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+===== Barrington Tops. =====
+Bill Hall.
+So many people in the club have been over Barrington Tops and have recounted their impressions of the countryside that in this account of my recent holiday I shall not stress that side of my trip but will tell of the people I met en route.
+Ken White had made enquiries at Challis House and I had made them at Central Railway Station, and we were both told that there was a train to Dungog at 1.15 p.m. but the indicator board said it went only as far as Newcastle. However, it was going in the right direction and we clambered aboard. At Newcastle we found that there was a connection within a couple of hours, and immediately upon boarding that train I commenced discreet enquiries to find if any of the passengers lived at Dungog.
+You see, we had to get car transport to as close as Barrington House as possible. Fortunately the first man I approached was the uncle of Ken Shelton, who, I was to learn, drove the milk waggon from Barrington House district to Dungog. I was assured that we would readily get a lift from Dungog to Salisbury, which is a centre about 6 miles from Barrington House.
+Unfortunately at this stage our conversation was interrupted. The train had been stopping frequently and was quickly filling up with male passengers who had been imbibing freely at their local pub. One, a miner, still cldd in his mining clothes, and clutching tenaciously a big fish whose head and tail were protruding from a bundle of newspapers, nearly flattened me as he lurched by to sit down alongside me. Another chap, who cheerily informed everybody near and far that he was employed at the "Newcastle Markets", was dressed in his best. He was sailing well under the weather and commenced to judge our intelligence by asking a series of conundrums. The miner, all this time, was vociferously telling me that the person whose energies were bent in preventing the dapper market worker from telling the conundrums, was the best boxer in the West Newcastle area. However the market worker got a hearing.
+"There you are", he said, "what's twice the age of a thirteen year old boy six years ago?".
+By this time those in the next compartment had broken into song, and we were free for the moment from the constant demands for an answer to the problem. Yes, we had it, but unfortunately were not given another opportunity to tell our answer. The market bloke was loudly demanding an answer for another problem.
+"One bricklayer lays bricks at the rate of ten in five minutes. Another lays them at the rate of five in ten minutes. How long would it take to lay fifteen bricks?"
-BARINNGTOY TOPS BILL, HALL
-_
-So ,many peo-ele in the club have been over Barrington Tops and have re, counted their impres8ions of the countryside that in this account of my recent holiday I shall not stress that side of my trip but will tell of the people I mey en route.
-Ken White had made enquiries at Challis House and I had made them at
-Central Railway Station, and we were both told that there was a train to Dungog at 145 p m0 but the indicator board said it went only as far as Newcastle. However, it was going in the right direction and Iv: cla:ibered
-aboard. At Newcastle we found that there was a connection within a couple
-of hours, and immediately u-)on boarding that train I comiaenced discreet enquiries to find if any of the passengers lived at Dungog.
-You sea, we had to get car transport to as close as Barrington House
-as possible. Fortunately the first man I approached was the uncle of Ken Shelton, who, I was to learn, drove the milk waggon from Barrington House
-district to Dungog. I was assured that we would readily get a lift frOm
-Dungog to Salisbury,- which is a centre about 6 miles from Barrington House.
-Unfortunately at this stage our conversation was interrupted. The train had been stopping frequently and was quickly filTing up with male passengers who had been imbibing freely at their local pub, One, a miner, still cldd in his mining 4othes, and clutching tenaciously a big fish whose head and tail were'protruding from a bundle of newspapers, nearly flattened me as he lurched'by to sit down alongside me. Another chap, who cheerily informed everybody near and far that he was employed at the "Newcastle Markets",was
-dressed in his best. He was sailing well under the weather and commenced
-to judge our intelligence by asking a series of conundrums. , The miner, all this tithe, was vociferously telling me that the -oerson whosa energies were bent in preventing the dapper market worker from telling the conundrums,
-was the best boxer in the West Newcastle area. However the market worker got a hearing.
-"There you are", he siid, "what's twice the age of a thirteen year old boy six years ago?".
-By this time those in the next compartment had broken into song, and we were free for the moment from the c,nstant demands for an answer to
-the problem. Yes, we had it, but unfortunately were not given another
-opportunity to tell our answer. The market bloke Was loudly demanding an answer for another problem.
-"One bricklayer lays bricks at the r_--te of ten in five minutes. Another lays them at the rate of five in ten minutes. How long would it take to lay fifteen bricks?"
 We had that one to but the market man was too quick.
-"Come on: Come onl he yelled, "A hen and a half lays an egg and a half in a 'day and a half, how many eggs_would a hen and a 12711f lay in a week and a half?"
