Down the River
Hark the sound of it; drawing nearer!
Clink of hobble and brazen bell
Mark the passage of stalwart shearer,
Bidding Monaro soil farewell.
Where is he making for? Down the River —
Down the River with eager tread!
Where is he making for? Down the River,
Down the River to seek a shed.
Where is his dwelling on old Monaro? —
Buckley's Crossing, or Jindaboine?
Dry Plain is it, or sweet Bolaro?
P'r'aps 'tis near where the rivers join.
Where is he making for? Down the River!
When, oh, when will he turn him back?
Soft sighs follow him down the River:
Moist eyes gaze at his fading track.
See! behind him the pack-horse, ambling,
Bears the weight of his master's kit —
Oft and oft from the pathway rambling,
Crops unhampered by cruel bit.
Where is he making for, equine rover? —
Sturdy nag from the Eucumbene,
Tempted down by the thought of clover
Springing luscious in Riverine.
Dreams of life and its future chances;
Snatch of song to beguile the way —
Through green crannies the sunlight glances,
Silver-gilding the bright jack-shay.
'So long, mate! I can stay no longer.
So long, mate! I've no time to stop:
Pens are waiting me at Mahonga,
Bluegong, Grubben, and Pullitop.
'What! you say that the River's risen?
What! that the melted snow has come?
What! that it locks and bars our prison?--
Many's the mountain stream I've swum.
I must onward and cross the River:
So long, mate! for I cannot stay;
I must onward and cross the River —
Over the River there lies my way!'
One man short when the roll they're calling!
One man short at old Bobby Rand's!
Heads are drooping and tears are falling
Up on Monaro's mountain lands...
Where is he making for? Down the River,
Down the river of slimy bed!
Where is he making for? Down the River,
Down the River that bears him — dead.
This work is in the public domain in Australia because it was created in Australia and the term of copyright has expired. According to Australian Copyright Council - Duration of Copyright, the following works are public domain:
- published non-government works whose author died before January 1, 1955,
- anonymous or pseudonymous works and photographs published before January 1, 1955, and
- government works published more than 50 years ago (before January 1, 1974).
This work is also in the public domain in the United States because it was first published outside the United States (and not published in the U.S. within 30 days), and it was first published before 1989 without complying with U.S. copyright formalities (renewal and/or copyright notice) and it was in the public domain in Australia on the URAA date (January 1, 1996). This is the combined effect of Australia having joined the Berne Convention in 1928, and of 17 USC 104A with its critical date of January 1, 1996.
Because the Australian copyright term in 1996 was 50 years, the critical date for copyright in the United States under the URAA is January 1, 1946.
This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse