The Squatter of the Olden Time

Words: Unknown (Queenslander)
Tune: Henry Russell (Fine Old English Gentleman)



I'll sing to you a fine new song, made by my blessed mate,
Of a fine Australian squatter who had a fine estate,
Who swore by right pre-emptive at a sanguinary rate
That by his rams, his ewes, his lambs, Australia was made great
Like a fine Australian squatter, one of the olden time.

His hut around was hung with guns, whips, spurs, and boots and shoes.
And kettles and tin pannikins to hold the tea he brews;
And here his worship lolls at ease and takes.his smoke and snooze,
And quaffs his cup of hysonskin, the beverage old chums choose
Like a fine Australian squatter, one. of the olden time.

And when shearing time approaches he opens hut to all
And though ten ihousand are his flocks, he featly shears them all,
Even to the scabby wanderer you'd think no good at all;
For while he fattens all the great, he boils down all the small
Like a fine old Murray squatter, one of the olden time.

And when his worship comes to town his agents for to see,
His wool to ship, his beasts to sell, he lives right merrily;
The club his place of residence, as becomes a bush l.P.,
He darkly hints that Thompson's run from scab is scarcely free
This fine old Murray settler, one of the olden time.

And now his fortune he has made, to England straight goes he,
But finds with grief he's not received as he had hoped to be.
His friends declare his habits queer, his language much too free,
And are somewhat apt to cross the street, when him they chance to see
This fine Australlan squatter, the boy of the olden time.


Another variation of the Fine Old English Gentleman (see yesterday's post), this time from the Oakleigh Leader, Saturday 15 September, 1894 (http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66217526).


The illustration to this post is a hand-coloured lithograph, The Squatter's First Home, by Alexander Denistoun Lang (dated 1847 and held by the State Library of Victoria).