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vi Contents Shelly Cashman Series® Microsoft® Office 365® & Access® 2019 Comprehensive
Copyright 2020 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
Shelly Cashman Series® Microsoft® Office 365® & Access® 2019 Comprehensive Contents vii
To Change the Appearance of the Controls To Open the Appointment View and
in the Subreport AC 6-37 Update Form AC 7-23
To Resize the Subreport and the Report Using the Buttons AC 7-23
in Design View AC 6-38 To Test the Add Record Button AC 7-23
To Change the Can Grow Property AC 6-40 To Use the Combo Box AC 7-24
To Modify Section Properties AC 6-40 Issues with the Add Record Button AC 7-25
To Add a Title, Page Number, and Date AC 6-41 Issues with the Combo Box AC 7-26
To Remove the Header Background Color Macros AC 7-26
and the Alternate Color AC 6-42 To Modify the Macro for the Add Record Button AC 7-26
Headers and Footers AC 6-44 To Modify the Combo Box AC 7-29
Creating a Second Report AC 6-46 To Correct Issues with the Combo Box AC 7-30
To Create a Second Report AC 6-46 Using the Modified Form AC 7-31
To Add and Move Fields in a Report AC 6-47 Creating a Multipage Form AC 7-33
To Add the Remaining Fields AC 6-50 To Import a Table AC 7-33
Totals and Subtotals AC 6-52 To Create a Form in Design View AC 7-34
To Add Subtotals and Other Calculations AC 6-54 To Use the Text Box Tool with Concatenation AC 7-34
To Add a Header and Footer to the Discount To Use Tab Controls to Create a
Report AC 6-55 Multipage Form AC 7-35
To Change the Can Grow Property AC 6-56 To Add a Subform AC 7-36
To View the Report AC 6-56 To Modify a Subform AC 7-38
To Remove the Color from the Report Header AC 6-57 To Resize the Subform AC 7-39
To Use Expression Builder to Add a Calculation AC 6-58 To Change the Background Color AC 7-40
To Add a Title AC 6-60 To Insert Charts AC 7-40
To Change the Border Style AC 6-61 To Use the Form AC 7-43
To Remove the Alternate Color AC 6-61 To Modify a Chart Type AC 7-44
Obtaining Help on Functions AC 6-62 To Format a Chart AC 7-47
Report Design Tools Page Setup Tab AC 6-62 Summary AC 7-49
To Change the Report Margins AC 6-64 Apply Your Knowledge AC 7-50
Fine-Tuning a Report AC 6-64 Extend Your Knowledge AC 7-51
To Make Room For Resizing or Adding Controls AC 6-65 Expand Your World AC 7-51
Summary AC 6-65 In the Labs AC 7-52
Apply Your Knowledge AC 6-67
Extend Your Knowledge AC 6-68 MODULE EIGHT
Expand Your World AC 6-68 Macros, Navigation Forms, and Control
In the Labs AC 6-69 Layouts
Objectives AC 8-1
MODULE SEVEN Introduction AC 8-1
Advanced Form Techniques Project—Macros, Navigation Forms, and
Objectives AC 7-1 Control Layouts AC 8-1
Introduction AC 7-1 Creating and Using Macros AC 8-4
Project — Advanced Form Techniques AC 7-1 To Begin Creating a Macro AC 8-4
Creating a Form with Combo Boxes and The Macro Builder Window AC 8-6
Command Buttons AC 7-3 To Add an Action to a Macro AC 8-7
To Create a Form in Design View AC 7-4 To Add More Actions to a Macro AC 8-9
To Add Fields to the Form Design AC 7-5 Opening Databases Containing Macros AC 8-13
Combo Boxes AC 7-6 Errors in Macros AC 8-13
To Add a Combo Box That Selects Values AC 7-6 Creating and Using a Navigation Form AC 8-16
To Use the Background Color Button AC 7-10 To Create a Menu Form Containing
To Format a Control AC 7-10 Command Buttons AC 8-17
To Use the Format Painter AC 7-11 Option Groups AC 8-20
To View the Form AC 7-12 To Create a Menu Form Containing an
To Add a Title and Expand the Form Option Group AC 8-21
Header Section AC 7-13 Using an If Statement AC 8-26
To Change the Background Color of the To Create a Macro with a Variable for the
Form Header AC 7-14 Option Group AC 8-28
Headers and Footers AC 7-14 Macro for Option Group AC 8-30
Images AC 7-15 To Add Actions to the Form Options Macro AC 8-31
Command Buttons AC 7-15 User Interface (UI) Macros AC 8-33
To Add Command Buttons to a Form AC 7-16 To Create Datasheet Forms AC 8-36
To Add a Combo Box for Finding a Record AC 7-18 To Create UI Macros for the Datasheet Forms AC 8-37
To Place a Rectangle AC 7-22 To Create a Navigation Form AC 8-39
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viii Contents Shelly Cashman Series® Microsoft® Office 365® & Access® 2019 Comprehensive
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Shelly Cashman Series® Microsoft® Office 365® & Access® 2019 Comprehensive Contents ix
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Getting to Know
Microsoft Office Versions
Cengage is proud to bring you the next edition of Microsoft Office. This
edition was designed to provide a robust learning experience that is not
dependent upon a specific version of Office.
Microsoft supports several versions of Office:
• Office 365: A cloud-based subscription service that delivers
Microsoft’s most up-to-date, feature-rich, modern productivity tools
direct to your device. There are variations of Office 365 for business,
educational, and personal use. Office 365 offers extra online storage
and cloud-connected features, as well as updates with the latest
features, fixes, and security updates.
• Office 2019: Microsoft’s “on-premises” version of the Office apps,
available for both PCs and Macs, offered as a static, one-time
purchase and outside of the subscription model.
• Office Online: A free, simplified version of Office web applications
(Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote) that facilitates creating and
editing files collaboratively.
Office 365 (the subscription model) and Office 2019 (the one-time pur-
chase model) had only slight differences between them at the time this
content was developed. Over time, Office 365’s cloud interface will con-
tinuously update, offering new application features and functions, while
Office 2019 will remain static. Therefore, your onscreen experience may
differ from what you see in this product. For example, the more advanced
features and functionalities covered in this product may not be available
in Office Online or may have updated from what you see in Office 2019.
For more information on the differences between Office 365, Office 2019,
and Office Online, please visit the Microsoft Support site.
Cengage is committed to providing high-quality learning solutions for
you to gain the knowledge and skills that will empower you throughout
your educational and professional careers.
Thank you for using our product, and we look forward to exploring the
future of Microsoft Office with you!
Getting to Know Microsoft Office Versions OFF-1
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Using SAM Projects
and Textbook Projects
SAM and MindTap are interactive online platforms designed to transform
students into Microsoft Office and Computer Concepts masters. Practice
with simulated SAM Trainings and MindTap activities and actively apply
the skills you learned live in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Access.
Become a more productive student and use these skills throughout
your career.
If your instructor assigns SAM Projects:
1. Launch your SAM Project assignment from SAM or MindTap.
2. Click the links to download your Instructions file, Start file, and
Support files (when available).
