepah. We gleaned a good dinner and
the news that at such a time of day it would be impossible to make our
proposed trip and get back to Tib. for evening service. And the people
we were to see not in a position to put up two of us. We did the next
best, called at Wompah and had a look at the Border Fence known as Customs
House Gate. On the film is a photo of the car, front half in Q’ld and
rear in N.S.W. and the Bishop with one foot each in each state and, incidentally,
one foot in his old diocese (Riverina) and one in his new (Brisbane).
The Bishop stood in Q’ld to write a note or two to certain friends. The
notes were posted at Yalpunga on the way back to Tib. We were in time
to give the young fry a lantern show and have a short informal service.
At various times the Bishop regaled me with
amusing yarns. One was that he heard from a prominent R.C. man who, as
a young priest had a Bishop over him who used to check up on the parish
work of the younger man by going round with them in the sulky. When there
came into sight of any of the numerous houses at which they had not called
and the Bishop asked "And who lives there?" they trotted out
the stock reply "I don’t know their names my Lord, but they are Wesleyans".
They knew he would respond as always "Wesleyans! Och, t’ hell with
them."
Another he told was of a Pres. Minister at
a place where the attendance fell off. He became fed up and one Sunday
harangued the "mob" from the pulpit. He was very very disappoint
his charge he said. Very disappointed indeed. In fact, so disappointed
that he thought he would relinquish it. Really, he wondered what was wrong
with the Presbyterians these days. Altogether, things were so disheartening
that on second thoughts he had decided to leave the Presbyterian church
altogether. Christianity was losing its grip. This was a wretched state
of affairs and he didn’t see what he could do about it except abandon
Christianity. Yes, that was what he would do; abandon the Christian Religion......he
would become an Anglican!!
To get on with the story, before bidding
farewell to Tib. I made some purchases including Vegemite and preserved
Apricots,- scarce in other places. Of course they were dear, but I knew
they would delight M. and the boys.
There is no need to tell of the calls made
en route. I’ll cut it short by saying that we reached a place called Wannaminte
in time for a nice tea. Here there were some beautiful roses growing.
The place used to be locally famous for it’s roses but the gardens had
been neglected many a day up to the time that the present manager took
over. The Manager kindly announced to Mrs Bowden at Pulchra that we were
on the way the message going first by phone and then on the pedal wireless.
Going was not too bad but in one spot I took a bend and ran into a bit
of trouble before I could see that the freshly made track swung off in
another direction. A lorry had been bogged and dug out. At this spot the
car came to a standstill with the ‘diff’ resting on the ground and one
rear wheel spinning in the air. It meant unloading and then chipping away
the earth under the ‘diff’ until the wheels bore down on solid earth once
more. On the approach to the next creek I picked my way like a black-tracker
but all the same it was not really by good management that we arrived
without trouble on the other side. The way we negotiated the troublesome
spots astonished the folk who lived just the other side of the creek.
They wanted to know who showed us the way over and said that if we had
come the plain road we would have been jammed in the creek. I hope that
you understand that these so-called creeks are dry.
At the next place we had some supper and
I yarned with the man who has been a cot case for a number of years. We
were warned about the difficulties of crossing Turkey Creek and thus fortified,
and it now being moonlight, we had high hopes of a quick run free of worry.
Hopes were dashed. Before we got to T.C. we were stuck for some time in
a narrow creek-bed that had very steep banks. To avoid bumping at the
bottom I slowed down on the down grade and did not have enough speed to
help us up the opposite side. It was necessary to dig away the bank, dig
down to a good bottom and then start from scratch. It is my peculiarity
to stick where I should not be stuck and get over troublesome spots without
trouble. Turkey Creek was easy meat.
At 11 p.m. Bowdens decided that their neighbours
had persuaded us not to try crossing the creek but to stay with them.
So they went to bed. At midnight, when the dogs barked our welcome, they
got up again and set the billy boiling.
Next morning we had H.C. celebrations and
after breakfast the Bishop had the pleasure of driving a ramshackled old
model T ford truck. It is the only type of car he handle and recalled
his roaming days in Nth Q’ld many years ago. He had his photo taken by
one of the lads of the house.
