Aubrey Mcgovern Rides Again

Aubrey Mc Govern by Don Johnson ........ Aubrey McGovern and the Deaf & the Deefe lived down on Cubbie on damper and beef. The damper was easy McGovern could cook the beef it was shady Deaf & Deefe was a crook. When the meat bag was empty and had to be filled, the first neighbors beast just had to be killed. It was a bush law that you don't kill your own, when picking one out it was mostly a roan. These cattle are softer and won't hurt your gums, digestion is better and won't hurt your buns. Whips could be made from their soft roan hides, and last for years when properly applied. You could make hobble straps out of green hide you know, bell straps for the horses,…(green hide uncured leather off a bullock) but twisting hide ropes was ever so slow.(hobble pegs 4 hobble strap) They would last for years if you kept them well oiled, and kept under cover so they wouldn't be spoiled. With head ropes and leg ropes and a Bronco horse, the branding was done on the old water course( Cubbie stn) McGovern was evil when on the grog, Swore until his death he'd met the Devil agog. He met him front on with a pot full of spuds, he threw it all over him and scalded his duds. Yes the Devil took off McGovern did say, and he didn't come back for many a day. The tools of the Bushman are simple and few. So he hit the old devil with a bucket of stew. Sometimes when sober and a few friends around, They'd query him about the Devil, he declared the story was sound. by D H Johnson This eating of the neighbors cattle or sheep was traditional, and IS accepted as the done thing. in south west Queensland. http://www.scullywag.com/kokoda1942stoush