Midsummer's Eve

"It's better than I thought it would be," my mother explained. "It's a long rambling sort of house, all on one floor. There are several rooms though, and we can all sleep there in moderate comfort. Greg, who was living there, says he'll move out while we're in residence. There's a sort of cottage close by to which he can go. They call it a shack. The temporary hands sleep there when they come to help with shearing and that sort of thing. There are other shacks too where the workmen sleep. It's quite a little village in a way. Apparently there are acres of land so your father is quite a landowner here. He says Greg's been adding to it when the opportunity has arisen and he's made quite a place of it.”

"I'm impressed," said my father. "He's certainly done a good job.”

"You're not going to get so pleased with it that you want to stay?" I asked anxiously.

My father laid his hand on my shoulder. "Don't be afraid of that.”

"But we shall have to stay until Helena's baby is born," my mother pointed out.

"Yes, I know.”

"After that we'll go. I think that will be quite long enough ... even for Jacco.”

"And we'll make ourselves as comfortable as possible while we're here," said my mother.

"We're going shopping tomorrow. I want some beds and linen chiefly. And we shall take some food with us. There is a township nearer than Sydney but that is a bit primitive. I think about a week will be enough to do all we need.”

There followed a week of activity. My mother and I shopped. Sometimes Helena came with us. She was moving into a stage of greater discomfort now and became very tired by the middle of the day. I insisted that she rest, which she did without much persuasion.

She was to come with us and so would Matthew at first, but naturally he would want to move about, otherwise how could he find the material he sought. He would be out looking for it, of course, and while he did Helena would be staying with us.

We were now in the height of summer and the heat was trying. My father said it would be more tolerable in the country. Unfamiliar insects plagued us considerably and seemed to take a special fancy to our English skins. The flies were a pest. I had never seen so many.

At home it would be winter and from afar that seemed preferable to this overpowering heat. Each morning we were awakened by the sun streaming into our rooms; and there it stayed all day and no blinds could keep it out.

The day before we were ready to leave Greg arrived. I heard his voice before I saw him. He was talking to my father in the foyer of the hotel.

"I thought you might need a guide. It's easy to get lost in the bush. So I've come to offer myself. Some of the stuff's arrived. I've set it up where I thought you'd want it. If it's wrong, no need to fret. Some of the boys will soon shift it round to please you.”

My father said: "That is good of you. I thought I knew my way. Remember, it's not my first visit; we did find our way back. But it will be a help to have someone who is familiar with the country.”

"Good-o," said Greg. "We'll start at dawn tomorrow. Then we can get a good way in the morning. We can pull up for rest somewhere out of the sun if that's possible.

Think it might be. Then start off again in the late afternoon. That way we avoid the worst of the heat.”

I could see that he was going to put himself in charge; but I did realize that as he was on familiar terrain it was better so.

Helena could not ride and there was a buggy which Greg would drive. My mother and I would ride in it with Helena. My father and Matthew would go on horseback.

It was rather pleasant in the early morning. We set off with Greg in the driving seat, taking charge of the two grey horses. With the sun not yet up in its full fury the air was comparatively cool. We left the town behind and came into the open country.

Gregory talked over his shoulder to us as he drove along pointing out the great eucalyptus trees which were such a feature of the landscape.

"We call them gums," he said. "All over Australia you'll find gums.”

The yellow bushes enchanted me. They seemed to be as ubiquitous as the gum trees.

"Wattle," he said. "That's another of our plants. When you see wattle like that you know you're in Australia.”

"We call it mimosa at home," I said.

"That's wattle," he said firmly.

Now we had come to what he called "the scrub," which consisted of stunted shrubs.

"You have to be careful not to wander out here. You can get lost. People have been known to walk for days looking for the way and then find themselves back where they started because they've been walking in circles.”

There were some beautiful birds. I recognized the parrots and cockatoos and he pointed out others-lyre birds, regent birds and fly catchers.

"They," I said, "must be very useful here.”

"You're referring to our fly population. You have to admit there are a few in the world who love us.”

The morning was wearing on and the sun climbing high.

"Soon," shouted Greg to the riders, "we'll call a halt.”