with a nulla nulla. Then they had a nip of rum all round --
Black Jimmie must have wanted it, for the nulla nulla was knotted, and heavy,
and made in the most approved fashion. Then the other blackfellow
bent his head, and Jimmie took the club and returned the whack with interest.
Then the other fellow hit Jimmie a lick, and took a clout in return.
Then they had another drink, and continued thus until Jimmie's rival
lost all heart and interest in the business. But you couldn't take
everything my uncle's brother said for granted.

Black Mary was a queen by right, and had the reputation of being
the cleanest gin in the district; she was a great favourite
with the squatters' wives round there. Perhaps she hoped
to reclaim Jimmie -- he was royal, too, but held easy views
with regard to religion and the conventionalities of civilisation.
Mary insisted on being married properly by a clergyman,
made the old man build a decent hut, had all her children christened,
and kept him and them clean and tidy up to the time of her death.

Poor Queen Mary was ambitious. She started to educate her children,
and when they got beyond her -- that is when they had learnt their letters --
she was grateful for any assistance from the good-natured bush men and women
of her acquaintance. She had decided to get her eldest boy
into the mounted police, and had plans for the rest,
and she worked hard for them, too. Jimmie offered no opposition,
and gave her no assistance beyond the rations and money he earned shepherding
-- which was as much as could be expected of him.

He did as many husbands do "for the sake of peace and quietness" --
he drifted along in the wake of his wife, and took things as easily
as her schemes of reformation and education would allow him to.