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单项选择题Auctions(拍卖) are public sales of goods,conducted by an officially approved auctioneer. He asked the crowd to gather in the auction room to hid for various items on sale. He encourages buyers to bid higher figures and finally names the highest bidder as the buyer of the goods. This is called "knocking down" the goods,for the bidding ends when the auctioneer bangs a small hammer on a raised platform.
The ancient Romans probably invented sales by auction and the English word comes from the Latin "autic" ,meaning "increase". The Romans usually sold in this way the these sales were called "sub hasta" ,meaning "under the spear",a spear being stuck in the ground as a signal for a crowd to gather. In England in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries goods were often sold "by the candle"; a short candle was lit by the auctioneer and bids could be made while it was burning.
Practically all goods can be sold by auction. Among these are coffee, skins, wool, tea. cocoa, furs, fruit, vegetables and wines. Auction sales are also Usual for land and property, antique furniture, pictures, rare books,old china and works of art. The auction rooms at Chritie’ s and Sotheby’ s in London and New York are world-famous.
An auction is usually advertised beforehand with full particulars of the articles to be sold and where and when they can be viewed by the buyers. If the advertisement cannot give full details, catalogues are printed,and each group of goods to be sold together, called a "lot" ,is usually given a number. The auctioneer need not begin with lot one and continuehe may wait until he notices the fact that certain buyers are in the room and then produce the lots they are likely to be interested in. The auctioneer’ s services are paid for in the form of a percentage of the price the goods are sold for. The auctioneer therefore has a direct interest in pushing up the bidding.In the sentence" The Romans usually sold in this way the spoils taken in war", the word "spoils" most probably means ______.A. useless goods
B. spearsC. various kinds of food
D. property taken from the enemy
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最新相关试卷Title: Reminiscences of the Early Settlement of the Maranoa
Author: Mary A McManus
A Project Gutenberg of Australia eBook
eBook No.: 1300171h.html
Language: English
Date first posted: January 2013
Date most recently updated: January 2013
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Reminiscences of the Early Settlement of the Maranoa
Mary A. McManus
June, 1903.
INTRODUCTION
In compliance with a request made me by a friend that I should
give him a few of my reminiscences of the early settlement of Mount
Abundance and the Maranoa, I will endeavour in the following pages
to comply with his request as best I can.
As I kept no regular journal or any notes, I write mostly from
memory. Therefore, if any of the few old residents think that I
depart from strict facts I am willing to be corrected. For "To err
is human." Also I beg to be forgiven if I dwell somewhat at length
on personal matters, because in doing so I am also dwelling on the
recollections of others who were intimately connected with our life
at Mount Abundance at that time, as will be seen as I proceed. I
also hope any appearance of egotism may be pardoned. Indeed, I
think I may justly lay claim to a little self-knowledge, as I am
the oldest woman now living and the first with my mother who came
to the district.
I shall commence with my father's (Stephen Spencer's) occupation
of Mt. Abundance, which he purchased of Mr. Allen McPherson of
Keira Station, near Barraba, New South Wales. The purchase was
effected in September, 1857. In the following March, 1858, my
father started from his station, Iron Bark, near Barraba, New South
Wales. His party consisted of himself, my mother, myself aged 14,
and my brother David, aged 11 years, 13 men, 1,000 head of cattle,
60 horses, 4 bullock drays laden with rations, household effects
etc, a spring cart in which my mother and we children travelled. It
was a very cramped affair (no waggonettes or buckboards or buggies
in those days). We journeyed on very slowly, as we kept pace with
the cattle and bullock teams. The distance was 400 miles, and we
were four months on the road. Our losses in stock during the first
200 miles were heavy owing to the scarcity of feed and water. There
was no grass till we crossed over from Nindi Gully on the Moonie
River to Boomba on the Balonne. Nindi Gully was then only a cattle
station, managed by a Mr. Webster for Mr. Ogilvie of the Clarence
Mr. Webster was exceedingly kind to us. There was no water
between Nindi Gully and Boomba (a distance of 25 miles), where we
struck the Balonne. The cattle and teams were obliged to travel
night and day to reach it. Boomba was then the property of Mr.
