Поющие в терновнике

           ThenarroweasternboundarywasformedbytheBarwonRiver,whichwaswhatthelocalscalledthisnortherncourseoftheDarlingRiver,agreatmuddythousand-milestreamthatfinallyjoinedtheMurrayRiverandsurgedoutintothesouthernoceanfifteenhundredmilesawayinSouthAustralia.GillanCreek,whichraninthegullybesidetheheadstockman’shouse,mergedintotheBarwontwomilesbeyondtheHomePaddock.

           Paddyandtheboyslovedit.Sometimestheyspentdaysonendinthesaddle,milesawayfromthehomestead;campingatnightunderaskysovastandfilledwithstarsitseemedtheywereapartofGod.

           Thegrey-brownlandswarmedwithlife.Kangaroosinflocksofthousandsstreamedleapingthroughthetrees,takingfencesintheirstride,utterlylovelyintheirgraceandfreedomandnumbers;emusbuilttheirnestsinthemiddleofthegrassyplainandstalkedlikegiantsabouttheirterritorialboundaries,takingfrightatanythingstrangeandrunningfleeterthanhorsesawayfromtheirdark-green,football-sizedeggs;termitesbuiltrustytowerslikeminiatureskyscrapers;hugeantswithasavagebitepouredinriversdownmoundedholesintheground.