“Yes, but it is the children I noticed more than anything. Each time one screamed with delight, they looked towards Alistair fearfully. Oh, I must have imagined it.”
“Well, something is wrong with Caro. Perhaps we can find out in the morning before they go.”
Alas, on Christmas morning the MacLeods’ left early, calling in only to say a quick “Goodbye”. There was little opportunity for more than hugs and kisses and see you at Easter time.”
This last promise Murdoch had extracted from Alistair, who had given his word reluctantly, but Murdoch insisted that it should be a promise.
As they watched the family drive away: Murdoch said, “Alistair seemed to be in a funny mood. I’ve never known him quite so touchy.”
“We noticed it too, Murd. Did Caro say anything to you?”
“There was no time lass. Here’s Alec and Meg. Let’s have a cup of Christmas tea. A happy Christmas to the Frasers’, one and all. Who can believe that Christmas could be hot?”
“And a happy one to you too,” grinned Alec. “It’s hot all right. We could wish it may be a little cooler. I am not saying that I would like a cold and dark Skye Christmas, but a little nearer halfway between would be a good thing.” Saying this, he fell into a chair on the verandah, fanning his scarlet face and on seeing the teapot arrive, he said with a grin, “When an Australian is hot he pines to get hotter by drinking hot tea. What a crazy, lovely place it is.”
With Alec Fraser around, it was hard to be serious at all and they just lent themselves to enjoyment on this first Christmas Day in the Antipodes [8]. Then they fell to reminiscing, to sharing past experiences, past fun and happily sharing dreams and ambitions. To the others it seemed that all Alec wanted to do was to get rich and give his children all that he had never had. Murdoch tried to tell him that having everything wasn’t important. It was lots of other things like family love, friends and having a Christian purpose that was important.
Alec sat up in his chair, his small frame to its full height, and said, “Murdoch, I have friends, I have you, Mary, Fergus and Elspeth. I have my wonderful family, Meg, my darling, and our lovely children. I don’t think any of you know what you mean to me. I know you were dubious about letting me join you, but you gave me this wonderful chance and I’ll not forget it. I’m not deceiving myself that the Laird wanted to sponsor me, but with your backing he did. Now I have the opportunity to give my family what I never had. Man, can you see?”
“Yes laddie, we can see. We are proud of you. We can all under stand how you feel, but Alec, lad, what brought this on?”
Meg broke in, “It Alistair, Murd. I don’t know what’s got into him. I thought he was a friend, but he certainly didn’t act like one last night.”
“Why, what happened?” they all chimed in.
Alec then told them. ‘It seems that I am too Australian, too quickly for Alistair. He didn’t say much but it seems he thinks that the wrath of the Lord would be upon me if I didn’t mend my ways. Also that I am not a good example for our children, his and mine.”
“What’s got into the man? He has never been sanctimonious. Anyway, what have you done to bring on his disapproval?” asked Fergus.
“It seems that I mix with sinners at the hotel and speak with ex-convicts.”
“Alec was telling Alistair and Caroline a joke that he had heard at the hotel and Alistair was horrified at him for being at the hotel. The joke was a very funny one. You know the one about the Irish fishermen, Murd. You thought it was very funny. Then when Alec told Alistair that the hotel owner was an ex-convict he was very upset indeed.”
“He kept talking about the wrath of God and thumping his fist on the table. I didn’t know he was that religious. If that is what being religious is, I don’t think I want to be that.”
“Alec, being religious and being a Christian are often, unfortunately, two different things. I am not one to frequent the hotel myself, as you know, but there is no call for Alistair to be so pious. Try to forget it, man, he’ll probably be quite different by Easter when they come again.”
“The thing is, Murdoch, he seems to blame my sins for us losing little Eliza. You know the sins of the father being visited upon the children, etc., etc. That I found very hard to take, for I love my children dearly and would do anything for them. He hasn’t lost a child, he doesn’t know what it is like.” Alec controlled himself with a visible effort.