3. Open the Instructions file and follow the step-by-step instructions.
4. When you complete the project, upload your file to SAM or MindTap
for immediate feedback.
To use SAM Textbook Projects:
1. Launch your SAM Project assignment from SAM or MindTap.
2. Click the links to download your Start file and Support files
(when available).
3. Locate the module indicated in your book or eBook.
4. Read the module and complete the project.
Save, close, and upload your completed project to receive
immediate feedback.
IMPORTANT: To receive full credit for your Textbook Project, you must
complete the activity using the Start file you downloaded from SAM
or MindTap.
Using SAM Projects and Textbook Projects SAM-1
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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
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1 Databases and
Database Objects:
An Introduction
Objectives
You will have mastered the material in this module when you can:
• Describe the features of the Access • Open a database
window
• Create and use a query
• Create a database
• Create and use a form
• Create tables in Datasheet and Design views
• Create a report
• Add records to a table
• Perform special database
• Close a database operations
Introduction
The term database describes a collection of data organized in a manner that allows
access, retrieval, and use of that data. Microsoft Access 2019, usually referred to as
simply Access, is a database management system. A database management system is
software that allows you to use a computer to create a database; add, change, and delete
data in the database; ask and answer questions concerning the data; and create forms
and reports using the data.
Project—Database Creation
CanisMajorFelis Veterinary, or CMF Vets as its commonly known, is a veterinary
practice that takes care of all cat and dog pet needs. Up until now, the appointment
system has been paper-based. The staff records appointments in a large book with
each page containing a specific date and time. Each page has slots for appointments,
which are made in pencil to allow for changes. CMF Vets wants to computerize the
appointment system with an Access database. The practice owns multiple veterinary
clinics in the southwest. The practice wants to make the appointment system easier
to use and more efficient. To accomplish that goal, the practice needs better record
keeping.
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CMF Vets needs to record all information about the pet owners. Name and full
mailing address are essential pieces of information. In addition, the practice must be
able to contact pet owners quickly. The staff needs to record home phone numbers,
mobile phone numbers, and email addresses for appointment reminders, test results,
and emergency calls.
Patient information is paramount. The patient’s breed, animal type, name, and
owner should be always recorded so that information can be easily retrieved. The
database should also contain each patient’s appointments with specific date, time, and
procedure. For example, the staffing requirements of a surgical procedure will differ
from those of a check-up.
Each treatment has a specific cost, which needs to be recorded and applied
as patients undergo these treatments. The database system must also track the
veterinarians who perform these treatments.
By recording all of its practice information, CMF Vets keeps its data current and
accurate and can analyze it for trends. Using a database also allows CMF Vets to create
a variety of useful reports; for example, tracking the frequency of certain procedures.
These reports are vital for planning purposes.
In a relational database, such as those maintained by Access, a database consists
of a collection of tables, each of which contains information on a specific subject.
Figure 1–1 shows the database for CMF Vets. It consists of five tables: the Owners
table (Figure 1–1a) contains information about the pet owners, the Patients table
(Figure 1–1b) contains contact information for each pet’s owner, the Appointments
table (Figure 1–1c) contains information about the scheduling of appointments,
the Treatment Cost table (Figure 1–1d) contains information about the cost of
each treatment, and the Veterinarians table (Figure 1–1e) contains a listing of the
veterinarians in the practice.
fields
records
caption for
Owner ID field
Patient ID
for Ranger
is C-2 Figure 1–1b Patients Table
each appointment
has unique
Appointment ID
Figure 1–1c Appointments Table
AC 1-2
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cat (feline) microchip
cost is $10
The rows in the tables are called records. A record contains information about BTW
a given person (or in this case, pet), product, or event. A row in the Owners table, Captions
You can change a field’s
for example, contains information about a specific owner, such as the owner’s name, caption, or the wording that
address, and other data. appears as the field’s name,
The columns in the tables are called fields. A field contains a specific piece of to language that is more
descriptive, shorter, or meets
information within a record. In the Owners table, for example, the fifth field, Owner
some other requirement.
City, contains the name of the city where the owner is located.
The first field in the Owners table is Owner ID, which is an abbreviation for
Owner Identification Number. CMF Vets assigns each owner an identifying number;
the Owner ID consists of one uppercase letter followed by a number. BTW
The Owner IDs are unique; that is, no two owners have the same number. Such Naming Fields
a field is a unique identifier. A unique identifier, as its name suggests, is a way of Access 2019 has a number
of reserved words, words
uniquely identifying each record in the database. A given owner number will appear that have a special meaning
only in a single record in the table. Only one record exists, for example, in which the to Access. You cannot use
Owner ID is O-2. A unique identifier is also called a primary key. Thus, the Owner these reserved words as
field names. For example,
ID field is the primary key for the Owners table. This means the Owner ID field can Name is a reserved word
be used to uniquely identify a record in the table. No two records can have the same and could not be used in
value in the Owner ID field. the Owners table to describe
The next nine fields in the Owners table are Owner First Name, Owner Last a pet owner’s name. For a
complete list of reserved
Name, Owner Street, Owner City, Owner State, Owner Postal Code, Home Phone, words in Access 2019,
Mobile Phone, and Email Address. For example, Owner ID O-2 is Steven Nguyen, consult Access Help.
AC 1-3
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AC 1-4 Access Module 1 Databases and Database Objects: An Introduction
who lives at 9874 South Main Street in Blanding UT, 84511. Steven has a home phone
number, a mobile phone number, and an email address of [email protected].
CMF Vets database contains a table called Patients. Within the Patients table,
each pet is assigned a unique identifier called Patient ID. For example, the dog Ranger
has a Patient ID of C-2. No other pet has this Patient ID. Ranger’s name is indicated
in the Patient Name field. His animal type is under the Animal Type field recorded
as Canine with a Breed of Labrador. CMF Vets associates each patient with his or her
owner by including a field in the Patients table called Owner ID. The Owner ID field
in the Patients corresponds with an Owner ID field in the Owners table. Ranger is
owned by a unique owner of Owner ID O-1.
There are three other tables within the CMF Vets database. The Appointments
table records each pet appointment. Each appointment is assigned an Appointment ID.
This Appointment ID is unique for each procedure booked at the veterinary clinic. For
example, Appointment ID 1 has Patient ID F-1 coming in for the Appointment Date
of June 30, 2021 at Appointment Time 10:00 A.M. This patient will have Treatment
Number T-3. Treatment Number T-3 refers to a specific treatment that is explained
in the fourth table, Treatment Cost. The Treatment Cost table lists the treatments
available at CMF Vets. Each treatment is assigned a unique identifier called Treatment
Number. For example, Treatment Number T-10 indicates that the treatment is a
Neuter, under the field Treatment, of a Feline, under the Animal Type, with a cost
of $25, under the field Cost. Finally, there is a table called Veterinarians that lists
the veterinarians in the practice. Each doctor has a unique Veterinarian ID that is
associated with the veterinarian’s contact details. For example, Veterinarian ID G01 is
Teresa Gomez, in Blanding, Utah, with a cell phone number of 435-229-5612.