-We haC commenced to tackle that one when someone ne _r gave an answer
+"Come on! Come on!" he yelled, "A hen and a half lays an egg and a half in a day and a half, how many eggs would a hen and a half lay in a week and a half?"
-that was obviously wrong. During the altercation that followed, the market c.7 chap was drawn to give the answer to the connundrim, which he said was
-!'Seven and a half eggs.
+We had commenced to tackle that one when someone near gave an answer that was obviously wrong. During the altercation that followed, the market chap was drawn to give the answer to the connundrim, which he said was "Seven and a half eggs".
-I think the Tiquor fumes must have been thickening and he and the
-miner alighted at the next station, one trying to tell yet another connundrum, the other proclaiming that he was not going to sell his fish, he was going to cook it for breakfast.
+I think the liquor fumes must have been thickening and he and the miner alighted at the next station, one trying to tell yet another connundrum, the other proclaiming that he was not going to sell his fish, he was going to cook it for breakfast.
-Free once more I cntinued my enquiries from Ken Shelton's uncle, whom
-I found was a very helpful person. He gave us directions where we could find
+Free once more I cotinued my enquiries from Ken Shelton's uncle, whom I found was a very helpful person. He gave us directions where we could find his nephew in the morning, and at Dungog directed us to a saw mill where we spent the night sheltered from the rain.
-his nephew in the morning, and at Dungo directed us to a saw mill where we sent the night sheltered from the rain,
-Next morning we spent an interesting couple of hours watching milk being loaded and treated at the local Dairying Coop,SoCiety, when Ken Shelton.
+Next morning we spent an interesting couple of hours watching milk being loaded and treated at the local Dairying Co-op. Society, when Ken Shelton came along and we were at last off to Barrington.
-came along and we were at last off to Barrington.
-Lunch time found us sheltering from the rain in a shed near the road, when along came a small boy with a Stone gripped in each hand. Wishing to be friendly I asked him from whence he had come. "Down the creek", he answered. "And what were you doing th.2re", I s:--dd. "After rabbits", was the reply. Seeing no weapons abnut him, I sarcastically asked him if he caught' them by putting salt on their tails. "No", he said, "I knock them over with
+Lunch time found us sheltering from the rain in a shed near the road, when along came a small boy with a stone gripped in each hand. Wishing to be friendly I asked him from whence he had come. "Down the creek", he answered. "And what were you doing there", I said. "After rabbits", was the reply. Seeing no weapons about him, I sarcastically asked him if he caught them by putting salt on their tails. "No", he said, "I knock them over with stones". That proved a little too much for me and I again sarcastically enquired how many he had so far killed. "Three", he soberly answered, I left him, doubt commencing to leak into my mind. Perhaps he may have felled three rabbits after all.
-stones". That proved-a little too much for me and I again sarcastically enquired how many he had BO far killed. "Three", he soberly answered, I left
-him, doubt commencing to leak into my mind. Perha,ps he may have felled three rabbits after all.
+The next person we met was the keeper of Barrington House. We stood in the rain and talked to him for a quarter of an hour. He warned us so often of the difficulties of making a fire in that part of the bush that I was beginning to feel that he was persuading us to put up at his place for the night.
-The next person we met was the kee-)er of Barrington House. We 'stood in the rain and talked to him for a quarter of an hour. He warned us so often
-of the difficulties of making a fire in that part 'of the bush that I was
+We didn't and went on to make a fire and camp, and to climb to Carey's Peak in sunshine next day. We camped in the tin shed and came down in the mist and rain and ice the next morning - such is Barrington. The weather changes overnight there.
-beginning to feel that he was persuading us to put up at hi S place for the night.
-We didn't and went on t' make a fire. and camp, and to climb to,Careyts Peak in sunshine next day. We camped in th2 tin shed and came down in the mist and rain and 'ice the next morning such is Harrington. The weather changes overnight there.
+Following the map we came out on the upper reaches of the South Arm of Stewart's Brook. Camp that night was made at the junction of the north and south arms and early next morning we were on our way again.
-Following the map we came out on the upper reaches. of the South Arm of StewartIs Brook. Camp that night was made at the junction of the north and south 'arms and early next morning w were onour way again.
-A debonair stockman was:passing by on horseback. We hailed him and enquired at which point the-,track over the range to Moonan Brook commenced. He gave us directions and galloped on his way. I do not know if all life. flows 'so casually in this pretty little valley, but twice more we saw and passed this stockman. Each time he had stopped by the road to talk to some acquaintance. The third time he rbecame a little embarassed and commented:that he would have to hurry on. Wo saw him no more,
+A debonair stockman was passing by on horseback. We hailed him and enquired at which point the track over the range to Moonan Brook commenced. He gave us directions and galloped on his way. I do not know if all life flows so casually in this pretty little valley, but twice more we saw and passed this stockman. Each time he had stopped by the road to talk to some acquaintance. The third time he became a little embarassed and commented that he would have to hurry on. We saw him no more.
