Australian Town and Country Journal at KellyGang 19/10/1872 (3)
The residence is a nice comfortable one on Edward River, 50 miles from Deniliquin. Wishing to reach Deniliquin next day, I made a pretty early start from Mr Gwynne's, having first been provided by that gentleman with a plan and instructions regarding the road I was to follow. The first nine miles to Barratti (Mr Ricketson's) was got over in good time. But after I had gone about 12 miles further, my horse showed signs of flagging, the miles of water he had travelled through on that and the previous days, completely tiring him. The pace then became very slow. I frequently had to leave the road to avoid the water, and I was compelled to cross some deep creeks. As the day wore on, my progress was little better than a snail's pace, and the track was frequently lost, crossing the plains. I was at length obliged to give the horse an hour's rest. Again I went on till evening, when I saw, crossing the plains, a buggy coming towards me.
I asked how far I was from Deniliquin? "Deniliquin! why, you are on the wrong road. This track leads to Wanganella and Hay. Wanganella is only seven miles from here," was the reply. Tired, disheartened, a horse completely jaded, the prospect was not a bright one, particularly as night was coming on. The driver of the buggy, Mr George Peppin, of Wanganella station, however, soon showed that he was of the good Samaritan type, for my horse was there turned out on his run, and in an hour and a half afterwards, I found myself once more in comfortable quarters at Morago, Mr Fred Peppin's station residence, situated in a nice bend of the Edward River. Wanganella and Morago stations join, and are situated between the Edward and Billabong, having a frontage to both. The firm is under the name of Peppin and Sons. They are famous for their breed of sheep, and a reverence to the report of the Pastoral Shows at Jerilderie and Hay, which appeared in these columns a few months back, will give an idea of the high character 'of their flocks. The stations are greatly improved at a cost of many thousands of pounds.
Wishing to reach Deniliquin early on the morning after my arrival, I rose at daylight and found Mr Peppin’s pair of splendid greys almost ready for the journey. After a hearty breakfast Mr Peppin drove me to Deniliquin. Shortly after leaving the house, we came to the woolshed, a fine large building. The morning was a glorious one, and the country through which we passed was really magnificent. A most extraordinary sight was the large number of kangaroos which crossed the road. We saw hundreds. They seemed almost tame, and mixed almost unconcernedly with the flocks of sheep on Morago. Mr Peppin attributes their increase to the fact that the native dogs have nearly all been destroyed; and to the blacks dying off. The increase of kangaroos on Riverina, generally, is now attracting serious attention. On one station near the Murrumbidgee, it is circulated that there are at least 5000 kangaroos. Each is said to eat as much grass at two sheep.
The distance from Morago to Deniliquin is twenty five miles. We left Mr Peppin's at seven am., and dashed into South Deniliquin precisely at 10 o'clock, pertorming the journey over frightful roads as we approached the town, in three hours. An exciting election was going on that morning for the representation of the district in Parliament.
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