Henry Dangar, of New South Wales, whose general manager was the
late Mr. (afterwards Sir) Arthur H. Palmer. Boomba was then
temporarily in charge of a stockman. We travelled slowly up the
Balonne River to allow our cattle to recover their condition on the
luxuriant grass that grew so plentifully all along its banks.
The next place we reached was the natural bridge of rocks called
by Sir Thomas Mitchell, St. George's Bridge. Here we stayed a short
time. There was then no habitation of any kind where the township
of St. George now stands. My brother and I were probably the first
white children who ran across that natural bridge. Then we
proceeded up the river and camped some time at Warroo and Wargoo
Stations, formerly owned by Mr. Ogilvie, but then the property of
Mr. Robert Fitzgerald, a wealthy squatter of New South Wales, but
both were deserted. On one of them was a large slab hut of several
rooms. The walls were pierced with port holes for the purpose of
shooting through them at any hostile blacks that might molest the
occupants. At No. Ten, Mr. Becket's Station, we stayed a while. He
was very kind to us and lent us working bullocks to draw our teams
through the sand. Then we came to Donga, managed by Mr. Richard
McDougall, who had recently lost his wife under very painful
circumstances. I think Donga was then owned by Messrs Flood and
Gordon, of Sydney, but I am not certain. Subsequently I know it
and managed by a Mr. Solomon Wiseman.
From Donga we had no road but two old dray tracks and the first
track up and down the Balonne of the mailman in the boggy soil from
Moree to Surat. All along the banks of the Balonne the country was
most lovely. The tall grass waving in the wind nearly over our
heads like a field of wheat ready for reaping. The bullocks in the
teams could scarcely be seen for the high grass. Wild carrots,
crows foot, etc., were in abundance. Then we reached Werribene,
then owned by Mr. Thos. Hall, of Dartbrook, New South Wales, and
managed by a man named George Neal. A few miles further up was
Talavera&or native name Yamboogal&owned by Mr. Joseph
Flemming, and managed by James Norman. Both he and Neal were "old
At each station there was only one white man to cook, etc. (or
hut keepers as they were called in those days). The other employees
were all black boys. Surat consisted then of only a post office and
commissioner's camp. Mr. Henry Boyle was Crown Lands Commissioner
then. Noorindoo also was Mr. Hall's of Dartbrook Station. It was
afterwards managed for him by Mr. F. G. McKay, now postmaster in
Roma for many years. This station we did not see, as it is higher
up the River. At Talavera we crossed the Balonne at the back of the
house or a little higher up. In crossing, two of our drays capsized
into a mud puddle in the bed of the river. This necessitated a camp
of some days to repair damages, dry wet clothing and other things
damaged by water and mud.
Here my father dismissed about 200 or 250 of the blacks and
their gins and picaninnies, all of whom had followed us up the
Balonne from B retaining about 20 in all to assist in getting
bark, etc., on our arrival at Mount Abundance. We now left the
Balonne and continued our journey up the Yalebene Creek, leaving
also behind us the last inhabited Station (Talavera). We camped at
Occabulla (now Trinidad), then a deserted station, recently
occupied by Paddy McInroe, who was left in charge of Mount
Abundance by Mr. McPherson, but who had died at Drayton, just after
my father bought the station, from the effects of a drunken spree.
We now went up the Yalebene Creek till we arrived at Mount
Abundance deserted head Station on the Muckadilla Creek or what
remained of it, for a bush fire had burned the two huts and stock
yards. We landed there on the 11th June, 1858, after a trying and
fatiguing journey of four months duration. We camped under a large
tent made of calico and the tarpaulins from the drays, until a
rough slab hut could be built. We immediately commenced to rebuild
the hut that was partly burned, also the stock yards, etc.
My mother was the first squatter's wife who ever came into the
Maranoa district, and my brother and I were the first children. It
was a rough life we had then. My mother was quite unused to it, and
I was too young to be of much assistance to her. No household
servants would venture out then, no matter what inducement was held
out to them. We were obliged to perform all our household duties as
best we could. We lived in this great tent, in which all our
cooking utensils and cases of household effects were stored away,
so there was not much room to spare. Here I made my first damper,
which was by no means a success. The weather too was bitterly cold.