If CMF Vets had a test result of a specific patient, Ranger, Patient ID C-2, and the veterinarian wanted to telephone the owner
with the test results, the vet could easily find that telephone number by looking in the Patients table and then in Owners table.
In the Patients table, locate the Patient C-2 and read across until you come to the Owner ID field, which is O-1. Then, in the
Owner table, locate the record which has the Owner ID O-1, and read across to find the owners name, Ted Sabus, and his
phone numbers, home and mobile.
First, look in the Patients table to identify the specific pet and its Patient ID. Assume that the Patient’s Owner is O-1 and the
Patient’s name is Fluffy. Fluffy’s Patient ID is F-1. Next, look in the appointments table for Patient F-1 and find that Fluffy is
scheduled to come into the clinic on June 30, 2021 at 10:00 A.M.
Creating a Database
In Access, all the tables, reports, forms, and queries that you create are stored in a
single file called a database. A database is a structure that can store information about
multiple types of objects, the properties of those objects, and the relationships among
the objects. The first step is to create the database that will hold your tables, reports,
forms, and queries. You can use either the Blank desktop database option or a template
to create a new database. If you already know the tables and fields you want in your
database, you would use the Blank desktop database option. If not, you can use a
template. Templates can guide you by suggesting some commonly used databases.
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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
Databases and Database Objects: An Introduction Access Module 1 AC 1-5
Access Module 1
To Create a Database
Because you already know the tables and fields you want in the CMF Vets database, you will use the Blank
desktop database option rather than a template to create the database. Why? The Blank desktop database is the most
efficient way to create a database for which you already know the intended data needs. The following steps create the database.
1
• Click the Windows Start button
to display the Windows menu.
Figure 1–2a
2
• Click the Blank database button to specify the type of database to create.
• Type CMF Vets in the File Name text box, and then click the Create button to create the database
(Figure 1–2).
Access automatically
table appears
creates default table
in Datasheet
view (rows and
columns in table
appear in a grid)
Datasheet view
button is selected
Figure 1–2
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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
AC 1-6 Access Module 1 Databases and Database Objects: An Introduction
Unlike other Microsoft Office applications, the Access app allocates storage space when the database is created, even before
any tables have been designed and data has been entered. In other Microsoft Office applications, you can enter data before
saving. In Access, as you are working and saving each object, such as a table, the entire database is being saved in the app’s
designated storage space.
Q&A The title bar for my Navigation Pane contains All Tables rather than All Access Objects,
as in the figure. Is that a problem?
BTW
It is not a problem. The title bar indicates how the Navigation Pane is organized. You
Available Templates
can carry out the steps in the text with either organization. To make your screens match
The templates gallery
includes both desktop and the ones in the text, click the Navigation Pane arrow and then click Object Type.
web-based templates. If
I do not have the Search bar that appears in the figure. Is that a problem?
you are creating an Access
database for your own use, It is not a problem. If your Navigation Pane does not display a Search bar and you want
select a desktop template. your screens to match the ones in the text, right-click the Navigation Pane title bar arrow
Web-based templates allow to display a shortcut menu, and then click Search Bar.
you to create databases
that you can publish to a
SharePoint server.
To Create a Database Using a Template
Ideally, you will design your own database, create a blank database, and then
create the tables you have determined that your database should contain. If you are
not sure what database design you will need, you can use a template. Templates can
guide you by suggesting some commonly used databases. To create a database using a
BTW template, you would use the following steps.
Organizing Files and
Folders 1 If you have another database open, close it without exiting Access by clicking File on
You should organize and the ribbon to open the Backstage view and then clicking Close.
store files in folders so that
you easily can find the files 1
2 Click File – New. If you do not see a template that you want, you can search Microsoft
later. For example, if you Office online for additional templates.
are taking an introductory
computer class called CIS 1
3 Click the template you want to use. Be sure you have selected one that indicates it is
101, a good practice would for a desktop database.
be to save all Access files in 1
4 Enter a file name and select a location for the database.
an Access folder in a CIS 101
folder. 1
5 Click the Create button to create the database.
BTW
Access Screen Navigation Pane and Access Work Area
Resolution You work on objects such as tables, forms, and reports in the Access work area.
If you are using a computer
or mobile device to step
Figure 1–2 shows a single table, Table1, open in the work area. Object tabs for the
through the project in this open objects appear at the top of the work area. If you have multiple objects open at
module and you want the same time, you can select one of the open objects by clicking its tab. To the left of
your screens to match the the work area is the Navigation Pane. The Navigation Pane contains a list of all the
figures in this book, you
should change your screen’s objects in the database. You use this pane to open an object. You can also customize the
resolution to 1366 x 768. way objects are displayed in the Navigation Pane.
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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
Databases and Database Objects: An Introduction Access Module 1 AC 1-7
Access Module 1
The status bar, located at the bottom of the Access window, presents BTW
information about the database object, the progress of current tasks, and the status of Naming Tables
Database users typically have
certain commands and keys; it also provides controls for viewing the object. As you their own guidelines for
type text or perform certain commands, various indicators might appear on the status naming tables. Some use the
bar. The left edge of the status bar in Figure 1–2 shows that the table object is open in singular version of the object
being described while others
Datasheet view. In Datasheet view, the table is represented as a collection of rows and
use the prefix tbl with a table
columns called a datasheet. Toward the right edge are View buttons, which you can name. This book uses the
use to change the view that currently appears. singular and plural version of
the object (Owners, Patients,
Appointments, Treatment
Cost).
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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
AC 1-8 Access Module 1 Databases and Database Objects: An Introduction
BTW operations. You usually assign fields that contain numbers but will not
AutoNumber Fields be used for arithmetic operations (such as postal codes) a data type of
AutoNumber fields also are
called AutoIncrement fields.
Short Text.
In Design view, the New 3. Currency — The field can contain only monetary data. The values will appear
Values field property allows
with currency symbols, such as dollar signs, commas, and decimal points, and
you to increment the field
sequentially (Sequential) or with two digits following the decimal point. Like numeric fields, you can use
randomly (Random). The currency fields in arithmetic operations. Access assigns a size to currency fields
default is sequential. automatically.
4. Date & Time — The field can contain dates and/or times.
Table 1–1 shows the other data types that are available in Access.
BTW In the Owners table, because the Owner ID, Owner First Name, Owner Last
Currency Symbols Name, Owner Street, Owner City, Owner State, Owner Postal Code, Home Phone,
To show the symbol for the
Euro ( € ) instead of the dollar
Mobile Phone, and Email Address can all contain letters or symbols, their data types
sign, change the Format should be Short Text. The data type for Owner Postal Code is Short Text instead of
property for the field whose Number because you typically do not use postal codes in arithmetic operations; you do
data type is currency. To
not add postal codes or find an average postal code, for example. The Owner ID field
change the default symbols
for currency, change the contains numbers, but you will not use these numbers in arithmetic operations, so its
settings in Windows. data type should be Short Text.
