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 By Firelight.
-The stork has been flying around again, Ma and Clem. Armstrong recently had
+The stork has been flying around again, Ada and Clem. Armstrong recently had a visit from him, and he left them a son. Clem represented the family at the Reunion, and took home with him the good wishes of many old friends.
-a visit from him, and he left!: them a on Olar, rrc,sortc;d family at the
+By the way, the attendance at this year's Reunion set a new record. Amongst the 129 adults at the camp fire, we were glad to see four past members - Bill Chambers, Doreen Smeaton (a foundation member), and Charlie and Vera Kilpatrick, who, of course, were our first Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer. We sincerely hope they will all come again next year.
-Reunion, and took home with him -Ci2s good_ ElsJs 71f: niary old. fy ldso
+Of course, Wal. and Phil. Roots were there, but they had left the Imps at home in Brisbane in the care of their grannies. Six hundred and ninety-nine miles the Roots' had driven to attend the Annual Meeting and the Reunions
-By the way, the attendance at this year!s Reunion set a new record. Amongst the 129 adults at the camp fire, we were glad to see four past members - Bill Chambers, Doreen Smeaton (a foundation member), and Charlie and Vera Kilpatrick, who, of course, were our first Bon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer, We sincerely hope they will all come again next year.
+Some of the bushwalker babies did not seem to enjoy the campfire as much as usual this year, even though Rene Browne had very kindly supplied a tent nearby, in which they were parked. Or were the babies just trying to do their share of the entertaining?
-Of course, Wal. and Phil. Roots were there, but they had left the Inps at home in Brisbane in the care of their grannies, Six hundred and ninety-nine miles the Roots' had driven to attend the Annual Meeting and the Reunions
-Some of the bushwalker babies did not seem to enjoy the campfire as much as
-usual this year, even though Rene Browne had very kindly supplied a tent nearby, in which they were parked. Or were the babies just trying to do their share of the
-entertaining?
 We have not seen Jim Cranitch for a while, but we understand he was married recently and his wife is not a member of the walking fraternity. Long life and happiness to the Cranitches!
-Talking about absentees. Where was everyone on Swimming Carnival day this year? The total attendance was only about 45 although the weather was good. Anyway, the standard of performance was high, and those present enjoyed some splendid racing. Yes, of course, this is a walking club --- as we have been reminded before.
+Talking about absentees. Where was everyone on Swimming Carnival day this year? The total attendance was only about 45 although the weather was good. Anyway, the standard of performance was high, and those present enjoyed some splendid racing. Yes, of course, this __is__ a walking club --- as we have been reminded before.
-If Topsy Ankerson has her way, it will be two walking clubs. She is looking for
+If Topsy Ankerson has her way, it will be two walking clubs. She is looking for supporters for a Junior Club, so those of you who would like to help her take out youngsters and train them in bushcraft and bushwalking ideals, get in touch with Topsy. If she gets the support of a dozen or so of you her idea will become a reality, and a lot of youngsters will have a new joy in life. An inaugural meeting will be held at Berowra on April 10th. the train being the 9:30.
-supporters for a Junior Club, so those of yea wIlo would like to help her take out youngsters and train them in bushoraft and bashINalking ideals, get in touch with
+===== An Explanatory Discourse on the Gentle Arts of Hitch-Hiking and Jumping-the-Rattler. =====
-Topsy. If she gets the support of a dozen or so of you her idea will become a
+By Frazer Ratcliffe.
-reality, and a lot of youngsters will have a new joy in life. An inaugural meeting will be held at Berovra on April 10th. the train being the 9:30.
+__Part 1__
-An Explanatory Discourse on the Gentle Arts of
+|Editor's Note:|The following articles are very entertaining but it must not be supposed that the Club approves of the gentle arts referred to. On the contrary their general practice would soon bring the Club into disrepute.|
-Hitch-Hiking and Jumping-the-Rattler.
+Everything has its raison d'etre. Even unto the lowly orders of "hitchers and jumpers", with most whom I met it was necessity of locomotion which caused them to travel so. Wherever they were dumped or jumped they sought food, and, in some case, work too. With my bicycle and myself these methods were employed in order to dodge bad roads (I might say - x!! - x bad ones).
-By Frazer Ratcliffe, PART 1
+For some time I had wondered how jumping the rattler was done. All professed not to know. Finally I met Roy Carlton while I was cycling through Howard, north of Maryborough, one dusty hot flyie day. He was sitting in the shade and atmosphere of the hotel fence, waiting for a car to pass south so that he might hitch along with it. One passed, he saw it too late. "Oh well" he said "there'll be another one soon." If, reader, you have such a complacent mind you could be a very successful hitcher.
