image of person or book cover 5765420919689115906.jpg
Title page of 1867 edition
y separately published work icon Station Dangerous, and Other Tales for the Young selected work   short story   children's  
Issue Details: First known date: 1867... 1867 Station Dangerous, and Other Tales for the Young
The material on this page is available to AustLit subscribers. If you are a subscriber or are from a subscribing organisation, please log in to gain full access. To explore options for subscribing to this unique teaching, research, and publishing resource for Australian culture and storytelling, please contact us or find out more.

AbstractHistoryArchive Description

A collection of adventure stories for boys, two of which are set in Australia (on a station and in the goldfields) and one in Canada.

Contents

* Contents derived from the London,
c
England,
c
c
United Kingdom (UK),
c
Western Europe, Europe,
:
James Nisbet , 1867 version. Please note that other versions/publications may contain different contents. See the Publication Details.
Station Dangerous; or, The Settlers in Central Australia, Octavius Frederic Timins , single work short story children's
The Ames family accept an offer to move up north to a new station purchased by the owner of the property they currently work on. The new station, Station Dangerous, is named so in accord with the feelings and attitudes towards indigenous people at the time. The new white settlers regarded the local indigenous tribe and their leader 'King Fox' with suspicion and are worried that they may be violent. They accept an invitation to a corroboree as an indication of trying to start peaceful relations but are later slaughtered by the local tribe. The massacre is avenged by neighbouring squatters and police. The events leave Mrs Ames a widow; however, she remarries, accepting her long-time friend Joe's proposal, and they return to the original station and live as prosperous and successful farmers.
(p. 1-46)
Orphan Willie: A Boy's Adventures in North America, Octavius Frederic Timins , single work short story children's

Young Willie lives on an estate called the Grange. The daughter of the owner of the estate is engaged to a man named Mr Vere. After the death of his aunt, Willie leaves rural England for Canada, employed as a groom for Mr Vere. The story describes Willie and Mr Vere's journey to Canada and the adventures they encounter. Once they reach the barracks where Mr Vere is to serve, Willie befriends the older groomsman, Dick Batty. They form a friendship and Batty discovers that unbeknown to Willie, a respected soldier, Sergeant Clifford Dean, is actually Willie's uncle. They are reunited and a close bond forms between the three men. After many adventures in Canada, where both Mr Vere and Willie prove themselves, they return to the Grange, where Vere marries Miss Merton. Both Willie and Batty continue to be employed by Vere as groomsmen in his stables. Willie eventually marries a local girl, Jane Grant. His uncle Clifford receives his discharge from the army and goes on to serve in a militia regiment. Vere, Willie and Batty see out their days happily at the Grange.

(p. 47-166)
Tom of the Diggings, Octavius Frederic Timins , single work short story children's
Scotchie, the son of Widow Best, often finds himself in trouble due to his mischievous ways. After getting involved in some trouble, he heads to the Australian goldfields with a man called Will Grady. They head for Ballarat, where they set up diggings. Grady becomes a bushranger known as 'Gentle Willie' and when Scotchie falls ill he is taken to a bush inn that is owned by Grady's friend so that they can look after him. Scotchie returns to health, but as the police close in on the bushranger gang, Scotchie is identified as having stolen a horse when they first arrived in Melbourne. Given a light sentence, Scotchie takes comfort from the prison chaplain, is christened and becomes a Christian. Given a free ticket due to his good behaviour, Scotchie returns to work in the goldfields. During this time, Grady has given himself up and been sentenced to many years imprisonment, during which his health fails. Now known as Tom Best, Scotchie returns to England and brings his mother the money he earned in the goldfields. He finds employment in the railways and wins the respect of his peers after helping rescue a worker trapped by sand from an embankment collapse.
(p. 167-263)

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

Last amended 30 Apr 2015 08:23:54
Newspapers:
    Powered by Trove
    X