The Man from Snowy River

Banjo Paterson

1864 to 1941

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And, Clancy, you must wheel them, try and wheel them to the right.
And the Snowy River riders on the mountains make their home,
And he raced him down the mountain like a torrent down its bed,
I warrant he'll be with us when he's wanted at the end,
For both his horse and he are mountain bred.
On a dim and distant hillside the wild horses racing yet,
But they saw their well-loved mountain full in view,
And the stock-horse snuffs the battle with delight.
I have seen full many horsemen since I first commenced to roam,
While the others stood and watched in very fear.
And alone and unassisted brought them back.
He learnt to ride while droving on the plains.
Of wombat holes, and any slip was death.
Till they halted cowed and beaten, then he turned their heads for home,
The man from Snowy River is a household word today,
Where Mountain Ash and Kurrajong grew wide;
For the bushmen love hard riding where the wild bush horses are,
From cliffs and crags that beetled overhead.
It was grand to see that mountain horseman ride.
And where around the Overflow the reed -beds sweep and sway
And the proud and lofty carriage of his head.
So Clancy rode to wheel them — he was racing on the wing
The old man with his hair as white as snow;
And he bore the badge of gameness in his bright and fiery eye,
And he ran them single-handed till their sides were white with foam.
Where a horse's hoofs strike firelight from the flint stones every stride,
And the stockwhips woke the echoes, and they fiercely answered back
Through the stringy barks and saplings, on the rough and broken ground,
He was something like a racehorse undersized,
He sent the flint-stones flying, but the pony kept his feet,
Ride boldly, lad, and never fear the spills,
The wild hop scrub grew thickly, and the hidden ground was full
For never yet was rider that could keep the mob in sight,
And such as are by mountain horsemen prized.
Their torn and rugged battlements on high,
But the man from Snowy River let the pony have his head,
For never horse could throw him while the saddle girths would stand,
No use to try for fancy riding now.
Where the air is clear as crystal, and the white stars fairly blaze
And they charged beneath the stockwhip with a sharp and sudden dash,
And upward, ever upward, the wild horses held their way,
He would go wherever horse and man could go.
But his pluck was still undaunted, and his courage fiery hot,
I think we ought to let him come," he said;
They raced away towards the mountain's brow,
No better horseman ever held the reins;
But his hardy mountain pony he could scarcely raise a trot,
Where the river runs those giant hills between;
Saw him ply the stockwhip fiercely; he was right among them still,
As he raced across the clearing in pursuit.
And the watchers on the mountain standing mute,
But few could ride beside him when his blood was fairly up —
Then fast the horsemen followed, where the gorges deep and black
That the colt from Old Regret had got away,
So he went; they found the horses by the big mimosa clump,
To the breezes, and the rolling plains are wide,
And the old man muttered fiercely, "We may bid the mob good day,
And the stockmen tell the story of his ride.
At the bottom of that terrible descent.
And had joined the wild bush horses - he was worth a thousand pound,
And the old man said, "That horse will never do
With the stockwhip, as he met them face to face.
He followed like a bloodhound on their track,
He cleared the fallen timbers in his stride,
There was movement at the station, for the word had passed around
It well might make the boldest hold their breath;
Then they halted for a moment, while he swung the dreaded lash,
If once they gain the shelter of those hills.
And he raced his stockhorse past them, and he made the ranges ring
And one was there, a stripling on a small and weedy beast;
He was blood from hip to shoulder from the spur;
And the man from Snowy River never shifted in his seat —
And the old man gave his orders, "Boys, go at them from the jump,
And off into the mountain scrub they flew.
All the tried and noted riders from the stations near and far
And he swung his stockwhip round and gave a cheer,
But still so slight and weedy, one would doubt his power to stay,
There was courage in his quick impatient tread;
Where the hills are twice as steep and twice as rough,
Down the hillside at a racing pace he went;
He hails from Snowy River, up by Kosciusko's side,
No man can hold them down the other side.
When they reached the mountain's summit, even Clancy took a pull -
He was right among the horses as they climbed the farther hill
So he waited sad and wistful — only Clancy stood his friend —
There was Harrison, who made his pile when Pardon won the cup,
And he never drew the bridle till he landed safe and sound,
Those hills are far too rough for such as you.
Where the best and boldest riders take their place,
And down by Kosciusko, where the pine-clad ridges raise
Then they lost him for a moment, where two mountain gullies met
For never yet was mountain horse a cur.
Had mustered at the homestead overnight,
But nowhere yet such horsemen have I seen.
At midnight in the cold and frosty sky,
With a touch of Timor pony — three parts thoroughbred at least —
In the ranges - but a final glimpse reveals
Resounded to the thunder of their tread,
For a long and tiring gallop - lad, you'd better stop away,
He was hard and tough and wiry — just the sort that won't say die —
And Clancy of the Overflow came down to lend a hand,
The man that holds his own is good enough.
With the man from Snowy River at their heels.
So all the cracks had gathered to the fray.

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