-Editor's Note: The following articles are very entertaining but it must not be supposed that the Club approves of the gentle arts referred to. On the contrary their general practice would soon bring the Club into disrepute.
+And this is the treasured information he gave me regarding jumping. The adjectives and expletives are not for quotation.
-Everything has its raison deetre. Even unto the lowly orders of "hitchers and jumpers", with most whom I met it was necessity of locomotion which caused them to travel so. Wherever they were dumped or jumped they sought food, and, in some case, work too. With my bicycle and myself these methods were employed in order to dodge bad roads (I might say - xil 7;! bad ones).
+"Make enquiries as to when a train is going your way, how long it stops at the station or siding and if the station masters ahead are sympathetic or otherwise. If otherwise it is better to go on past their station and then jump on. For if they are "otherwisers" the chances are that they will have the police searching the train for you, and, if caught, it means up to 3 day's gaol. But even that has its compensations for in those country towns generally, there is no "lockup" and you spend your time playing (officially improving) in the policeman's garden. The last time I was caught I thoroughly enjoyed my- er - visit - holiday. His daughter was pretty and friendy. Night time is the best jumping time. The train is in, move to where the officials can't see you (in many cases they look the other way) and scramble into an empty truck (there is usually at least one) lie flat and there you are.
-For some time I had wondered haw jumping the rattler was done. All professed
+Those with bicycles generally make two s hooks of stout wire, place a hook either end of bike, lift up till the tops of hooks are over the truck side, and leave bike suspended there, climb up and pull in bike and all's well." It was this latter part of the information I wanted. Eventually I bade him farewell.
-not to know. Finally I met Roy Carlton Ar1-4.i1s;I was cycling through Howard, nor Li of Maryborough, one dusty hot fly 3e day Ho was sitting in the shade and atmosplre
+It was many weeks later. We had left Rockhampton some hundreds of miles behind. Roads were shocking, miles of pushing through loose, hot sand, over corrugations and pot holes. Temperature over the 100° for days. At times for many miles on end the road was just a sandy track winding in and out of the ever present gum forests.
-of the hotel fence, waiting for a car to pa:. ; 6outh so that ho m_Lght hitch alc):6irith
+Villages were 50 or 60 or 70 miles apart, up to 40 miles between farms. First two hours in the early morn I was cool, thereafter I rode or walked along in a continual bath of perspiration. Water tanks and holes were miles apart, good water was unobtainable. If you didn't notice the stale taste of the tepod (( [sic] tepid)) tank water you drank you certainly noticed the H<sub>2</sub>O's flavour and smell, or the soda effect of the warm bore water. That is, when you reached water. And in between water you simply put up with your thirst and thoughts of the - fools who say that the Western and Northern lands can support several more millions. Like hell! And when you cycle (and walk) through that country with the flaming sun and no water you do look it as hell. No green grass, the trees are barely green, everything has that dead, shrivelled up, brownish appearance, the earth everywhere has large cracks caused by the torture of the burning heavens and rainless skies. The heat doesn't come from just the one small sun in that blue expanse, it floods down from the pitiless spaces above.
-it. One passed, he saw it too late, "Oh wull" he said "there'll be another cTo r;Jon': If, reader, you have such a complacent mind you could be a very successful hitcher.
+So when we reached Yabula (( [sic] ? Yabulu, QLD )) the crew was ripe for mutiny. And mutiny came. For enquiries revealed that the road for the next forty miles lay over a mountain range. It wasn't just one of the ordinary bad ones we had been on for the past weeks. It was a really bad one. Any motor car which went over (very few did - only some half dozen a year) was guaranteed a broken spring or axle (or both). Any motorist who knew of this section __always__ avoided it by taking another road many miles back. The road over was just a rugged track full of holes, where it wasn't holey it was covered by boulders. There was no water the entire distance. And when I thought of the sun as well, no Sir, not for us. It would take about two days walking and pushing that stretch.
-And this is the treasured information he za,ve me regarding jumping. The adjectives and expletives are not for quotation.
+So enquiries were made at the Station. "Yes, there might be a train in the morning."
-"Make enquiries as to when a train is going your way, how long it stops at the
+Morning came and with it uncertainty for my first attempt at "jumping the rattler." By 7 a.m. I was packed, feverishly I searched for wire and made the hooks. No, one wasn't good enough. I'll make another, must be certain about it, don't want it to fail at the last moment, hurry there! At last a stronger one was made, musn't be late, hurry! Quickly I tried lifting the bike with them. All's well! At 7:10a.m. all was ready. I sat in the shade and waited - till 10 a.m. Still no train. Strangely enough I was no longer excited.
-station or siding and if the station masters ahead are sympathetic or otherwise. If
+A lone train came in and waited. Thought I, I'll ask the driver if he goes my way and if he can take my pack, that would be a help in case I can't "jump" and have to cycle over. He was going my way but he wouldn't take the pack as he said it was somewhat risky for him to do so.