The water in the buckets was almost solid ice. We turned it out the
shape of the buckets.
A few days after our arrival seven of our men left, and three
remained. The news of the murder of the Frazer family at Hornet
Bank on the Dawson frightened them, or they pretended to be
frightened. The real cause was the rush to the Peak Downs
goldfields. Both events happened about the same time. Be that as it
may, they all cleared out one morning, leaving only three of their
mates behind. These were William Coverly, Philip Mellows, and
another man Joe, whose surname I forget. We soon built a rough hut,
rebuilt the stockyards, and were tolerably comfortable for a
We had no trouble whatever with the blacks. Though they were
troublesome at other Stations, they never molested either ourselves
or our property, although nearly 300 followed us up from Boomba and
St. George's Bridge to Talavera. The reason of this was that my
father treated them kindly but firmly. To every black man, woman,
and child, he gave a new clay pipe and a fig of cheap tobacco as a
peace offering. He never ill-treat nor did he
allow any of his men to do so or to have any intercourse with them
whatever. He dismissed six men on one occasion for not obeying his
rule in this particular. No black of either sex was allowed near
our camp after sundown. The question has often been asked me, "Were
you not afraid of the blacks?" I answered "Not a bit." "Were they
hostile?" "Not at all." Some of these blacks were real "Myals," not
speaking a word of English, but none attempted any outrage of any
sort. At the same time we did not ignore the fact that they were
and we had arms always in readiness in case an occasion
should arise requiring their use.
The native police were patrolling the district as well. We were
visited by two companies of native police at this time. One under
the command of the Government officer, Mr. Robert Walker, with
eight troopers (I think) all blacks. Another under Mr. Fredrick
Walker, or as he was familiarly called, "Philibuster Walker,"
because he went about the country with a band of six black
troopers. He was the founder of the Native Police, and was raised
to the rank of commandant of the Native Police Force. But alas! he
could not resist the failing of intemperance. Consequently, he was
requested to resign. He still patrolled this and other districts,
chiefly in the Dawson. His home, I believe was at Mr. Andrew
Scott's station, Hornet Bank. He was a fine specimen of a man. He
stood 6 feet or over, broad-chested and square shouldered. He was
well educated, and possessed much practical knowledge on almost
every subject. He continued his patrols till his death, also his
railings against the Government for its ingratitude in not
recognising his services. The first Native Police Force was
recruited by him from the native tribes on the Murray River, New
South Wales. But to return&
Though the Native Police visited us and the neighbouring
stations, they were not needed anywhere except in a few isolated
cases. There was, and always has been, more fuss made about hostile
blacks than there was ever any real occasion for. And half the
hostilities and murders were caused by carelessness, too great
familiarity, or unmerited abuse and ill-treatment. It being then to
the interest of the workmen to cry out "Wild Blacks." They thinking
by so doing, they could prevent other men from coming out, which
would keep up the high rate of wages that they were then being
given, not seeing in their ignorance that it also kept squatters
from coming out and opening up the country, and by so doing
employing more men and creating a demand for labour, thus causing
new industries to spring up that would never have been the case if
their absurd cry
nor would Queensland be what
she is today.
We remained at Mount Abundance six or eight weeks, when my
father decided to form the Head Station where it now stands, on the
banks of the Bungeworgorai Creek. This was desirable for many
reasons, though not so convenient in other respects. One was to be
nearer to Wallumbilla Station, which was 50 miles from us on the
eastern side, and Surat which was 50 miles on the southern side,
the nearest habitations. Thus, in removing to the Bungeworgorai
Creek we were only 30 miles from Wallumbilla. That station at that
time was owned by Mr. William P. Gordon. He called on us after we
arrived at Bungeworgorai. This was his second visit. The first was
when we were at the old head station near the mountain almost as
soon as we arrived there.
Having selected the present site for the head station we
proceeded to build ourselves habitations. We lived for six months
in two V-shaped humpies built of bark. These were about twelve or
fourteen feet long and about six or eight feet wide and six feet
high in the centre only. All available space was filled with
loading, boxes and household effects, leaving a narrow gangway down
the centre. No cleaning could be done owing to the crowded state of
the buildings, and the place was swarming with fleas that had come
in out of the bush. Such a number I never saw before or since. It
was a perfect plaque. It was Christmas ti and
it rained almost every day, heavy thunderstorms. The creek was a
banker for a week at a time, and the ground so boggy that no horse
or dray could stand. The first timber that was ever cut west of
Wallumbilla was cut off the big sand ridge opposite what is now Mt.
