Old Flossy

Old Flossy by Don Johnson Brisbane-Australia It was there on Sharpen station, ....(ranch) west near Adavale i'd be. Back in the early thirties, worst drought you'd ever see. Five thousand cows were dying slow, brought from lake Nash to Adavale. ....(droving trip) They lived on mulga bushes low, ...........(13% tree leaves drought food) to feed their bodies frail. I was the boy who manned the pump, fat crows in thousands waited. With not a blade of grass or single clump, those crows for sure i hated. The cattle bitsa old flossy had nine pups, more company for me. For i'd get a visit once a month, yes it's then the boss i'd see. The dead cows around the trough did lie, and i'd snig them right away. I'd shifted hundreds by and by, cut and quartered where they lay. The pups were disappearing fast, one every day for sure. I checked the camp and missed the last, saw snake tracks upon the floor. Old Mulga snake would breathe no more, he'd had his last pup meal. He was big as nine foot four, when the last pup he did steal. Old flossy fought him tooth and nail, he'd bit her also too. She chewed his head off didn`t fail, was dying this she knew. I held her dying with my arm, her pleading eyes i saw. She went to sleep so very calm, passed on through death's front door. in 1936 old yellow flossy died game! In this lonely place with death all around you, it was tragic for young Don to lose his dog. Aussie shepherds (cattle dogs) will defend you, camp on your doorstep.