-otherwise it is better to go on past their station and then jump on. For if they are 'otherwisers" the chances are that they will have the police searching the train for you, and, if caught, it means up to 3 day's gaol. But even that has its compensations for in those country towns generally, there is no "lockup" and you spend your time playing (officially improving) in the policeman's garden. The last time I was caught I thoroughly enjoyed my- er - visit - holiday. His daughter was pretty and friendy. Night time is the best jumping time. The train is in, move to where the officials can't see you (in many cases they look the other way) and scramble into an empty truck (there is usually at least one) lie flat and there you are.
+A. few minutes later a crowded jigger (( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handcar )) came in, one man jumping off. Thinking that he belonged to the jigger crew I asked if he could take my pack for me provided he were going very far.
-Those with bicycles generally make two s hooks of stout wire, place a hook
-either end of bike, lift up till the tops of hooks are over the truck side, and leave bike auspended there, climb up and pull in bike and all's well." It was this latter part of the information I wanted. Eventually I bade him farewell.
-It was many weeks latgr. We had left Rockhampton some hundreds of miles behind. Roads were shocking, miles of pushing through loose, hot sand, over corrugations and pot holes. Temperature over the 100 for days. At times for many miles on end the road was just a sandy track winding in and out of the ever present gum forests.
-t) Villages were 50 or 60 or 70 miles apart, up to 40 miles between farms. First
-two hours in the early morn I was cool, thereaftor I rode or walked along in a continual bath of perspiration. Water tanks and holes were miles apart, good water was unobtainable. If you didn't notice the stale taste of the tepod tank water you drank you certainly noticed the He's fl avour mad mo34, or the soda effect of the
-warm bore water. That is, when you reached water. And in between water you simply put up with your thirat and thoughts of the fools who say that the Western and Northern lands can support several more millions. Like hell! And when you cycle (and walk) through that country with the flaming sun and no water you do look it as hell. No green grass, the trees are barely green, everything has that dead, shrivelled up, brownish appearanoe the earth everywhere has large cracks cause6 17 the torture of the burning heavens and rainless skies. The heat doesn't come f c-m just the one small sun in that blue expanse', it floods dawn from the pitiless spac8a dbove
-So when we reached Yabula the crew was ripe for mutiny. And mutiny came. For enquiries revealed that the road for the next forty miles lay over a mountain rangIt wasn't just one of the ordinary bad ones we had been on for the past weeks. It
-was a really bad one. Any motor car which went over (very few did only some half dozen a year) was guaranteed a broken spring or axle (or both). Any motorist who knew of this section always avoided it by taking another road many miles back. The road over MA just a rugged track full of holes, where it wasn't holey it was cov,eced by boulders. There was no water the entire distance. And when I thought of the s-at as well, no Sir, not for us. It would take about Lwv days walking and pushing that stretch.
-So enquiries were made at the Staticln. 'fess there might be a train in the morning."
-Morning came and with it uncertaintT for my first attempt at "jumping the rattler." By 7 a m. I was packed, feverishly I searched for wire and made the hooks. No, one wasn't good enough. I'll make another, must be certain about it, don't want it to fail at the last moment, hurry there! At last a stronger one was made, musnit be late, hurry! Quickly I tried lifting the bike with them. All's well! At 7:10a m. all was ready. I sat in the shade and waited - till 10 a m. Still no train. Strangely enough I was no longer excited.
-A lone train came in and waited. Thought I, I'll ask the driver if he goes my way and if he can take ny pack, that would be a help in case I can't "jump" and. have to cycle over. Be was going my way but he wouldn't take the pack as he said it was somewhat risky for him to do so.
-A. few minutes later a crowded jigger came in, one man jumping off. Thinking that he belonged to the jigger crew I asked if he could take my pack for no provided he were going very far.
 "Sure" he said. "I'm going the next 40 miles over the range to Eulo, I'm the fireman of the engine yonder, take it over in a few minutes and I'll hide it in the cabin. Don't be obvious in doing so though."
@@ Line 163: / Line 131: @@
 Anxious not to miss I waited but a few seconds before doing the deed. The driver looked the other way as the fireman placed it in the cab. Down jumped the fireman. Said he, "Why not jump aboard yourself, we leave in half an hour with these trucks and some from an incoming train."
-I thanked him for the suggestion, saying that I mould trylalthough I hadn't thought of doing it.
+I thanked him for the suggestion, saying that I would try although I hadn't thought of doing it.
 I looked at the line of empties and decided upon the back one. I placed my sleeping bag in and began with the bike when along came the fireman.
