The Call of the High Country

by Tony Parsons

  Mum,

  Kate has broken a leg. I think bad. In pain. Call Dad, police, ambulance and Cat. Try REAL HARD to get police helicopter. Would be hell of a trip and take ages otherwise. Get Angus to drive Cat up with King. Give her blankets, food, small pillow and aspirins for Kate. Don’t let her come if late, as she will get lost. I have fire going. We are on Wallaby Rocks (see map). Tell Cat it’s near the big cave.

  David

  My God, Kate has broken her leg up on Wallaby Rocks! Anne’s mind flashed back to the day they had ridden Poitrel before making the decision to buy the property. She recalled the roughness of the Poitrel top country and envisaged how difficult it would be to lift an injured person from that peak. Anne turned and looked down at the dog that had brought her this message. Nap was lying on his log kennel with his head pointed up towards the hills from where he had come.

  ‘Oh, Nap, you wonderful dog,’ she said and patted him on the head. ‘I think I’d better tie you up so you don’t decide to go back to David.’

  Then she ran to the house. Please, God, let Jean be at Poitrel. She usually was when the men were working there. Anne fidgeted while waiting for her call to be answered. She breathed a sigh of relief when Jean’s voice came over the line.

  ‘Jean, is Andy down at the yards?’ Anne asked.

  ‘They’ve just gone back. Andy and Greg had lunch here.’

  ‘Will you run down right now and tell Andy to come back to the phone? Tell him I said it is most urgent. Tell him to drop everything.’

  Andy was doing the yard work and Greg Robertson was doing the jetting. Andy still couldn’t use his right arm very well, although there was more movement in it than there had been for quite some time. He could not do constant repetitive work, but he had learned to do most things with his left hand. He looked up in surprise when Jean began waving at him from outside the yards. Andy climbed over the fence and walked towards her.

  ‘What’s the matter?’

  ‘Andy, Anne just rang. She said you’re to come to the house and call her back, urgently.’

  ‘Did she say what it was about?’ he asked as they walked back to the house. Even with the limp in his right leg, Andy’s long strides left her behind.

  ‘No, but she did sound very worried.’

  He reckoned that Anne must have been sitting right beside the phone because it had rung only twice when she answered. ‘What’s the problem, Anne?’ he asked.

  ‘Kate has broken her leg. She’s up on Wallaby Rocks with David. Nap came home with the message. I’ve contacted the police, the ambulance and Angus while I was waiting for you. I’ll read you David’s note.’ When she had finished she asked, ‘Is there anything else I should do?’

  ‘Hang on. I need a couple of minutes to think things out.’ He saw Jean looking at him anxiously and tried to marshal his thoughts very quickly.

  ‘David’s right about the helicopter,’ he said to Anne finally. ‘It would be worth waiting until morning for it rather than try and carry Kate down the mountain. We couldn’t make it there before dark anyway. Not by the time we get everyone here. If you can’t get a helicopter, you’d better tell the police and ambulance driver to send people who can ride. You hold the fort there and Jean can stand by the phone here.’

  ‘Poor Kate,’ Jean said anxiously after Andrew had hung up the phone.

  ‘She’s in good hands. David knows what he’s doing. That old dog should get a medal.’

  ‘Andy, what can I do?’

  ‘It would be great if you could make up several packs of sandwiches. I think we’ll need them. You could also throw on a big pot of stew – something that can be heated quickly. Anne will ring back and let you know how many horses we’ll need. Greg and I will see to that. If we can’t get a helicopter this evening and have to head off with a party, we’ll need to give them a feed before they leave. We’ll take the sandwiches with us.’

  ‘Andy, don’t you overdo things,’ Jean cautioned. ‘Stress could bring on another stroke.’

  ‘I’m as right as rain, Jean. It’s just a matter of organisation.’

  Anne had always had a quick brain, so when the local police rang back and told her they hadn’t been able to locate a chopper, she rang the television station in Tamworth and gave them the whole story. The station put out a news flash that Kate was lying with a broken leg on one of the roughest parts of the Liverpool Range. The story was expanded for the evening news slot and beamed to the national services, heard up and down the east coast of Australia. Millions of people learned how a kelpie had been sent miles across rough country with a message for help for a woman who was still waiting to be rescued.

