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An Accident

           Aboutfouro’clockintheafternoon,JohnManglesdescriedanenormouscolumnofsmokeaboutthreemilesoff,graduallyoverspreadingthewholehorizon.Whatcouldbethecauseofthisphenomenon?Paganelwasinclinedtothinkitwassomedescriptionofmeteor,andhislivelyimaginationwasalreadyinsearchofanexplanation,whenAyrtoncutshortallhisconjecturessummarily,byannouncingthatthecloudofdustwascausedbyadroveofcattleontheroad.

           Thequartermasterprovedright,forasthecloudcamenearer,quiteachorusofbleatingsandneighings,andbel-lowingsescapedfromit,mingledwiththeloudtonesofahumanvoice,intheshapeofcries,andwhistles,andvo-ciferations.

           Presentlyamancameoutofthecloud.Thiswastheleader-in-chiefofthefour-footedarmy.Glenarvanadvancedtowardhim,andfriendlyrelationswerespeedilyestablishedbetweenthem.Theleader,ortogivehimhisproperdesignation,thestock-keeper,waspartownerofthedrove.HisnamewasSamMachell,andhewasonhiswayfromtheeasternprovincestoPortlandBay.

           Thedrovenumbered12,075headinall,orl,000bullocks,11,000sheep,and75horses.AllthesehadbeenboughtintheBlueMountainsinapoor,leancondition,andweregoingtobefattedupontherichpasturelandsofSouthernAustralia,andsoldagainatagreatprofit.SamMachellexpectedtogetpounds2oneachbullock,and10s.oneverysheep,whichwouldbringhiminpounds3,750.

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