Similarly, in the Appointments table, the data type for the Account Manager
Appointment ID, Patient ID and Treatment Number fields should all be Short Text.
The Appointment Date and Appointment Time fields should have a data type of Date
& Time. In the Treatment Cost table, the Cost contains monetary amounts, so its data
type should be Currency.
For fields whose data type is Short Text, you can change the field size, that is, the
maximum number of characters that can be entered in the field. If you set the field size
for the State field to 2, for example, Access will not allow the user to enter more than
two characters in the field. On the other hand, fields whose data type is Number often
require you to change the field size, which is the storage space assigned to the field by
Access. Table 1–2 shows the possible field sizes for Number fields.
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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
Databases and Database Objects: An Introduction Access Module 1 AC 1-9
Access Module 1
Table 1–2 Field Sizes for Number Fields
Field Size Description
Byte Integer value in the range of 0 to 255
Integer Integer value in the range of -32,768 to 32,767
Long Integer Integer value in the range of -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647
Single Numeric values with decimal places to seven significant digits—requires 4 bytes
of storage
Double Numeric values with decimal places to more accuracy than Single—requires 8
bytes of storage
Replication ID Special identifier required for replication
Decimal Numeric values with decimal places to more accuracy than Single or Double—
requires 12 bytes of storage
What is the appropriate size for the Owner Postal Code field?
CONSIDER THIS
A Short Text field created will allocate 255 spaces for data. However, a postal code normally would only take up 9 spaces. It is
more accurate to change the Short Text field size to limit to 9 spaces to account for the postal code plus 4 (5 numbers, a dash,
followed by 4 numbers).
You would use a caption whenever you wanted something other than the field name displayed. One common example is when
the field name is relatively long and the data in the field is relatively short. In the Owners table, the name of the first field is
Owner ID, but the field contains data that is only at most five characters long. You will change the caption for this field to O_ID,
which is much shorter than Owner ID, yet still describes the field. Doing so will enable you to greatly reduce the width of the
column.
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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
Other documents randomly have
different content
The black spoke earnestly, and his eyes glistened.
‘I don’t see much chance of making a fortune or finding riches in a
desert,’ said Edgar. ‘Where is this wonderful cave that contains so
much wealth?’
‘Many miles,’ said Yacka; ‘over Great Desert in Northern Territory. It
is not all sand. No white man has been there; but Yacka has, and
knows there is grass and water, and food, plenty food.’
‘Are you certain no white man has ever been there?’ asked Edgar.
Yacka hesitated a few moments, and then said:
‘No white man.’
‘And no white woman?’ laughed Edgar, who noticed the stress Yacka
laid on man.
Yacka sprang to his feet, and waved his arms about wildly.
‘Come and see!’ he cried. ‘Come to the White Spirit’s Cave! I am the
son of Enooma!’
The last word he said in a soft, liquid tone, far different from his
usual rather harsh mode of speech; and he lingered over the name
with evident fondness.
Edgar became interested, and the spirit of adventure began to stir
within him.
‘Who is Enooma?’ he asked, endeavouring to speak the word as
Yacka pronounced it.
‘The White Spirit of the Great Desert,’ said Yacka, in a solemn voice.
‘She rests in the cave in the land I came from. She is beautiful and
white as clouds; and I am black as the thunder-makers—and her
son.’
‘How can that be?’ asked Edgar. ‘Yacka must be mistaken; he cannot
be the son of Enooma the White Spirit. How can I trust him if he
deceives me?’
The black looked round, and, seeing no one about, said:
‘Yacka speaks true, else how would he know the cave where no
white man has been?’
‘Suppose I promise to go with you to the cave,’ said Edgar, ‘how
would it be possible for us to go alone?’
‘We have guns,’ said Yacka, relapsing into ordinary speech, ‘and
there is much to shoot where I go. We follow tracks through big
white man’s country, and cross rivers. I came from there, and can
return. Yacka knows a track once he has followed it.’
‘Give me time to think it over,’ said Edgar. ‘I trust you, Yacka, but I
have others to think about. I have a good sister, and a kind father, in
far-away England, and there will be dangers to encounter on our
journey.’
‘Yes,’ assented Yacka, ‘dangers, but we shall not die. The White
Spirit will watch over us when she knows we are coming towards
her. Enooma rests and waits for us. Speak no words to them,’ he
added, and pointed towards the homestead.
‘All you have told me I promise to hold sacred,’ said Edgar.
‘It is good,’ said Yacka, and calmly commenced to carve a snake on
one of the boomerangs, which he picked up from the ground where
he had thrown them.
Edgar Foster felt he was about to embark upon strange adventures.
He knew Yacka was no ordinary black, and Ben Brody had said he
believed Yacka had white blood in his veins. Who could this White
Spirit Enooma be, whom Yacka called his mother? Could it be
possible a white woman had penetrated to the unknown parts of the
Northern Territory? If so, how had she reached there? and how
could it be that Yacka the black was her son? Probably it was some
superstition Yacka had inherited from his tribe.
Edgar pondered over the story of riches Yacka had related. Gold was
dug out of the earth in most unlikely places. Barren wastes had been
found to teem with the precious metal. The possibilities of the
country Edgar felt were not yet known, and in a new and unexplored
part of the vast land he was now in what might not happen? He
knew he could trust Yacka, but he would have preferred to take a
mate with him. Will Brown would be just the one, and if he could
persuade Yacka to take Will along with them it would be glorious. He
thought over the excuses he could make to Captain Fife and Ben
Brody for leaving Yanda. If he stated he was prompted by a love of
adventure they would believe him, and it would be the truth. There
would be no difficulty in getting away, and no time for returning
need be named.
Eagerly Edgar awaited the arrival of Will Brown in order to give
Yacka a chance of making friends with him.
CHAPTER XII.
IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES.
In due course Will Brown arrived at Yanda, and he was only too glad
to have the opportunity of meeting his chum, Edgar Foster, in the
new country to which he had come. As for Edgar, it was with
unbounded delight he welcomed Will Brown. They had much to talk
about, and it was a source of much joy to Edgar that he could listen
to one who had so recently seen those dear to him in the home he
loved so well, on the banks of the Thames.
When Edgar made known to Ben Brody his intention of leaving
Yanda for a time in search of adventures, the manager evinced no
surprise.
‘I didn’t expect you would be here long,’ he said. ‘Young ‘uns like to
roam, and I don’t blame you. I’ve had enough wandering about to
last me a lifetime, and I’m settled for good here, so long as they will
have me. I shall be sorry to lose you, and I wish you had chosen to
remain. You have picked a good guide in Yacka. What that black
chap knows is beyond credit. He’s never said where he came from,
but if I’m a judge it is somewhere in the region of the MacDonnell
Ranges. There are some powerful savage tribes over there, and I’d
advise you to steer clear of them, that is, if you get so far; but you
are a precious long way from there, you bet.’
‘I do not know where we are going,’ said Edgar; ‘but Yacka has
made great promises, and if he fulfils them there will be something
to talk about when we return.’