  The police and ambulance teams arrived at Poitrel shortly before three-thirty p.m. At that stage of the rescue operation there was no suggestion that a helicopter would be available. There was a conference on the front verandah of the homestead while all parties considered the options.

  ‘How do you see things, Andy?’ Sergeant Hooper asked.

  ‘It’s a bad situation because Wallaby Rocks is about the most inaccessible spot you could find. We can’t get a vehicle within miles, and if we go back through High Peaks we can only get a four-wheel drive to the foot of Yellow Rock. From there on, the trip would be worse than from here. How many of you can ride?’

  The two police officers could handle horses well. Tom Chapman said he had ridden a little, years ago, while Eric Wood said he had never been on a horse before.

  ‘This is the way I see it,’ Andy began. ‘If we go up on horses, we could make it before nightfall, but there’s no way we could carry a stretcher back down in the dark. It would be bad enough in daylight but impossible at night.’

  ‘What do you suggest?’ Sergeant Hooper asked in his official manner.

  ‘I think the first priority is to get these ambulancemen up. I wouldn’t try and take a stretcher up on a horse because if we carry some rope and straps we can knock up a stretcher from saplings. Our best hope is that your man back at the station can locate a chopper, even if we can’t get it here until morning. There has to be a chopper somewhere. The biggest problem is that Kate and David won’t know what’s going on down here.’

  ‘Why don’t we set a departure time?’ Hooper said. ‘If there’s no chopper by nine a.m., we start back down the mountain with Sister Gilmour.’

  ‘Good idea,’ Andy said. ‘Let’s pack what we need and head off. One of you fellows had better stay and look out for things this end, to be here through the night and on deck first thing in the morning. I will leave Greg here in case he’s needed. I’ll guide you up. Sister Courteney has tucker ready and food to take with us. We’ll need to pack some blankets as it’s cold up there, even with a fire.’

  It was nearly four-thirty before they got away. Sergeant Hooper was in the party and Constable Walker stayed behind at Poitrel. By that time Jean knew Catriona had left High Peaks for Wallaby Rocks. Angus had delivered Catriona and King to High Peaks within the hour. He had been keen to accompany Catriona, but was persuaded by Anne that this was not necessary. Together Anne and Angus rolled and tied the blankets and pillow that David had requested and then filled two saddlebags with food and other items. Angus threw in a bottle of scotch, which he said might come in handy.

  ‘Are you sure you know where you’re going, Catriona?’ Anne asked.

  ‘Quite sure. When you go through the boundary fence into Poitrel you follow the eastern side of the ridge and that takes you to Wallaby Rocks. David will have the fire going so I should see the smoke as soon as I get up on top.’

  ‘Be careful, dear. Don’t try and make too much pace. You will have to stay there the night. Do you think there will be anything else you’ll need?’

  ‘I don’t think so. Bye, Daddy. Bye, Anne. See you tomorrow.’

  Catriona trotted King past the dog yards and then down to the first gate. Angus watched her until she was out of sight.

  ‘Anything else I can do, Anne?’ Angus asked.

  ‘I don’t thin
k so. We’ll keep you posted.’

  Angus shook his head. ‘There must be a helicopter somewhere.’

  ‘I rang the Tamworth television station and let them know about the situation. That might flush out a helicopter.’

  ‘Terrific idea. Look, I think I’ll take a run round to Poitrel and see what’s happening there.’

  Angus was always there when the whips were cracking. Anne had seen him tested several times and he had always come up trumps.

  ‘I’d like to be there myself, Angus, but Andy told me to stay by the phone here, and I know I should.’

  ‘Just imagine that old dog bringing David’s message all that way!’ Angus said before he left. ‘No wonder David wanted him back.’

  ‘Yes, it was a terrific effort. The TV people should like that for a story, especially if they could see the country he travelled through.’

