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 __Socrates__: May thy shadow lengthen and thy tribe increase; may thy dreams be sweet and thy rewards for virtue manifold. Goodnight.
+----
+=====Era Deserta.=====
+By "K.M."
+For a variety of reasons I was not at the clubrooms during the month or so before Christmas, and was therefore completely in the dark as to holiday plans. Several members, encountered in the wild lunch-hour shopping scramble, shook their heads when I asked: Are you going to Era?
-ERA DESERTA.
-By /V
-For a variety of reasons I was not at the clubrooms during the month or so beforG Christmas, and was therefore completely in the dark as to holiday plans. Several members, encountered in the wild lunch-hour shopping scramble, shook their heads when I asked: Are you going to Era?
 "No" they said, "but there's sure to be a good crowd".
-"Yes, I suppose so" I answered, thinking of last year's tenamaxit conditions, when cooking arrangements were so neighb-o-uTly that a flipped egg or beans sautbs were ju st as iikA4ly to land_ ID someone else's frying pan as In on.GTa. own,.
-,
+"Yes, I suppose so" I answered, thinking of last year's tenement conditions, when cooking arrangements were so neighbourly that a flipped egg or beans sautes were just as iikely to land in someone else's frying pan as in one's own.
-_ .
-.'_, .,._) . .',...!; 7, -',., -.J -, 1.,1
- . , .,.
-- - t ') T
-Chr istmciS Eve Saw rne, f ed with, 'goo dw ill anct ra1lot', for- conviviality, 'alight at Viat rfa1,1 and soar; thQ platform- faces. Not an one. Not oven the- aarftal-like :outline- of the
+Christmas Eve saw me, filled with goodwill and a1l set for conviviality, alight at Waterfall and scan the platform for familiar faces. Not an one. Not even the camel-like outline of the genuine bushwalker. Travellers there were, laden with impossible looking burdens, but they were definitely not bushwalkers.
-genuine bushwalker. Travellers there- we,reL.,- laden with impossible
-looking jp.,4rde)as , but they, wore d,efiniteli y not buShwalko rs s'
+Feeling a little dashed I boarded the bus in company with these outsiders, and from the Lookout descended the track alone.
-I r
-Feeling a little dashed,I.13,9'8,t4S-P4 Incompant-withthoso
+Soon, I thought, I shall descry the bevy of tents upon the sward and ant-like figures engaged upon their lawful occasions. But the dress-circle was deserted; not a flicker of life up at Dead Horse; no cheerful smoke spiring on thie still evening air. Ah, at last - a gleam of white - there was a tent beneath the palms. Closer inspection discovered two youths in residence, and another tent, uninhabited, set snugly amongst the lillipillis. Its owners were returning the next night, the lads informed me.
-outsiderS, and froth; th'e' tookeut deS,cencled the traek.-alone... -
-, Soon, I thought, I shall descry the bevy of tents upon the sward and ant-like figUres engaged upon their lawful occasions. But the dress-circle was deserted; not a iflicker of life up at Dead Horse; rio cheerful smolce siii,r4P6 on thie still ,evening , air. Ali, at -last -
+This then was the sum total of the population: three, at Era, on Christmas Eve.
-a gleam Of white - there AR as a t_orit beneath the palms. -Closer
-inspection discovered two youths, ip residence, an another tent, uninhabited, 0 ont 'ahugly amongst the lillipillis. Its owners ,Ware
+Philosophically I made my way to my usual boudoir in the lantana thicket - designed originally, I understand by Dot Batler to accommodate herself and elder daughter. All was much as I had left it last January, but the scrub was fresher and greener than usual owing to the spring rains.
-returning thle'pext :night the lads ,informed,
-This then was the sup, tot4 oX.tpDcApui40ipx...v, thre eir-1,a;,t,', E. Christmas''Eve.
+Darkness descended before I had finished my evening meal, and as Christmas Carols were obviously not to be expected, there was nothing be do but go to bed. The mosquitoes indeed indulged in rather more carolling than I cared about; a patter of rain-drops and a few stirrings of the humbler creation amongst the fallen leaves broke the stillness from time to time, but the night passed peacefully enough.
-Philosophically I made my way to my ,usual boudoir in the lantana thicket - designed originally, I understand by -Dot Batler to - agcommod at ,.harself and., older --daught "NS- - - left it last January, but the scrub was fresher and greener than,usual owing to the spring rains.
-Darkness descended before I had finished my evening meal, and as Ohristm4s Carols were obviously not to be expected, there vva,s nothing be do but go to bed. The mosquitoes indeed_ indulged In rather more carDlling than I cared about; a patter of rain-drops and" a few
+Christmas morning dawned clear, and the cantata of bird notes began - butcher birds, clear and beautiful, the Peter! Peter! of Jacky Winters, chirpings of blue wrens, crack of whip-birds, and crows very high and desolate, voicing their gloomy view of the universe.