Abundance Lodge gate&once known as Gibson's farm, now Irea.
It was cut for our house. A rough affair, it was afterwards a
kitchen. It was the first house built on the creek, excepting Mr.
McPherson's hut about a mile below the present station, which was
burnt to the ground before we came.
In March, 1859, the first wheat ever grown in the district was
grown by my father on that sand ridge. The first grape vines were
grown at the head station, also the first fig, peach, and apricot
trees. And the first rose tree was planted by my mother and bloomed
in her garden in the spring of 1859. The first sheep to cross the
Bungil and Bungeworgorai Creeks were my father's; likewise the
first teams that crossed were his, and laden with his stores. The
first wool was also his that crossed on its way to Brisbane. I
forget the name of the first carrier who crossed the Creek going
West, but I think it was one Florence O'Sullivan, brother to Pat
O'Sullivan, once M.P. for Ipswich.
This was before the separation of Queensland from New South
Wales. We had rough times then, too. My mother and I did all our
own work, assisted by the black gins. Our sewing was then all done
by hand, there being no sewing machines as now. We were then the
most Westerly residents, Mount Abundance head station being outside
My father made the first marked tree line from Mount Abundance
to Wallumbilla Station in 1859, before there was anyone living at
Blythsdale or Tingin, as it was called at that time. Blythsdale was
taken up some time previous to this, but owing to the hostilities
of the natives the owner was deterred from forming a station there.
It afterwards became the property of Mr. W. P. Gordon, and was a
part of Wallumbilla run. It is said that Mr. Blyth (the original
owner) was attacked by the blacks. Mr. Blyth shot some of them,
then he and his man caught and mounted their horses bareback,
forgetting in their haste to take the hobbles off. The consequence
was they were both thrown, which caused some delay before they
could get safely away. Mr. Gordon built a sheep station at Tingin,
where a very old and eccentric shepherd lived and tended his flock.
It afterwards became an overseer's station, till it was purchased
by Mr. Henry Cardell, who gave it its original name of Blythsdale,
which it has since retained.
The first gentleman to go out on an exploring expedition in
search of new country in July, 1859, was Mr. William Hunter. He
owned Chinchilla at that time. He subsequently owned Eurella in the
Maranoa district, afterwards the property of Messrs Menzies,
Doughlass & Co. Mr. Hunter was afterwards Inspector of Brands
at St. George, the duties of which he discharged till his death,
which took place in Brisbane about 12 years ago (if my memory
serves me.) He was familiarly known as "Daddy" Hunter. He will be
remembered as a kindly, genial man, by many old residents of the
district, and by some of the younger ones also. He explored a great
distance out West beyond the Maranoa River, which was then a
terra incognita.
Then came Mr. William Bassett (cousin of Mr. S. S. Bassett of
Roma). He took up Euthulla, which the cousins owned for several
years. After him came the Hon. James Lalor, who took up, some say
bought, Gubberamunda, higher up the Bungil Creek than Euthulla, and
which is still owned by him. I may say here that Gubberamunda,
Stewart's Creek (Mr. George Smith's Station), and Mount Lonsdale
(Mr. William McManus's Station) are the only three stations that
have remained in the possession of their original owners. That is,
as far as I am aware, all others having passed through the hands of
more than one owner or owners, some through several.
About this time, July 1859, we were visited by Mr. Henry Boyle,
Commissioner of Crown Lands at S also Mr. William Yaldwyn then
of Bendemere Station, Queensland, now Police Magistrate at
Brisbane. My father now made an exploration of the Upper
Bungeworgorai Creek in the company of Mr. Frederick Walker before
mentioned. They camped on or near a very pretty hill covered with
bottle trees which Mr. Walker named Mount Spencer, after my father.
It was afterwards known as Bottle Tree Hill. Another hill near, by
of peculiar shape, Mr. Walker named after himself, but it was
subsequently renamed Bob's Mountain. These latter names still
adhere to them.
