This ebook was prepared by Jeffrey Kraus-yao
THE OLD BUSH SONGS
Second Impression
completing the Tenth Thousand
THE OLD BUSH SONGS
Composed and sung in the Bushranging,
Digging, and Overlanding Days
EDITED BY
A. B. PATERSON
AUTHOR OF “THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER,” AND
“RIO GRANDE’S LAST RACE”
SYDNEY
ANGUS AND ROBERTSON
89 CASTLEREAGH STREET
1906
Websdale, Shoosmith and Co., Printers, Sydney
PREFACE
The object of the present publication is to gather togetherall the old bush songs that are worth remembering. Apartfrom other considerations, there are many Australians whowill be reminded by these songs of the life of the shearingsheds, the roar of the diggings townships, and the campfiresof the overlanders. The diggings are all deep sinking now,the shearing is done by contract, and the cattle are sent byrail to market, while newspapers travel all over Australia;so there will be no more bush ballads composed andsung, as these were composed and sung, as records of theearly days of the nation. In their very roughness, in theirabsolute lack of any mention of home ties or of the domesticaffections, they proclaim their genuineness. They were collectedfrom all parts of Australia, and have been patchedtogether by the compiler to the best of his ability, withthe idea of presenting the song as nearly as possible as it wassung, rather than attempting to soften any roughness orirregularity of metre. Attempts to ascertain the names ofthe authors have produced contradictory statements, and nodoubt some of the songs were begun by one man andfinished or improved by another, or several others. Somefew fairly recent ballads have been included, but for the mostpart no attempt has been made to include any of the moreambitious literary productions of modern writers. This collectionis intended to consist of the old bush songs as theywere sung in the early days, and as such it is placed beforethe reader.
Most cordial thanks are due to those who have sent contributions,and it is hoped that others who can remember anyold songs not included here will forward them for inclusionin a future edition.
CONTENTS
TWO ABORIGINAL SONGS
PADDY MALONE IN AUSTRALIA
THE OLD BULLOCK DRAY
PADDY’S LETTER, 1857
THE OLD BARK HUT
THE OLD SURVEY
DWELL NOT WITH ME
THE BEAUTIFUL LAND OF AUSTRALIA
ON THE ROAD TO GUNDAGAI
FLASH JACK FROM GUNDAGAI
ANOTHER FALL OF RAIN
BOLD JACK DONAHOO
THE WILD COLONIAL BOY
JOHN GILBERT (BUSHRANGER)
IMMIGRATION
THE SQUATTER’S MAN
THE STRINGY BARK COCKATOO
THE EUMERELLA SHORE
JIMMY SAGO JACKAROO
THE PLAINS OF RIVERINE
THE SHEEP-WASHERS’ LAMENT
THE BROKEN-DOWN SQUATTER
THE FREE SELECTOR
A NATIONAL SONG FOR AUSTRALIA FELIX
SUNNY NEW SOUTH WALES
BRINGING HOME THE COWS
THE DYING STOCKMAN
MY MATE BILL
SAM HOLT
THE BUSHMAN
HAWKING
COLONIAL EXPERIENCE
THE STOCKMEN OF AUSTRALIA
IT’S ONLY A WAY HE’S GOT
THE LOAFER’S CLUB
THE OLD KEG OF RUM
THE MURRUMBIDGEE SHEARER
THE SWAGMAN
THE STOCKMAN
THE MARANOA DROVERS
RIVER BEND
SONG OF THE SQUATTER
WALLABI JOE
THE SQUATTER OF THE OLDEN TIME
THE STOCKMAN’S LAST BED
MUSTERING SONG
THE AUSTRALIAN STOCKMAN
THE SHEPHERD
THE OVERLANDER
A THOUSAND MILES AWAY
THE FREEHOLD ON THE PLAIN
THE WALLABY BRIGADE
MY RELIGION
BOURKE’S DREAM
BILLY BARLOW IN AUSTRALIA
INTRODUCTION
“All human beings not utterly savage long for some