  Anne was right. The TV people did like it for a story. News teams were on their way within the hour.

  Up on Wallaby Rocks, David had been busy collecting great heaps of firewood, fearing they would be on the mountain until morning and knowing it could get very chilly at that height. He kept their own fire going with a mixture of dead logs and green branches, and the beacon could be seen for miles.

  Catriona saw it as soon as she came up onto the ridge from the High Peaks–Poitrel boundary fence. ‘Good old David,’ she breathed as she pointed King towards the smoke, chuffed that he had asked for her when he needed help. That was really something. And they would be together on the mountain all night.

  David had bathed Kate’s face and then scouted the ridge for saplings that could be used as splints. He came back to the fire carrying two branches, which he proceeded to shave smooth and flat on one side. When he had finished doing this, he produced a couple of pieces of redhide. She knew he always carried strips of redhide on his saddle or in his saddlebag as they often came in handy.

  ‘Kate, it’s crunch time. Do we do it over your jeans or cut the trouser leg off?’

  ‘Well, David, I can’t get up to take them off,’ Kate said and forced a laugh. ‘Cut the leg. I can always use them for shorts later.’

  David used the portion of jeans he cut off to pad the two splints, and then with Kate holding the saplings in place he used the redhide strips to strap the makeshift splints in place. There was sweat on Kate’s face when he finished and she looked a shade or two paler, but the splints cut down the pain a little.

  In midafternoon he boiled the billy again and gave Kate another mug of tea. She was bearing up well, all things considered.

  David didn’t know what he would do without Kate. She was a cross between a second mother and an older sister to him. He sat with her and yarned awhile and tried to take her mind off her leg, which was difficult, as even the tiniest movement brought a grimace to her face.

  The afternoon dragged on and when Kate looked at her watch she saw that it was just after five. She had come off Chief nearly six hours ago. It was clear to her that David was beginning to worry. It would be dark in under an hour. What if Anne hadn’t found the message on Nap’s collar?

  ‘Kate, I’m going to climb up the ridge and have a look. I can see down into Poitrel from there and also along the ridge to where Cat would be coming from.’

  After a few minutes Kate saw David wave from up on the ridge above her.

  ‘She’s on her way, and there are horses coming up the mountain from Poitrel,’ he called.

  She felt a huge wave of relief surge through her. David had done all that was humanly possible for her and now others could take over.

  David noted the look of relief on his aunt’s face as he came scrambling down from the ridge. ‘Good old Nap. He did it. And good old Mum. I’ll bet she had a fit when she read my message.’

  ‘It’s too late to go back down tonight, though, isn’t it?’ she asked.

  ‘I reckon. But hopefully there’ll be an ambulance-man or two in the party and you’ll get a decent pain-killer. I must say I was starting to worry; Cat is cutting it fine for light. I’m not worried about the other lot because ten to one Dad will be guiding them. He could find his way here on the darkest night. I’ll just walk up the track a little to meet Cat. I hope she’s got some blankets. It’s starting to get chilly.’

  Catriona appeared on the high section of the ridge and saw the fire below the tall spire of dark smoke. And then she saw David walking towards her on a narrow sheep pad that led over the very top of Wallaby Rocks.

  David’s keen eyes picked out the bundle tied behind Catriona’s saddle and he breathed a sigh of relief. At least they would have Kate warm when the other party arrived.

  Catriona jumped out of the saddle in a rush, almost falling on David in the process. David took King’s reins in one hand and one of Catriona’s hands in the other as they walked down to the makeshift camp.

  ‘How is she?’ Catriona asked.

  ‘Bearing up. You know what Kate’s like. Her leg’s in a mess and it must be hurting like blazes but she’s very brave. Thank God Mum got my message. And thank God you were home. Well, King, you look more like a packhorse than a Champion Hack.’

  Catriona knelt down beside Kate while David unstrapped the blankets and pillow. Catriona put the small pillow under the site of the break, as Kate instructed, and then covered her with a blanket. ‘Better?’ she asked.

  ‘A lot, thank you. David, did you find the aspirin?’