“He’s obviously not himself, Alec. He’s never given any indication of ever having thoughts like that before. I wonder if anything has happened. Now that I think of it, none of the family seemed easy. Even the children and Caroline were very quiet, weren’t they.”
“Yes,” said Mary, “Elspeth and I have said the same. Would it be possible, Murd, for us to go and see them sometime? I would like to talk to Caro and Easter is a long way off. When is it, by the way?”
“I can tell you that, Sis,” said Fergus. “It is in March. It’s early this year. Let’s forget old Alistair now and we’ll tell you how we live in Sydney Town. Besides, I am sure he will be all right. He’s probably taking this new land a bit hard or something.”
Chapter 12 - Learning so many new things
Christmas had been hot but when the February rains came, the humidity was almost unbearable for the new settlers. No one had energy and for the first time, Mary could see that Murdoch was finding his work a trial. Not the work itself, but the effort of doing it under trying conditions. The children had no desire to run about and found that sitting in the passage way in the middle of the house was almost cool and so many hours they sat there playing. The girls had their family of peg dolls which they fed, clothed, washed. They had collected knuckle bones from the big Mutton roasts and broths, from Mary, who had taught them to play ‘jacks’ or ‘knucklebones’. Occasionally Duncan would let John play marbles with him. He wasn’t very good at the game, but was very pleased to be able to play such a skillful game. Mary would take a chair to the passage and took these opportunities to teach the children the basics of spelling, writing and arithmetic. Sometimes she sewed, but best of all for the children, she would read a story to them. They had few books only, but the Bible was a great source of material for her and they all had their favourite characters and hers was Ruth.
They had the habit of getting up early in the morning at any time, but it was a greater pleasure these hot days as they kept their work to the early hours and the last cooler hours of the evening.
It was so strange to them that there was such a little difference between the days and nights. In Skye one only had a few hours of dark in the summer, with days of more than twenty hours. Then the children did not see the dark for weeks. Mary was grateful that they didn’t have twenty hours of this heat, six or eight were enough. Things didn’t ripen as quickly here as at home. For there the summer season was short and ripening was quick. Perhaps the longer hours of daylight were the reason, mused Mary. “Ah well,” she thought, I daresay we will get used to it someday. I wonder what winter will be like.”
Murdoch was fascinated by the different farming methods. The first thing he learned was that very little indeed was the same as home. One had to learn all over again. Mr. Forrest was a good mentor. He taught well, knowing his subject thoroughly. He trained his men knowing full well that as soon as their knowledge increased they would leave him and take farms for themselves. Instead of being frustrated he prided himself on his training techniques. He was extremely proud of his country and knew that good farmers would make the colony great and so he put in so many hours training his men. He looked upon it as a national investment. He told Murdoch that when the time came he would help him look for a farm. They discussed the possibilities of getting Murdoch a grant of land. Free land was quite desirable of course, but would probably be several years before such land was productive and Murdoch had no desire to ask Mary to give up the little comfort she had. So he was content to work and save until he could buy land that was already productive. This would be sometime off
yet. In the meantime he was learning a great deal and saving for the future farm, and he and Malcolm often talked of the farm they one day would own. They would have a dairy herd, for this was their first love, but they would also have some pigs and some sheep. It seemed treacherous that they wanted to have some of the very animals that had been instrumental in them leaving their homeland, but here the sheep caused friendly feelings and not hostile ones.
They had cause to be puzzled by this new land of theirs. They had further indication of its harshness when the hot weather turned wet. Such rains as they had never experienced fell down in heavy, soaking drops. Everything was wet and sticky and fungus and mould grew on all sorts of things. The rain didn’t want to stop and soon the Hawkesbury was in flood, the clear river gone and in its place a thick, dirty mass that flooded all its nearest land. ‘Forrest Park’ was safe as only the river paddocks were affected and there had been time to move stock from those. The farm-houses were on high ground, but Mary could see the flood waters getting nearer the town and wondered if it would be inundated. The men were called to help neighbouring farmers who hadn’t been able to move their stock quickly enough. They were all much interested in the experience, but as no known farmer was badly affected in any way they put floods down as another peculiarity of their new home.