Yacka, with some show of reluctance, agreed to Will Brown
accompanying them. He yielded when Edgar said he would not go
without Will, for the black was determined Edgar should undertake
the journey.
The night before their departure they had a great ‘send off,’ all
hands coming into the homestead for the occasion.
The general opinion seemed to be that Edgar and Will were about to
follow Yacka purely for the sake of adventure, and the good fellows
thought all the better of them for their pluck and spirit.
Ben Brody had given each of them a good horse, and they had the
pick of the best guns on the station. Will Henton gave them a
revolver each, expressing the hope that they would clear the country
of a few blacks.
‘I hope we shall not have to use them for any such purpose,’ said
Edgar; ‘but if it comes to a fight we shall be all there.’
‘You are going on a fool’s errand,’ said Harry Noke; ‘much better
remain where you are. I would not trust Yacka, or any other
blackfellow. It’s like enough he’ll lead you into danger out of pure
devilment.’
‘You are wrong,’ said Jim Lee; ‘Yacka’s square.’
‘Jim’s right,’ said Brody. ‘You’re riled, Harry, because you have not
pluck enough to go with them. As it is the last night, we must have
Yacka in and give him a drink.’
Ben Brody went into the veranda and gave a peculiar whistle, which
sounded shrilly on the still night air. In a few minutes Yacka
appeared.
‘That’s fetched him,’ said Will Henton; ‘Brody’s a wonder at all sorts
of signals. I believe he’s a different call for every man on the place.’
‘Have a drink, Yacka,’ said Ben Brody. ‘What’s it to be, rum or beer?’
Yacka smacked his lips, and said, ‘Beer.’
‘That’s better,’ said Jim Lee; ‘rum’s a curse.’
Yacka drank the beer with evident relish.
‘Like a square meal?’ said Brody.
The black nodded, and Brody helped him plentifully to the remains
of the feast.
‘Where are you going to take these youngsters?’ said Ben Brody.
‘Long way,’ replied Yacka. ‘Bring them safe back.’
‘I hope so,’ said Brody. ‘Going in search of the lost tribes?’
Yacka grinned, showing his gleaming teeth.
‘All tribes lost since the white men came,’ he replied.
‘Guess you’re about right there,’ said Brody. ‘Black and white cannot
live side by side; one of them’s bound to go, and it’s the black. Now,
if they were all like you, Yacka, we could get on well together. Bless
me if I don’t believe you are half a white man!’
A peculiar look came into Yacka’s eyes.
‘Think so?’ he said. ‘Black skin, white man’s heart.’
‘Bravo!’ shouted Brody. ‘You shall have another glass for that. Fill up,
lads! Here’s to our mates, and a safe journey along with Yacka!’
All hands were becoming hilarious, and began to sing ‘For they are
jolly good fellows.’
When the noise subsided, Brody said:
Do you want a horse, Yacka?’
The black shook his head, and slapped his legs.
‘Yes, I know,’ said Brody; ‘your legs will carry you quite as far as any
of our station nags. You’ll accept a gun, eh?’
The black sprang to his feet, and said:
‘A gun for my own! Very good, Master Brody; I like a gun.’
‘Then you shall have one,’ said Ben. ‘I know you can shoot.’
Yacka went through a performance of shooting an imaginary object
in such a realistic manner that everybody laughed.
It was a merry night, and all slept soundly. In the morning Edgar
and Will made a start from Yanda with Yacka, who was on foot, and
the black looked the picture of a trained athlete.
Yacka had discarded his ordinary loin-cloth, and wore instead a
peculiar arrangement in which he could stow away a variety of
articles. He declined to wear any other clothing, and his body shone
in the sunlight, and the muscles stood out on his arms, chest, and
lower limbs. His curly hair was sufficient protection to his head from
the burning sun, and it was in much better condition than the
shaggy locks of the blacks who were looking on. Yacka had evidently
told the blacks he was leaving Yanda, and they looked as
disconsolate as their expressionless faces would permit.
As for Edgar and Will Brown, they were in high spirits, and, mounted
on two very fair horses, thoroughly equipped for a journey, they
looked a fine pair of young fellows.
‘You’ll strike a station about sundown, I reckon,’ said Ben Brody.
‘They’ll be glad to see you if you say where you hail from, although
it makes very little difference about that round here. Take care of
yourselves, my lads, and I hope Yacka will bring you back to Yanda
soon.’
After hearty handshakes all round, the trio set off amidst cheers and
the loud, peculiar cries of the blacks. Ben Brody watched them for a
long time, and waved his hat in response to the salutes of Edgar and
Will.
‘Lads of mettle, both of ’em,’ said Brody. ‘Such a wild-goose chase as
they are on would just have suited me in my young days. Good luck
go with you, my lads! You’ll always have a warm corner in Ben
Brody’s heart.’
As the homestead they had left behind became fainter and fainter in
the distance, Edgar and Will turned round in their saddles and
waved a parting salute to Ben Brody, whose figure was just
discernible on the veranda.
As the morning wore on, the heat became intense, and in the
afternoon it was so hot they decided to camp under the shade of
some trees. Towards evening they went on again, and that night
slept in the open, with their saddles for pillows and the bare ground
for a bed. Had it not been for the constant singing and stinging of
the mosquitoes, they would have had a pleasant night, as the air
was soft and warm, and they needed no covering.
Yacka stretched himself out near them, and slept like a dog—half
awake and ready to spring to his feet at the slightest sound. At
daybreak they made a slight meal, and then proceeded on their
journey. Yacka went ahead, and at such a pace that the horses often
had to break into a canter to keep up with him. They arrived at
Bardo Station that night, and met with a hospitable reception.
Charles Brunt, the manager, was rather amused at the idea of a
couple of lads going in search of adventure, with a blackfellow as
guide and companion. He knew Yacka, and was of the same opinion
as Ben Brody, that the black had white blood in his veins.
‘This is a hospitable land, anyhow,’ said Edgar, when they had been
away from Yanda for about a fortnight, and had managed, through
Yacka’s guidance, to fall in with comfortable quarters almost every
night.
As they went on, however, Edgar saw they were gradually getting
into a wilder country, and farther away from the beaten track. Yacka
said, when questioned, he was taking a short cut, and that he knew
the way.
‘Where are you steering for?’ asked Edgar.
‘South Australian border,’ said Yacka. ‘Then we work up to the
MacDonnell Ranges, past Alice Springs. You’ll see wild country then,
when we get through the ranges.’
‘How long will it take us to reach the ranges?’ asked Will.
‘Long time yet,’ said Yacka. ‘Many miles’ tramp a day. Horses will
knock up, but not Yacka, then you have to walk it.’
‘A pleasant prospect,’ said Edgar. ‘We may have to tramp hundreds
of miles. However, we are in for it, and we may as well see all Yacka
has to show us. I shall be sorely cut up if he has deceived us.’
‘Do you think he would do so?’ asked Will.
‘Not intentionally,’ replied Edgar; ‘but what may appear wonderful to
him may be commonplace to us.’