-Swears he, "What the hell are you getting in that bloody thing for? These don't go only the first bloody three: You had better wait till we shunt the three on to the main line when the other bugger arrives. Don't forget don't be obvious about it."
+Swears he, "What the hell are you getting in that bloody thing for? These don't go - only the first bloody three! You had better wait till we shunt the three on to the main line when the other bugger arrives. Don't forget don't be obvious about it."
 I "bloody" well thanked him. And waited.
-Eventually the "other bugger" arrived on the platform line and was shunted back and then the three trucks placed in front. Horrors: The only open truck into which I could hide (??) was one containing a tremendous pile of coal! And it was right in front and alongside the Station: And dontt be obvious: And the train goes in a 2N minutes!
+Eventually the "other bugger" arrived on the platform line and was shunted back and then the three trucks placed in front. Horrors! The only open truck into which I could hide (??) was one containing a tremendous pile of coal! And it was right in front and alongside the Station! And don't be obvious! And the train goes in a few minutes!
-Over I rushed, trying to make it seem that a stranger running across a railway yard with a clattering bicycle towards a truck was quite a natural thing. In went the parcel, up went the bike, down fell the hooks. Once more the bike went up, the hooks gripped. I let goo the front hook came un-put and the front wheel brushed rny cheek, while the handle knocked me on the head. The back hook did likewise, and tIle pedal ripped my shirt as the bike fell. So we began again with quickly repaired hooks. This time the handles and the projecting collapsible back carrier (which came undone and wouldn't recollapse) prevented the hooks from reaching the truck sidec
-wriggled the hook and bike, they caught. I let go, dawn fell the bike against moo in its wake my shirt received a wonderful example of an oily chain design. Ny aria; were not quite free from oil either.
-In desperation I discarded the hooks and grasping each wheel lifted the bike
-till rested on the corner of the truck, !;hon. jumplad up and placed it in the truolr4.
-Room to hide bike and self therenr-Jz6, The coal vra,t 11116d high abo79 the truck level, leaving only a twel7c1 kwa,),) tho fsl'Dp;,; coal rm0, tho
-truck sideo Against this ;slope thc bike rcd. f,:r all the In(J!.:ci to see and in
+Over I rushed, trying to make it seem that a stranger running across a railway yard with a clattering bicycle towards a truck was quite a natural thing. In went the parcel, up went the bike, down fell the hooks. Once more the bike went up, the hooks gripped. I let go, the front hook came un-put and the front wheel brushed my cheek, while the handle knocked me on the head. The back hook did likewise, and the pedal ripped my shirt as the bike fell. So we began again with quickly repaired hooks. This time the handles and the projecting collapsible back carrier (which came undone and wouldn't recollapse) prevented the hooks from reaching the truck side. I wriggled the hook and bike, they caught. I let go, down fell the bike against me in its wake my shirt received a wonderful example of an oily chain design. My arms were not quite free from oil either.
-that twelve inch space I lay on blg beautiful 7.umps of dusty coal. I lay and listened. Voices there were and footsteps too but we remained undisturbed. We pulled out, I could not resist one last look, so raised my head towards the Station yet but a few yards away. 'What a wonderful smiling send off the group of seven gave mal So my perspiration had. been for nought.
+In desperation I discarded the hooks and grasping each wheel lifted the bike till rested on the corner of the truck, then jumped up and placed it in the truck.
-Soon we were in the ranges where from time to time I caught glimpses of the road. Each time I saw it, its state made ms shudder. I willingly put up with the coal. We passed several groups working on the line. Each time I hid and each time I received kindly enquiries rnarding my health. About 90 minutes later we arrived at Eulo my journey was over. Fortunately the Station Master was in his office, he has one of the notherwisers."
+Room to hide bike and self there was none. The coal was piled high above the truck level, leaving only a twelve inch space between the slope of coal and the truck side. Against this slope the bike rested for all the world to see and in that twelve inch space I lay on big beautiful lumps of dusty coal. I lay and listened. Voices there were and footsteps too but we remained undisturbed. We pulled out, I could not resist one last look, so raised my head towards the Station yet but a few yards away. What a wonderful smiling send off the group of seven gave me! So my perspiration had been for nought.
-The fireman dropped my pack and all was wells
+Soon we were in the ranges where from time to time I caught glimpses of the road. Each time I saw it, its state made me shudder. I willingly put up with the coal. We passed several groups working on the line. Each time I hid and each time I received kindly enquiries regarding my health. About 90 minutes later we arrived at Eulo my journey was over. Fortunately the Station Master was in his office, he has one of the "otherwisers."
-,(TO BE CONTINUED IN OUR NEXT)
+The fireman dropped my pack and all was well.
-- 5
+(To Be Continued In Our Next)
 FEDERATION NEWS. Shacks at Garawarra