A lot of bull!

Thursday Sept 5^th 1929:

A day among bullocks. A very interesting time. Leaving Cec asleep, arose at 4.30 and breakfasted with the men and then all went across to the yards and as soon as it was light enough to see, the work began. Some of the men and black boys brought the bullocks from the larger yards to the smaller and then they were run into the crush which held about 18, where they were inoculated. The bullocks were wild too and in the crush would race down and pile on top of each other and hardly all through the day was one crush full and got through, without at least one blockage through a bullock getting down and jammed , in coming over on his back in getting caught in some way. Some with the big horns would get caught by them andf those poor brutes would have the horn cut off with the axe. Sometimes rails had to be taken out to release some of the bullocks from the position in which they wedged themselves. Every bullock after going through the crush must have been frightfully bruised and knocked about. The chaps bringing them into the smaller yards and then into the crush had to watch themselves as the bullocks frequently charged them and then it was a dash for the fence. They enjoyed it though and would often purposely aggravate bullocks to make them wild. Of course I was not an onlooker for long and had a go at everything, down to inoculating a bullock. I made one leap for life through a bullock trying to jump out, just where I was sitting and I was not long in reaching the other fence much to the enjoyment of the onlookers. While we were there one bullock broke his leg and had to be shot , another dislocated his shoulder. After lunch Mrs Bartlem the wife of the cook brought her baby to be Christened. We tried to get Mr Bartlem in for the ceremony but she said he was too nervous of such things. After having a talk with her she went back to the yards until ‘smoko’ and then came into Avon for tea. The day had been quite warm and we were quite pleased to sit in the cool on the verandah for a while. Had then a very pleasant musical evening and retired.

Friday Sept 6^th 1929:

After breakfast went and had a talk and game with the three little girls belonging to the second instalment of the Lloyd family and then left and arrived in Camooweal for lunch. Got the mail and read it and went across and had a talk to the kiddies at the school and then did some writing. The C.W.A (Country Womens Association) held their monthly dance evening at night, so went along for a while before retiring.

Saturday Sept 7^th 1929:

Did not do much all day except some reading and writing. A rotten day through the wind getting up and blowing very strongly. After tea Cec and I went down to the ‘Cottage’ for the evening.

Sunday Sept 8^th 1929:

The usual routine. Sunday School in the morning and a nice number of children there too and had a happy time with them. After Sunday School loaded up the car with children and drove around the town and told all about Church at night. The kiddies look forward to this drive now. Went out in the afternoon to a cave, four miles out and had a look at it and back again. There is nothing to see but a hole in the ground though. Had the best roll up at Church that we have had here as yet, there being over 40 at the service. Cec sang ‘Abide with Me’ and ‘The Blind Ploughman’ and very nice too. Had supper over at Reilly’s afterwards and then home to bed.