The flood did, however, drive snakes up closer to the houses and many were killed. Mary felt she could never get used to the horrible things and once when she found herself face to face with one in the garden she just turned and fled into the house and shut the door, shrieking loudly for Duncan who dispatched it quickly, but only after Mary had forbade him to pick it up. For she’d stopped at the kitchen window to watch the killing and found Duncan trying to entice the snake to bite his hat while he tried to capture it. He was quite upset with his mother when she stopped him, saying, “George does it that way, Mother, why can’t I?”
Murdoch banned any further adventures of this type when he heard the story and refused to listen to any appeal from Duncan.
Autumn came and everyone enjoyed the cooler days, cold nights and an early frost. Malcolm came in from milking the cow on the first morning of frost with the bucket of warm milk steaming in the cold.
“Mother, was it as cold as this at home? It’s very cold outside. I found it very hard to get out of bed this morning.”
Mary laughed, “Yes, it is quite a change, my son. It is much colder at home, but somehow we are feeling it more. Perhaps it is because when it is cold on Skye it is cold all the time, day and night. Here the days are so warm that the cold nights seem to be colder.
“That may be so. All I know is that my hands feel frozen.”
“It was at this time that Charles Parry sent to Mr. Forrest for help. The two men who worked on his farm with Alistair succumbed to gold fever and left Mr Parry without notice. While he and Alistair were mustering in the mountainous timber country, he’d had a fall from his horse and badly jarred his ankle. So, until he could get more labour from Sydney, Alistair had to do the work alone.
William Forrest was glad to help his friend out and came to see Murdoch and Alec one evening with the news.
“We’d be glad to go, Mr. Forrest. Mary and the boys can help here. Ian Fraser and Malcolm will do all the farm work you need to have done.”
“I could send George and Mick, but I thought it would be an opportunity for you to see your sister and MacLeod.”
“Aye, thank you” said Murd.
“We’ll be off in the morning, sir,” said Alec.
“Good,” said Mr. Forrest. “I will leave you then. I would think you would be back within a week. You can take our gig if you like, or ride for that matter.”
“I think we’ll ride, Mr. Forrest. If I may have ‘Brownie’, I am sure that Alec will want to ride his ‘Star’.”
“Yes, I would like the chance of trying her out on a long run. I’ve only been on her locally.”
“I think you got a good bargain there, Alec,” approved Forrest. “You seem to have an eye for a good horse.”
“I don’t know why, sir. Very few have come my way.”
They left early next day and as they rode up to the MacLeods’ house, Caroline greeted her brother with a sob.
“What’s this, lass. Glad to see your big brother?”
“Oh, Murdoch, it is good to see you.” Caroline clung to him.
“We are so far from you all. Alec too, this is good. You must sit and I’ll make tea for you before you go out to Alistair.”
“What ails you, girl. You are looking peaky? Your’e not sick I hope?”
“No, Murd, I am well. Oh, here’s Alistair. He must have seen you coming.”
The men exchanged greetings and handshakes.
“I am glad you came, Murdoch. I badly need help at the moment. Mr. Parry felt sure that help would come from the Park. We expected that you may have brought George, though.”
Murdoch looked startled at this and looked sharply at Alec who seemed not to be included in the greetings. He decided not to make anything of it, as Alec appeared to ignore it and so turned his attention to his tea.
“Caro looks a bit pinched, Alistair. Working her too hard, or has it been the heat, lass?”
“Work never hurt anyone,” returned Alistair brusquely. “When you are ready we’ll get on with some.”
“It must wait until I have finished my tea, man. Why the hurry?”
“We have a lot to do and I daresay I won’t have you for very long, so I must use you while I can.”
“Come on Alec, the man wants us to work.” He slapped Alec on the back and followed his brother-in-law out the door.
