A Curlew Cried

Winifred Millicent Hardie

Description

In this historical novel, an English family immigrates to a farm in Western Australia where they must endure many trials and tribulations over several decades.
It is 1911 when Bill and Isobel Elgin scramble down from the Kalgoorlie Express with their family of six in tow to begin a new life in the wheatlands of Western Australia.
As they head to their farm in Bunburra to fulfill their dream of a better future, Isobel and her daughters lament over the dry, dusty, vermin-infested landscape that is vastly different from their former home in England. Still, they are determined to support the men in their family, no matter the personal sacrifices. But as they face one complex challenge after another, the entire Elgin family soon realizes that nothing in life is certain, especially when living in a land filled with brown snakes, questionable neighbors, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles that even shock the local clergy.
In this historical novel set from 1911 to the outbreak of the Second World War, an English family immigrates to a farm in Western Australia where they must endure many trials and tribulations.

Sujets

• World War I
• Fiction

Informations

• Publié par: Balboa Press AU
• Date de parution: 11 décembre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781982296285
• Langue: English

Extrait

A CURLEW
CRIED







WINIFRED MILLICENT HARDIE
published by her daughters HELEN ELIZABETH PAYNE and JANET ANNE GOLDMAN










Copyright © 2022 Winifred Millicent Hardie.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.



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The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.



ISBN: 978-1-9822-9627-8 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-9822-9628-5 (e)

Balboa Press rev. date: 12/09/2022



CONTENTS
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty One
Chapter Twenty Two















This book was written by our Mother, WINIFRED MILLICENT HARDIE.
She wrote this over 40 years ago and sadly deceased in 2002.



CHAPTER ONE
The sun blazing from a cloudless blue sky was high and hot when Bill and Isobel Elgin with their family of six, scrambled down from the Kalgoorlie Express which had brought them to the run down unattended wheatbelt siding of Bunburra.
Walking up the rise onto the level of the small gravel and clay platform to retrieve their cases, they watched as the train steamed into the distance leaving them to wonder what was to happen next in this outpost of loneliness.
Ants of all sizes and colours were frantically searching for food to replenish their larders. Some had found a dead grasshopper and were swarming over it, pushing and pulling until they eventually moved it slowly toward their nest.
Large black meat ants followed their well worn path along the edge of the platform and it was a calamity if anyone happened to stand there. The ants would climb an unsuspecting leg and doubling themselves up, nip viciously at the flesh.
The girls holding their skirts high hurried to the slatted seats in the shelter and sat with their feet on them. They shuddered at the insects especially when a big orange and black hornet flew in to add another piece of mud to its hard brown nest on a rafter above their heads.
Bill Elgin shaded his eyes with his hand against the brassy glare of the sun and spotted his horses and cows in the rail stockyard nearby. A flat top railway truck loaded with the two drays and waggon was pulled up at the ramp near the goods shed, and a covered van behind it carried the furniture.
Bill called to Isobel to wait with the girls while he and the boys took a look at the stock. With that he together with Will, Gordon and Munro jumped from the platform and strode over to the yards. Isobel strolled over to the shelter and took a seat beside her daughters. On the walls timetables yellow with age, flapped wearily in the hot wind.
Toward the horizon all one could see were miles of tammar scrub and the tops of mallee trees. Crows by the dozen were flying around, their raucus monotone echoing on the oppressive atmosphere. Two landed on a dry branch not far from the station. They hopped along the ready made perch turning their heads from side to side peering intently at the dry grass below. They were looking, no doubt, for carrion or something dying to satisfy their tastes.
Now and again one of the girls would voice her opinion about first impressions of Bunburra - a horrible, dirty, vermin infested place. However, Isobel’s main concern was what kind of a house awaited them out on the farm. Bill and Will had inspected the property and had declared the dwelling was run down but could be repaired. But do you really dare to rely on a man’s view of a house? No, they were only interested in the quality of the land that surrounded it.
As they were surveying the vast expanse of “crudity”, as Jessie so descriptively called it, a huge brown eagle was gliding high on the rising thermals. It lazily moved in wide circles on outspread, unflapping wings. Suddenly like a darting arrow it dived toward a patch of wind grass. Landing with talons spread, it commenced to tear at some unseen thing with its curved beak. There was quite a struggle going on with whatever it was but soon the eagle subdued its prey and with powerful beats of its wings, rose with a snake held hard in its claws. The reptile had succumbed to the power of the great bird’s death grip and hung limp as it was borne away.
The introduction to their new life had left the girls decidedly shaken but, after a few minutes, they agreed to accompany their mother for a walk. They wandered over to the rusted broken gate that was supposed to keep animals from straying onto the platform. Beyond this could be seen a few houses scattered amongst the trees and scrub. Some were built from mud brick, others from wood and iron. Most had little front verandahs made from light wooden battens criss-crossed. This was called trellis work. Green creepers grew over them-plants hardy enough to withstand the long hot summers. Flowers planted in tubs displayed a few blooms bringing a little colour to the otherwise drab surrounds which, at this time of day, was drenched in rippling heat.
The main street was narrow, rough and dusty. All that gave it life was the sprawling wood and iron pub with its low awning designed to keep the glare of the sun off the front bar. It was a meeting place too, it seemed, for the local canine population. Some were sniffing around and squaring up to each other. All at once they erupted into a snarling, fighting pack jumping on one anothers backs, snapping at necks and shoulders and stirring up the dust that swirled into the doorway.
Suddenly, a large red faced woman appeared and tossed a bucket of water over the dogs yelling in a voice that was deep and full of authority. “Get outa ‘ere ya bloody mongrels”. The animals scattered and ran for cover under the peppercorn trees to lick wounds and shake themselves dry.
Not far from the pub was another ramshackle building. Although fairly large, it looked worse for wear. Two windows adorned the front and a wide, open verandah warded off the heat. Faded lettering on a board nailed across the front indicated this was the general store. Attached to the side of the store was the post office.
Further along the street was a corrugated iron structure - the local hall. Its shabby, unpainted double doors lay open. With each dust spiral that spun toward them, they would slam shut then open once again to crash back against the wall with eerie creaks and bangs. This would probably continue until the hinges broke or someone eventually locked them.
“This town gives me the creeps” Jean said on their return to the shelter at the siding. “It’s like something out of a nightmare”.
Isobel could sense her daughters were still in shock after their first hour or so at Bunburra. All kept voicing their disapproval and opinions until she became quite irritated with them.
“Listen, all of you. This new venture is not going to be easy but with determination and co-operation, we will succeed. Spare a thought for your father and brothers. They want to make a go of this farm and we are going to help them do just that! So stop your whining and try, for goodness sake”.
At that moment, Pru let out a piercing shriek and mounted the seat. “There’s an enormous spider on the floor”.
Chilled, they watched as the huntsman slowly crossed the floor and started to climb the shed wall. Its tiny eyes glittered above a pair of black nippers and its fat, hairy body wobbled between long springy legs. Finally it disappeared behind a loose board. Pru gave vent to her feelings.
“Mother, how could you and Dad sell our beautiful home back in England to come to this vermin riddled place?” she wailed, tears trickling down her cheeks. “We have been here just over an hour and we’ve been subjected to everything that crawls, flies or slithers. The place is probably full of disease. And what will Aunt Maud say when we write and tell her all about this?”
“For heaven’s sake, Pru. Have you not heard a word of what I said? You’re not helping the situation, you know”.