On my father's return he tendered for a run near Mount Beagle,
so named by Sir Thomas Mitchell, and it became the residence of my
maternal uncle Mr. William Smith, for some years. In December,
1859, my uncle William Smith, his wife and family of 11 children
with all their horses, cattle, drays, etc., arrived at Mount
Abundance from New South Wales. They lived with us for about a
year, when they removed to Mount Beagle in January 1861, which
station my father had taken up for them. My uncle was a wonderfully
hard working and persevering man, and he spent a great deal of time
and labour in making Mount Beagle a comfortable home. He was
delighted with the fine waterhole, near which he built his
homestead. It was three-quarters of a mile long, and its depth was
unknown. Now I believe it is quite filled up with sand drift, which
shows the changes that stocking [the] country has brought about.
This lovely water-hole, when I first saw it, was a magnificent
sight. The natives declared it never went dry. It was beautiful
water too, as clear as crystal.
Mr. William Smith was the father of Messrs George[,] William,
and Spencer S. Smith, all well known in the neighbourhood of R
also of Messrs John and S. Charles Smith, late owners of Tyrconnell
Downs and Ularunda, and Mr. Alfred C. Smith of Armadilla. His five
daughters are also well known. The eldest [was] the late Mrs. A.
Statham, of Tregoning, near Morven, Warrego district. The third
daughter is Mrs. R. Statham, late of Bonus Downs, near Mitchell. My
uncle died a comparatively young man in 1867, and is buried at
Mount Abundance Head Station, beside his sister (my mother), who
died at Mount Abundance the previous year. Mount Beagle, after
being my uncle's property for 7 or 8 years became the property of
the Scottish Australian Investment Company. After my uncle's death
his widow and her family settled at Stewart's Creek, where her
eldest son George and her youngest daughter now reside.
In 1859 Queensland separated from New South Wales. Then came the
rush for taking up new country, and exploring expeditions became
the order and topic of the day (and night too), for nothing else
was thought of or discussed. Everyone was infatuated with the
desire to possess a run in Queensland. The excitement was extreme,
and nearly equal to that of the gold rush seven or eight years
before. As before said, Mount Abundance was the furthest out
station in a westerly direction, consequently it formed a depot for
all explorers both going out and coming in, it being the only store
where supplies could be obtained. The nearest township was Surat,
but we went to the Condamine for our mail, a distance of one
hundred miles. It was a great place in its own way, and consisted
of a store, 2 public houses, blacksmith's shop, post office, and
the usual humpies and shantys that constituted a bush town at that
time of primitive buildings. In 1860 at the request of the
residents of the neighbourhood, my father became postmaster, and a
receiving office, the first in the district, was opened at our
store. It was a great boon to all residents around, who were glad
to have their mails brought to a reasonable distance of their
Bindango Station was the next to be taken up about this time by
Mr. W. F. Kennedy of Tieryboo, near Condamine. His manager was Mr.
James M. Gilmour, who lived there [for] some years with his
brother, John M. [Gilmour]. James Gilmour was afterwards
sub-inspector of Native Police at Thargomindah. He died some years
later at Blackall. His brother John went home to Scotland, and
after several years stay in the "Old Country" returned to
Queensland. Mr. Kennedy was a very handsome man, and also a highly
educated one. I believe he died in Sydney about 30 years ago.
The seasons were very wet at this time, and there was great
scarcity of rations owing to flooded creeks and boggy roads on
which no dray could travel. Supplies were sometimes months on the
road from Ipswich. Many stations were reduced to pigweed and
fathen, which grew plentifully almost everywhere, and were a good
substitute for cabbages. On one occasion we were a whole month
without any flour at all, and we had only about 2lbs. of sugar,
which we reserved for my aunt's baby. And, worse by far than all,
we had no salt. No one can imagine what a deprivation that is, and
how we longed for it. I divided all we had amongst ourselves and
the workmen, but some of them were mean enough to steal ours when
their own had been used. Many of us suffered from dysentery through
the want of salt. We had, however, an abundance of vegetables,
especially swede turnips, some of which were very large. My father
supplied the neighbouring stations with them, gratis.
Carriage was very high too,