There were two calls before we arrived at
Whiteclif for some tea and another service. On the way I paused at a gate
to allow his nibs to finish his afternoon snooze.
Fortunately I did the official farewelling
at the service and this saved speeches and boredom afterwards. We were
not prepared for a supper that had been arranged to take place after the
service. After the supper we buzzed off home as fast as a tired and sleepy
driver could buzz. I think we were back at midnight. M. had supper ready
as requested by means of a telegram sent per pedal wireless from Pulchra.
The Bishop spent a good part of the day in
bed, very wisely. Yours truly was chopping wood, oiling up etc. Bishop
was early to bed too but work kept me going late. By this time the Bishop’s
cold was almost O.K. He said he had had it bumped out of him.
Early Celebration, breakfast and clothes
cleaning. This included the Bishops overcoat that was showing signs of
hard use. We paid one call at W/ca on an old lady who is one of the pioneers
and a gem.
At Billilla we were in time for lunch and
then heard the news that Italy had become a cobelligerent and that 200
Jap planes and 60 or 70 boats had been scotched at Raboul. Another place
which we stopped was Henley. Here the Bishop once more met the son of
a man with whom he first came to Australia.
We were in good time for the service at Menindee
(not bothering about food) and afterwards we all retreated to Maidens
Hotel for an official farewell and supper. Menindee sparked up well with
contributions to the Bishops farewell gist fund, and just as well because
the other centres didn’t do much.
Next day we had an early celebration which
pleased me least of all because his nibs did some silly ritual that is
valueless. Later in the morning we visited the school classes. I said
farewell to him at the train at 4.30 p.m. and probably have seen him for
the last time. He was good company. Back at the pub I tried to settle
to some writing but felt too worn out and turned to reading. I was too
tired to be bothered with company and so kept to myself.
Next day I stayed in bed till late in the
morning. In the afternoon I did a good turn for the Ivanhoe school master
by taking a work bench from Menindee School to the Railway. After that
I read a bit and wrote a bit.
Sunday as usual. Monday. Plans to hop off
in the afternoon went phut. Harold Raymond and concert party operating
on behalf of the Deaf, Dumb and Blind Institute of S.A. asked me to go
with them on the road to W/ca. on the Tuesday because they were not sure
of the road. With regrets I agreed and gave the day to visiting the school
and homes. At night I went to see the concert.
Next morning I poked round their car and
looked it over. A front spring was in a bad way and on the point of collapse.
The Co’s handy man and self did an hours work before the bus was fit for
the track and then set off. The driver they had was being careful and
would not go at any pace so the trip took much longer than it should have.
We were in front and when they fell back out of sight I had to wait in
case they needed help. However, al last we made it and I was jolly pleased
to get home for a spell.
Muriel and Bill went to the show that night.
The first of the sort that Bill has seen. It was not bad. Some of the
good items were a girl in black and white outfit, dancing. Her skirts
switched higher and higher and then she suddenly held the skirt at arm’s
length above her head, still dancing; but it appeared to be someone else,
a black girl with arms on hips and ruffled bloomers. The Conjurer and
the juggler were very good indeed. The same man sang a Village Yokel song
in a way that never fails to bring the house down. Bill was intensely
interested in the Human frog. An old contortionist of 74 years does ‘exercises’
dressed at one time as a green frog and another time as a monkey. His
favourite trick was to put both heels behind his head. This amazed Bill
who finds it a bit beyond him. There were sketches and the usual subtle
and smutty jokes. Raymony is a gifted fiddler. The singers were very good
if not top class. M. brought the Meth man and his wife here for supper.
I had the tea made, knowing just how the programme was progressing, being
able to follow it from here. The hall is just across the street.
Well that is about all. I am still tired.
Had enough energy to take the classes yesterday and to do a bit of gardening,
but not much. Today was washing day and this epistle has taken quite a
bit of time. But you deserve it after waiting so long. May you find it
interesting.
LETTER BY Karl William Luders
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