Alec was sent to scythe fodder and Murdoch went with Alistair to work with the sheep. There was little time for conversation all day until milking time when they all met in the dairy.
Alistair seemed to throw a word or two at Alec, but otherwise gave most orders through Murdoch. It was not until after dinner that night that Murdoch said, “Where is Donald, Caroline? I expected to see him working here. Has he found himself a job?”
“Yes, he has,” replied Donald’s mother. “He is working on Tregonning’s farm. They have a big dairy herd and Donald enjoys it. He is fortunate, isn’t he?”
“He certainly is.”
“He won’t be there for long though,” gruffed Alistair. “He’ll be working for me soon.”
“What’s this, Alistair? A farm?”
“We’ve applied for a grant on the Manning River. We will move there when we can decently leave Mr. Parry.”
“But how? What will you do until it is cleared?” Alec broke in.
Alistair leaned back in his chair and gave Alec a withering look. “I believe it is quite wild country and has to be cleared of large timber, but it is the isolation I want for my family.”
“What do you mean, man?” queried Murdoch. He caught a frightened look on Caroline’s face.
“I mean,” said Alistair loudly, “that we have brought our women and children to a sinful place and I mean to take them away from harm. The Lord said that we should not mix with sinners. ‘Come ye apart and be ye separate,’ said the Lord.”
“Well, I’ve not taken that as its meaning. You’re making a mistake,” said Alec. “Besides, the colony seems no worse than anywhere else.”
“I would expect such a remark from a sinner such as you, Fraser. You’ve never been any good. Who are you to tell a God-fearing man what to do?”
“Hold hard, both of you,” said Murdoch as Alec rose to his feet. “Sit down, Alec and calm down. Now Alistair, what’s got into you? You never used to worry about sinners and such and I am sure we had plenty at home. I am quite sure Alec is no worse than the rest of us.”
“He admitted to me at Christmas time that he consorts with sinners and convicts at the Devil’s house.”
“If you mean I have a drink with my friends at the hotel at Riverbend, then yes. I’m a sinner. God knows, Alistair, that I care for Him as you or Murdoch or any of you do. Wh
at’s got into you? What makes you think you can judge me anyway? I think you are off your head. I only have to look at Caroline to see how unhappy she is and your two little girls creep round like mice. Mine like to sing and dance and yours....”
“Leave my family to me, Fraser. They’ll do as I say. I know the Lord is full of wrath with you for He took your child away from you. I see the Lord’s hand in that.”
“Why, you ...” muttered Alec
“Calm down, Alec. Why not bunk down now and leave this to me,” said the very concerned Murdoch.
With a growl and a shrug Alec left the room.
Murdoch turned to Alistair. “What’s got into you, friend? You’ve never felt like this before. I never took you for being narrow-minded.”
“Is it narrow-minded to keep your family from sin? I intend to. I will keep them isolated in the bush and keep them pure and Holy.”
“You’ve got it all wrong, Alistair. We are not intended to run away from life, but to face it and grow strong.”
“I’ll not have sinners near my home and Alec is a sinner.”
“If that’s the way you feel, I’ll send him home for I’ll not have you hurt him any further. You do him a great discredit, for he is a good and very loving husband and father.”
“He can be loving and not do his duty,” came the pious-sounding voice.
Murdoch gave up and bid him ‘goodnight’. He was unable to speak to Caroline, so went into the bedroom where he found Alec on his bunk.
Alec looked up. “he’s mad, Murd.”
“He’s something, old fellow, and I’ll not have him say anything else to you, so what about leaving this to me and you going home in the morning. I can’t see that there is anything that urgent to do here anyway. I wonder if it was a ruse of Mr Parry’s to get us here to look into it.”
“I will shove off in the morning, Murd. I don’t want to make things worse for you and Caro. What will I tell Mr. Forrest?”
“You’ll think of something. What a situation! I thought something was wrong with Caro.”
The Heather to the Hawkesbury Page 8