-stirrings -of the humbler creation amongst the fallen leaves broke the stillness from time, to time, but the night passed peacefully enpugh.
-Christmas morning dawned clear, -and tlike' cantata of bird notes began - butcher birds, clear and beautiful, Peter!, Peter; of Jacky
+I emerged from my lair pining to greet someone with "Merry Christmas!" but my two fellow-inhabitants were not yet abroad. I tried the conventional phrase on three rabbits nibbling the lawn near my front door, but they fled in alarm. I hailed a lizard as he darted out of the scrub, but one glance of his haughty eye told me that he was a gentleman of ancient lineage, owing fealty doubtless to that old serpent called Satan, but coldly indifferent to anything so new-fangled as Christmas festivals.
-Winters, chirpings of blu e' wrens,--, crack of whip-birds, and crows very high and desolate, vaioing their gloomy view of the universe.
-I emerged from my lair pining to greet someone with ',Merry ChristmasIbut my two fellow-inhabitants were not yet abroad. I tried the
+No it was not a convivial scene: in fact I never remember having such a quiet Christmas; but two incidents made my visit to Era worth while. The first happened while I was dressing.
-conventional phrase on three rabbits nibbling the lawn' near my front
-door-, but they fled in alarm. I -hailed a lizard as he darted out of
+I gazed idly at an object on the leafy floor of my bedroom and recognised it as a hen egg. Strange, I thought, I should not have imagined there were domestic fowls hereabouts. As the old brain emerged from its morning mists, it dawned on me that the egg was part of my luggage. I examined it and found that it was cracked but not lost. The paper wrapping of it had disappeared. Its fellows, in a tin placed in the fork of a tree, were intact, but a paper bag containing macaroni, a slab of cheese and a package of salt, had vanished holus bolus. Certainly I had heard various rustlings in the night but nothing to indicate such a large-scale robbery.
-the scrub-, but one glance' of his haughty eye told me that he was a gentleman of ancient' lineage,. living' fea lty doubtless to that old serpent called Satan, but coldly' indif"fer4nt to anything so new-
-fangled as Christmas festlivaId'.' 4'"
+I pictured rat pere lugging home his treasure-trove to the missus and kids, pointing out to them the succulence of the cheese and the excellence of the pasta - best quality, fatta all'uova. A Christmas dinner straight from heaven. I only regretted that he did not return the salt, as I felt sure it would be wasted.
-No it was not a convivial scene: in fact I never remember Jaavingsuch a quiet Christmas; but two incidents made' my visit to-Era worth while. The first happnod.
+The second incident was the thrilling vision of his grace the lyre bird, stepping delicately among the rocks as I went to fill my water-bag at the pool. He scratched unconcernedly for provender in the leafy mould, speaking an occasional word of cheer to his lady, similarly engaged at a little distance up the bank. For the first time in my life (and I am getting on now) I beheld this miracle of loveliness, with the famous tail streaming and gleaming in the morning light. Something unique in the way of Christmas presents, you will agree. Yes, decidedly this Christmas, 1946, was a memorable occasion.
+----
-I gazed idly at an object on the le:Ify floor of my bqdroom and recognised it as a hen egg. Strange, I thought, I should not have
-imagined there were domestic fowls hereabouts. As the old brain
-emerged from its morning mists, it dawned on hie that the egg was part
-of my luggage. I examined it and found that it was cracked but not
-lost. The paper wrapping of it ttad disappeared. Its fellows, in
-a tin placed in the fork of a tree, were intact, but a paper bag containing macaroni, a slab of cheese and a package of salt, had
-vanished holus bolus. Certainly I had heard various rustlings
-in the night but noshing to indicate such a large-scale robbery.
-I pictured rat pore 110.gging home his treasure-trove to the missus and kids, pointing out to them the succulence of the cheese and the excellence of the pasta - best quality, fatta all'uova. A
-Christmas dinner straight from heaven. I only regretted that he
-did not return the salt, as I felt sure it would be wasted.
-The second incident was the thrilling vision of his grace the lyre bird, stepping delicately among the rocks as I went to fill my water-bag at the pool. He scratched unconcernedly for provender in the leafy mould, speaking an occasional word of cheer to his lady, similarly engaged at a little distance up the bank.. For the first time in my life (and I am getting on now) I beheld this miracle of loveliness, with the famous tail streaming and gleaming. in the morning light. Something unique in the way of
-Christmas presents, you wi.4.1 agree. Yes, decidedly this Christmas,
-, was a momorable occasion.
 Bror Fox.
 (Extract from a letter by Mr. H. A. Lindsay, President of the Adelaide Bush Walkers.)