Поющие в терновнике

           CrowdsofdaffodilsandfieldsofasphodelmeantnothingtotheClearys,livinginaclimatewhereneithercouldexist.

           TheClearysunderstoodthebushpoetsbetterthanmost,fortheOverflowwastheirbackyard,thetravelingsheeparealityontheTSRs.TherewasanofficialTravelingStockRouteorTSRwindingitswayneartheBarwonRiver,freecrownlandforthetransferenceoflivingmerchandisefromoneendoftheeasternhalfofthecontinenttotheother.Intheolddaysdroversandtheirhungry,grass-ruiningmobsofstockhadnotbeenwelcome,andthebullockiesahatedbreedastheyinchedtheirmammothteamsoffromtwentytoeightyoxenthroughthemiddleofthesquatters’bestgrazing.Now,withofficialstockroutesforthedroversandthebullockiesvanishedintolegend,thingsweremoreamicablebetweenvagabondsandstay-puts.

           Theoccasionaldroverswerewelcomedastheyrodeinforabeerandatalk,ahome-cookedmeal.Sometimestheybroughtwomenwiththem,drivingbatteredoldsulkieswithgalledex-stockhorsesbetweentheshafts,potsandbilliesandbottlesbangingandclankinginafringeallaround.ThesewerethemostcheerfulorthemostmorosewomenintheOutback,driftingfromKynunatotheParoo,fromGoondiwinditoGundagai,fromtheKatherinetotheCurry.Strangewomen;theyneverknewaroofovertheirheadsorthefeelofakapokmattressbeneaththeiriron-hardspines.Nomanhadbestedthem;theywereastoughandenduringasthecountrywhichflowedundertheirrestlessfeet.