Having got out of the beaten track, they had to rely upon their guns
for food. They had an ample supply of ammunition, preferring to
load up their horses in this way to carrying provisions. Edgar was a
good shot, and seldom missed his mark.
‘We must be careful and not miss,’ he said, ‘for every shot is of
importance.’
One afternoon they had an exciting chase after kangaroos, and
Edgar and Will thought it excellent sport. Yacka followed the hunt,
and when he suddenly vanished, Edgar in a few minutes saw him
ahead, waiting for the kangaroos to pass.
‘By Jove! how Yacka can run!’ said Edgar. ‘Look where he is now.
He’ll get a kangaroo sure enough, without firing a shot.’
They reined in their horses, and watched him. When the kangaroos
found the chase was not so hot, they slackened their speed, and
leapt along at a steadier pace. Yacka was concealed behind a huge
tree, and as a large kangaroo went past he slipped quickly round
and dealt it a terrific blow with a heavy knobstick he carried in his
hand. The kangaroo fell down stunned, and with a whoop Edgar and
Will rode forward, in case any of the herd should make an attack on
Yacka. When they pulled up, they found Yacka had cut the animal’s
throat, and was contemplating it with satisfaction.
Will, having dismounted, picked up the stick Yacka had struck the
kangaroo with. It was smooth, hard wood, with a notched handle,
and gradually swelling larger until, at the end, there was a sharp,
smooth knob, which was so heavy it might have been weighted with
iron.
‘A formidable weapon,’ he said, holding it out to Edgar.
‘That is a nulla-nulla,’ said Yacka. ‘Crack a man’s skull easily.’
‘What is it weighted with?’ asked Edgar.
‘Nothing,’ said Yacka. ‘Very hard, heavy wood, all smoothed down
with sharp stone and rubbed with coarse sand. Never break it. Hard
as iron.’
‘Are they used in your tribal wars?’ asked Will.
Yacka nodded and said:
‘Terrible blows from them. Split a man’s head right open. See!’ He
took the weapon from Edgar, and with one blow shattered the dead
kangaroo’s skull. It split in two, and Yacka scooped out the brains.
He then cut off the tail, and said, ‘Have good soup to-night. This
fellow make better soup than ox-tail.’
They shook their heads sceptically; the tail did not look very inviting
then.
Yacka selected a spot to camp in near a small spring of water. He
then proceeded to make a fire, collecting sundry dry pieces of wood
and a kind of moss for the purpose. He filled the large ‘billy’ can he
carried during the day slung across his back with sundry other
articles, and, having skinned the kangaroo’s tail, cut it up into small
pieces, and put it in the can.
How he managed to make it so tasty Edgar could not imagine, but it
was delicious, and they voted Yacka was right when he said it was
better than ox-tail.
‘Yacka’s a capital cook,’ said Will, ‘and the beauty of him is that he
wants so little to cook with.’
‘He’d rather surprise some of the modern cooks,’ said Edgar. ‘They
appear to contrive to do away with the genuine flavour of everything
they cook, and Yacka makes a point of retaining that flavour.’
How they did enjoy this wild life! and, so far, their powers of
endurance had not been severely tested.
CHAPTER XIII.
BY THE LAGOON.
They had been more than a month away from Yanda, and Edgar
began to wonder where their march would lead them. Yacka did not
vouchsafe much information, but kept steadily on his way at a pace
that astonished them. Mile after mile was traversed, and their guide
showed no sign of weariness or flagging.
One beautiful moonlight night they camped by the shore of a large
lagoon, which reminded them of a small lake in their own country. It
was a magnificent sight, this sheet of still water glistening in the
moonlight, the trees which overhung it reflecting weird shadows on
the surface.
‘I had no idea there were such lakes as these,’ said Edgar. ‘There
must be a lot of good shooting about here.’
‘Plenty of ducks and herons,’ said Yacka. ‘I will get you some ducks
without firing a shot.’
They were interested in watching Yacka catch wild ducks. The black
crept cautiously into the water, and then sat down amongst a lot of
cover, which hid his head from view. Presently they heard a call such
as the wild duck makes.
‘That’s Yacka,’ said Edgar. ‘He can imitate the cries of all kinds of
birds and animals. Look! there’s a flock of wild ducks coming over.’
The birds flew right into the lagoon, and settled down on the water
not far from Yacka. In a few minutes there was a flutter in the water,
and the flock rose quickly and flew rapidly away, leaving three of
their number struggling entangled in a fine-meshed net Yacka had
thrown dexterously over them. Yacka stood up, and, seizing the
ducks one by one, quickly killed them, and brought them to the
shore where Edgar and Will were sitting.
‘Cleverly done,’ said Edgar. ‘If we run short of ammunition there is
little fear of starving when Yacka can effect such captures.’
The ducks were spitted and roasted, Yacka as usual acting as cook,
and they were thoroughly enjoyed. Wild bees seemed plentiful, and
Yacka went in search of honey, which he soon found in the hollow of
a tree.
So pleasant was it by the lagoon that they rested there for several
days, enjoying bathing in the lukewarm water, and finding plenty of
birds to supply their daily wants. Yacka captured a native bear, a
curious little fellow with a woolly skin, and a sharp, inquiring face.
When tucked up he looked for all the world like a big ball. Huge
lizards were occasionally seen gliding about, and the shrill cries of
parrots were heard overhead. At night the peculiar cry of the
laughing jackass was heard. A flock of black swan passed by, but did
not settle on the lagoon. They also saw pigeons, wild geese, plover,
and quail, and a couple of pelicans.
So interesting was the wild life of this lagoon that Edgar was loath to
move on into less hospitable country, but he saw signs that Yacka
was becoming impatient, so decided to resume their march. They
left the camp by the lagoon with much regret, and cast many a
wistful glance behind.
‘It will be a long time before we strike such a good camping-ground
again,’ said Edgar.
‘Wait until you reach Yacka’s country,’ said the black; ‘find plenty
sport there. My tribe help you hunt and fish in big lakes and rivers.’
‘To which tribe do you belong?’ asked Edgar.
‘MacDonnell Ranges,’ said Yacka; ‘but we have gone miles and miles
further north to the land of Enooma, the White Spirit, across sandy
desert. My tribe very old and warlike. Their country goes far into the
Northern Territory.’
‘So your tribe is known as the MacDonnell Ranges blacks,’ said
Edgar; ‘but you have a native name, I expect. What is it?’
‘The Enooma,’ said Yacka. ‘We are the favoured tribe of the great
White Spirit.’
‘And you are the son of Enooma,’ said Edgar. ‘Then we are safe with
you.’
‘No one will harm the friends of the son of Enooma,’ said Yacka.
‘Why did you leave your own country?’ asked Edgar.
‘To wander far and learn much. It was the wish of Enooma, and she
must be obeyed. I have been in big cities—Sydney, Melbourne,
Adelaide, and Brisbane, and have learned many things and seen
much evil,’ said Yacka.
‘And how did you get on to Yanda Station?’ said Edgar.