  ‘Coming.’ David handed Kate two tablets and she washed them down with water.

  ‘The other party is on its way, Cat,’ he said. ‘Now, I’ll unsaddle King and put him near our horses. You can use his saddle for a pillow. I’m glad we’ve got these extra blankets – we’re going to need them.’ He threw the blankets over a rock and then laid out the packets of food Anne had packed.

  ‘Feel like a sandwich, Kate?’ he asked.

  ‘I thought you’d never ask,’ she said.

  David and Catriona sat beside Kate and watched the sun go down behind the range. ‘How’s Mum?’ he asked Catriona after he had finished his first sandwich.

  ‘She’s in control. She’s even alerted the media.’

  David smiled and looked up at the darkening sky. ‘Just as well it’s a fine night.’

  ‘I must say it is very nice to have you here, Catriona,’ Kate said with a wry smile.

  ‘Any time,’ Catriona flashed back. She had always admired Kate Gilmour. Even as a young girl she had been rather in awe of her. She had always seemed so full of fun, and so wonderfully efficient. There were a lot worse role models a girl could have.

  The sound of a stockwhip rent the quiet of the evening. David got up and went to where he had placed his saddle and whip. ‘They can’t see the smoke in this light. The whip will guide them here,’ he said. He climbed back up on to the crest and let fly. Every few moments he swung the whip and listened for the answering crack. It was almost dark when the four riders came into view along the ridge.

  Returning to the fire, he said, ‘They’re almost here, Kate. Four of them. I can pick Dad but not the others.’

  He stood with Catriona and raised his hand in greeting as his father led the other three riders up to the fire. One man seemed to have difficulty staying in the saddle and David moved to help him off. The rider, who turned out to be Eric Wood, staggered and almost fell when his feet touched the ground.

  ‘I’ll never be the same again,’ Eric said with a grin.

  ‘Hi, Sergeant, Tom,’ David said to the others. He was relieved to find two ambulance officers in the party.

  There was a bustle of activity as gear was taken off the saddles and sorted into bundles. A light was set up beside Kate and, with Catriona in attendance, Eric and Tom took over. Kate was given an injection to dull the pain and David’s rough splints were replaced.

  ‘It’s a pretty bad break by the look of things,’ Eric told the group. ‘She has a bit of bruising as well.’

  Andrew summarised the course of action they had decided on. �
��We’ll wait until nine in the morning and if there isn’t a chopper here by then, we’ll have to start back.’

  ‘It’ll be a hell of a trip, Dad,’ David said.

  ‘We realise that, but what else can we do? We can’t stay up here indefinitely.’

  David shook his head. ‘Let me take Kate back on King. It wouldn’t be any harder on her than getting thrown about on a stretcher.’

  ‘Crikey, David, I don’t know about that. You’d have to ask Eric and Tom what they think.’

  ‘Either way it’s a bad trip, but it would be a lot quicker if we did it my way. They could give her something more for the pain and I’d have her back in an hour and half. It would take three or four times that long carrying her on a stretcher.’

  ‘I think we should delay making that kind of decision until we see what happens in the morning,’ Sergeant Hooper said.

  Andrew nodded. ‘I sure hope Anne can get hold of a chopper.’

  Catriona boiled the billy for everyone and they all sat in a rough circle drinking tea and eating sandwiches. The pain in Kate’s leg had eased and she was warm under the blankets, feeling almost comfortable. She had the utmost confidence in the group gathered about her and knew that some way or other she would be in hospital the next day.

  It grew steadily colder and David lit the other heaps of firewood so they could sit, and perhaps sleep, in a circle of warmth. There was plenty of dead wood, and some of the bigger logs would burn for a couple of hours. Catriona lay close to Kate, although her heart was with David. They all used their saddles for pillows and yarned on into the night by the glow of the campfire. Then Kate asked David to recite some bush poetry, which surprised Catriona. She had never heard him do this before. David recited several poems and his deep voice seemed perfectly in tune with their surroundings.

  Eventually Catriona’s eyes began to close.