-Wandering on through this one time flourishing mining centre we met and talked to Mrs,Carter, She called to Us from the front garden where she was pruning shrubs. She was a nice old lady, Evidently her mind had been with
-,her sons. One was Prisoner of War in Italy and had been wounded in the hand, and the other was a Prisoner of war in Japan. I hastened to lessen her fears, and assured her that I thought the Japanese would give her son reacon-
+Wandering on through this one time flourishing mining centre we met and talked to Mrs. Carter. She called to us from the front garden where she was pruning shrubs. She was a nice old lady. Evidently her mind had been with her sons. One was a Prisoner of War in Italy and had been wounded in the hand, and the other was a Prisoner of war in Japan. I hastened to lessen her fears, and assured her that I thought the Japanese would give her son reasoneably good treatment, and that they would free him after the war, when he would come home to her again. She comnlained how hard it was to get provisions and thinking of the difficulties her boys had at times in getting supplies, thought perhaps we would like some eggs.
-eably good treatment, and that they would free him after the war, when he would come home to bar again. She comnlained how hard it wam to get provisions and thinking of the difficulties her boys had at bimes in getting supplies, thought perhaps we would like some eggs,
-We bad ample supplies but found it hard to say no, and in return for the eggs we gave her a packet of wheatmeal biscuits. rot very presentable you say,
+We had ample supplies but found it hard to say no, and in return for the eggs we gave her a packet of wheatmeal biscuits. Not very presentable you say.
-We found the turn off to the bridle track over the range to Moonan Brook, and climbing up and over the ridge we came upon an old sundowner camped in a slab hut. The hut was littered about with tins and refuse, and the sun(9.ewner, a airty old fellow if ever there was one, was seated in the hut brewing soma- thing in a billy; I looked from the billy to hims and back again to the billy and wondered which was the dirtier.
-I found myself unconsciously indulging in a little self-analysis, eaarohing myself to find if I had any traits that would in later life develop and cause me to boceme a counterpart of this follow. I could not get away from him too quickly, he spoilt the little side creek by which he was camp-6.d.
+We found the turn off to the bridle track over the range to Moonan Brook, and climbing up and over the ridge we came upon an old sundowner camped in a slab hut. The hut was littered about with tins and refuse, and the sundowner, a dirty old fellow if ever there was one, was seated in the hut brewing something in a billy. I looked from the billy to him, and back again to the billy and wondered which was the dirtier.
-Other than waving to a woman who with her young daughter was digging in the field, we met no one until we hailed a man on horseback to enquire just how far it was to Mo.:man Flat. He seemes surpri sed to see us, and a-,-oeared amused that we should be touring the country on foot. He gave us directions how to find the little tin but where he used to live in his bahhelor days, we could camp there. I gave him a sly rub, and sug,ested that he was much better off having someone to care for him now, than in his single days. Ho laughed, but I noticed that he did not deny it, and after we had passed through Moonan Flat and came to his little huts I could picture what a lonely life he had led. We did not sleep in the hut but camped by the river that flowed at the back of it.
-Next morning we wore on our way early and at Belltrees caught the service car to Scone. I stayed at a boarding house that night, and ate boarding house pudding. I do not recommend such places. The bush is far more friendly and there is no landlady to count the sticks of firewood that you put on the fire.
+I found myself unconsciously indulging in a little self-analysis, searching myself to find if I had any traits that would in later life develop and cause me to become a counterpart of this follow. I could not get away from him too quickly, he spoilt the little side creek by which he was campped.
-.
+Other than waving to a woman who with her young daughter was digging in the field, we met no one until we hailed a man on horseback to enquire just how far it was to Moonan Flat. He seemes surprised to see us, and appeared amused that we should be touring the country on foot. He gave us directions how to find the little tin hut where he used to live in his bachelor days, we could camp there. I gave him a sly rub, and suggested that he was much better off having someone to care for him now, than in his single days. He laughed, but I noticed that he did not deny it, and after we had passed through Moonan Flat and came to his little hut, I could picture what a lonely life he had led. We did not sleep in the hut but camped by the river that flowed at the back of it.
+Next morning we were on our way early and at Belltrees caught the service car to Scone. I stayed at a boarding house that night, and ate boarding house pudding. I do not recommend such places. The bush is far more friendly and there is no landlady to count the sticks of firewood that you put on the fire.
+----
 C )11.SE1),VATION
  ALEX. COLLEY.' 0