‘From Queensland. I went to Adelaide first, and then walked to the
other big cities. From Brisbane I went on until I came to Yanda, and
there I camped.’
Yacka went on ahead, and Edgar said to Will:
‘It will be worth all our travels if we can clear up this mystery about
Yacka’s birth. He must have been taught by white people, or he
would not speak as he does. It is getting more and more interesting.
Who would have thought when we were at Redbank we should in so
short a time be tramping over the wilds of Australia with only a black
for our companion?’
‘I wonder what they are up to at Redbank now?’ said Will.
‘The usual routine work,’ replied Edgar. ‘We had some jolly times
there.’
‘I wish I could make a fortune!’ said Will suddenly.
Edgar laughed as he replied:
‘It does not look much like it at present, but there is no telling what
may happen. Yacka says he can make me rich, and if so you will
have a share in the plunder. Why do you wish to make a fortune?
You were not always such a mercenary fellow.’
‘Because I love your sister, and I want to be in a position some day
to ask her to be my wife. Now do you understand?’
‘Yes,’ said Edgar, ‘and I wish you luck. Doris is a lovable girl, and I
know you will try and make her happy. It is a long time to look
ahead, but there is nothing like having an object in life to make a
man successful.’
‘You know my object,’ said Will. ‘What is yours?’
‘To earn a good name, and to make my father proud of his son,’ said
Edgar.
‘Then you will certainly succeed,’ said Will, ‘even if you have not
done so already.’
Edgar laughed as he said:
‘I have not done much at present to earn a name for myself. If ever
I become a rich man, I will try and do good with my money. I have
always found there is a lot of pleasure in helping other people.’
‘You always manage to get on with people,’ said Will. ‘You have even
made a staunch friend of Yacka. How did you manage it?’
‘By treating him more like a human being than a dog,’ said Edgar. ‘Of
course, Yacka is not like most of the natives. They are a dull, stupid
lot, what I have seen of them so far, and it would be almost
impossible to teach them anything. I believe Yacka could be taught
just the same as a white man.’
One night, as they were camping under the shade of some bushes,
Edgar was awakened by something cool touching his face. He put
out his hand and felt a cold, smooth substance, which he at once
knew must be a snake. He sprang to his feet, clutching the snake
and flinging it from him. The noise roused Will, and Yacka was
quickly on the alert. It was too dark to see anything, but Yacka
shifted their camping-ground. In the morning Yacka came across a
venomous yellow snake, which he killed and brought to Edgar.
‘Yellow snake,’ he said; ‘dangerous! Deadly poison! Almost as bad as
a death adder! Yacka skin him,’ which he at once proceeded to do.
Edgar congratulated himself upon a lucky escape, for had the snake
bitten him there would have been but little chance of his continuing
the journey. For breakfast Yacka was busily engaged in roasting
strips of flesh, but neither Edgar nor Will could think what animal he
had killed to provide their meal.
‘What have you got there?’ asked Will. ‘I hope you’re not toasting
that snake.’
Yacka shook his head and said:
‘You try it first, then I will tell you what it is. Very good indeed!’ and
he smacked his lips.
They enjoyed the tasty morsels, and Yacka informed them it was the
flesh of a species of iguana, one of the lizard tribe.
Will shuddered as he said:
‘I confess it tasted all right, but I do not think I should have eaten it
had I known what it was.’
They were about to resume their journey, when they heard someone
‘cooeying’ loudly, and the sound proclaimed the person was some
distance away.
Yacka had carefully avoided meeting wanderers in the country they
had come through, and when he heard the ‘cooey’ he held up his
hand, and they stopped.
‘Let us see who it is,’ said Edgar. ‘It will be a change to meet a
stranger.’
‘All right,’ said Yacka; ‘I know where that comes from. We are near
the telegraph route. Send news from Adelaide right across the
country to Port Darwin. It is men, perhaps, looking after the line.’
‘Bravo!’ said Will. ‘We shall at least be able to hear some fresh news.’
They proceeded in the direction of the sound, and in the course of a
quarter of an hour came upon a camp, where four white men were
sitting down smoking and chatting.
‘Hallo! what have we got here?’ said one of the men, as he saw
Yacka advancing in front of Edgar and Will.
‘Glad to see you,’ said Edgar, stepping forward. ‘We have not had
any company but our own for such a long time that we are thankful
to have fallen in with you.’
‘You’re welcome,’ said the man. ‘Where do you hail from?’
‘We have come from Yanda station, in the west of New South Wales.’
The man stared at them in amazement.
‘What, just as you are? You two youngsters, with this blackfellow!’
‘Yes,’ said Will. ‘My friend was going alone with Yacka, but as I
wanted to be in it if there were any adventures, they decided to take
me along with them.’
‘Well, upon my word,’ said the man, ‘you’re a couple of good plucked
’uns! Do you know where you are?’
‘I have not the faintest idea,’ said Edgar, ‘but Yacka has.’
‘You seem to have a good deal of confidence in this blackfellow,’ said
the man, eyeing Yacka closely.
‘We have,’ said Edgar. ‘He’s a fine fellow.’
‘That’s more than I can say for some of his kind,’ said the man. ‘It
was only the other week one of our fellows was murdered beyond
the Ranges by some of these blacks.’
‘Revenge!’ said Yacka quietly. ‘How many of the black men had he
killed?’
‘Blest if the fellow can’t speak English as well as I can!’ said the man
in astonishment. ‘Maybe it was revenge, but we don’t allow black
men to kill white men without making an example of them.’ Turning
to Edgar he said: ‘I like the look of you, young fellow, and your
mate. My name’s Walter Hepburn, and I’m in the Government
service, and stationed at Alice Springs, where the telegraph office is.
We’ve been repairing on the line, and are on our way back to the
Springs. If you care to come on with us, I have no doubt we can
show you some fun.’
‘How far are we from Alice Springs?’ asked Edgar.
‘A couple of days will take us there.’
‘Then we shall be very pleased to go with you, and thank you
heartily for your invitation. My name is Edgar Foster.’
‘What! the young fellow who saved the skipper’s baby from the
wreck of the Distant Shore?’ exclaimed Walter Hepburn.
‘Yes,’ said Edgar sadly; ‘we were the only two saved.’
‘Give me your hand, lad,’ said Walter Hepburn; ‘I’m proud to shake
it. Here, lads, give three cheers for Edgar Foster!’
The men gave three ringing cheers, that echoed far and wide.
It made Edgar’s heart beat fast to hear them in this wild country.
Good deeds make themselves known and felt the wide world over,
and their influence can make men better even in a wilderness.
Yacka was pleased at the reception given to Edgar, and his black
face was all smiling.
‘That blackfellow’s uncommon fond of you, I reckon?’ said Walter
Hepburn.
‘He is,’ said Edgar. ‘Yacka planned this expedition for us, and we are
in search of adventures, and want to see the country.’
That night Edgar and Will enjoyed a hearty supper with their newly-
made acquaintances; and Edgar had to relate how he was rescued,
and how he saved Eva from the wreck of the Distant Shore.
When Edgar mentioned to Walter Hepburn that they were going far
beyond the Ranges with Yacka, he looked serious.
‘If you’ll take my advice, you will make for Adelaide from Alice
Springs. It is over a thousand miles from there to Adelaide. If you go
on north, to Port Darwin, that is over nine hundred miles. Where
does Yacka, as you call him, want to take you on the other side of
the Ranges?’
‘That is his secret,’ said Edgar, ‘and I cannot tell you what he has
told me. Before we started from Yanda I meant to go through with
this business, and I’ll do it if I live.’
‘I admire your pluck,’ said Walter Hepburn; ‘but what is the use of
risking your life when there is no object to be gained?’
CHAPTER XIV.
ON THE OVERLAND LINE.
A couple of days after their meeting with the telegraph repairers the
party arrived at Alice Springs—the most interesting of all the stations
on the overland telegraph line. Alice Springs stands high above the
sea-level, and there is magnificent and interesting scenery in the
district, the valley in which it lies being of exceptional beauty.
As Edgar looked at the scene mapped out before him, he could not
help expressing astonishment at what he saw. Alice Springs he had
imagined as a bare, desolate spot, and here he saw the great
MacDonnell Ranges lying to the north, the source of rivers, creeks,
and springs, the valley stretching far away to east and west. The
River Todd, running close by, lends a picturesque charm to the
scene.
There were numerous people about when the party arrived, as Alice
Springs is the repeating station on the line, and consequently a
considerable number of officers were employed. The buildings were
not particularly enchanting, but they were useful and commodious.
Several trees were scattered about, affording a comfortable shade,
and the hot winds had not scorched up all vegetation.
The officers employed at Alice Springs Station were a genial, jovial
lot of fellows; and when Edgar and Will had been duly introduced by
Walter Hepburn, they were at once made at home. After travelling
so many miles, and living on the produce of their guns and Yacka’s
ingenuity, it was a treat for them once more to come across
civilization. They were feasted and made much of, and the inevitable
race-meeting was got up in their honour.
Edgar noticed there were a good many men about besides the
officers employed on the station, and he did not like the look of
some of them. They had a hang-dog expression on their faces, and
a lazy, loafing way of idling about that spoke ill for the manner in
which they managed to knock out a living.
‘You have some queer customers about here,’ said Edgar to Walter
Hepburn.
‘You mean those fellows over yonder,’ he replied.
‘I guess you’re about right—they are queer customers. They are out-
and-out “spielers,” and you generally find them loafing about in the
interior wherever there is a new settlement. They are always in fairly
strong force around here, and when we have races they are only too
ready to make wagers which they have no intention of paying. Some
of our fellows are foolish enough to bet with them, and out of sheer
despair at getting up a game of cards, I have known them play with
these men. Needless to say, our fellows never win. These “spielers”
know too much for them. In my opinion, they are worse than the
blacks, and a greater danger to settlers. Horse-stealing and
swindling they are always ready for; but they are cowards when
fairly tackled, and soon seek fresh fields when a place becomes too
hot to hold them.’
‘Strange how such men can find occupation here,’ said Edgar.
‘Well, you see, it’s this way,’ said Walter Hepburn. ‘Settlers in a new
country, where white men are scarce, and blacks are dangerous and
hostile, are only too glad to give a white man a welcome. No
questions are asked as to who or what the white man may be, but
they take it for granted his company must be an improvement on
their black, quarrelsome neighbours. I’ve known blackguards like
those you see over yonder stay at a place for a week, and then clear
out with the best horses and anything else they could conveniently
take away.’
‘I saw a couple of them eyeing our horses over a short time back,’
said Will Brown, who came up and heard the conversation. ‘Yacka
says we had better leave our horses behind when we go beyond the
Ranges, and call for them as we return; that is, if they will care to
have them here.’
‘You can leave them with pleasure if you wish,’ said Walter Hepburn,
‘and I’ll promise to look after them for you as well as I can. You will
certainly not have much use for horses if you are going west after
you cross the ranges. It is, so far as we know, very little else but
desert between here and West Australia. As I told you before, I am
afraid you are undertaking a great risk, and all to very little purpose.
You may as well remain here a week or two, and then return south
towards Adelaide. You’ll have had enough of it when you reach
there, without going farther north.’
‘I’ll consult Yacka, and hear what he has to say,’ said Edgar, and
walked towards the black, leaving Will with Walter Hepburn.
Edgar explained what Hepburn had said, and Yacka replied:
‘I will go with you to Adelaide, if you wish; but you will be sorry for
it. We have come so far, let us go on. These men know nothing of
Enooma’s country. They have been lost in the desert and never
found the green land. Come with me, and I will show you much.
Yacka has said he will make you rich. Come and see if the son of
Enooma speaks true.’
‘You say we had better leave our horses here until we return,’ said
Edgar. ‘How far have we to go beyond the ranges?’
‘Long way,’ said Yacka, ‘but fine country. We soon leave the sand
behind, and then you will see much better place than Yanda.’
‘I will go with you,’ said Edgar, and Yacka was pleased. ‘We will leave
here in a few days.’
During the time they remained at Alice Springs there was plenty of
amusement. Local races, and a cricket match filled in the time, and
Edgar managed to impress it upon them that he could handle a bat.
Yacka amused himself in various ways. He kept aloof from everyone,
and sat looking on at the various games in a contemplative style that
amused Edgar.
The numerous ‘spielers’ about the place found time hang heavily on
their hands, and two or three of them thought to pass a few hours
away by teasing Yacka, and trying to work him into a frenzy. These
vile wretches were adepts in the art of ill-using and insulting not
only blacks, but white men, when they got the chance, and when
there was but little danger connected with it.
Yacka was quietly carving a stick, when three of these vagabonds
came up to him. One jerked the stick out of his hand and flung it
away, another upset the log upon which he was sitting, and the third
kicked him in the ribs as he lay on the floor.
Then these three white men with black hearts got a surprise from
the black man with a white heart. Yacka sprang to his feet with a
yell. He seized the nearest man round the waist, lifted him off his
feet, and flung him over his shoulder, as easily as only a practised
wrestler could. The man fell with a heavy thud upon the ground and
lay there. Yacka bounded upon the next man before he had
recovered from his surprise, and would have treated him in a similar
way. The noise, however, attracted the attention of the ‘spielers’
mates, who came running up, and Yacka was surrounded by
enemies.
The black’s eyes fairly blazed as he looked round at the cowardly
crew hemming him in on every side. He could not see a loophole of
escape, so he determined to fight for liberty. Yacka knew well
enough if these men got him down he would probably be kicked to
death.
A blow on the back of his head warned him his persecutors meant
business. Yacka could see no weapon handy, so he used his fists,
and struck out right and left with tremendous effect. Three of the
crew measured their full length on the ground in almost as many
seconds. Yacka’s blows fell fast, but he could not guard himself at
the rear as well as in the front. Blows fell upon his head and made
him dizzy, and he knew he could not hold out much longer.
‘There’s a row going on outside,’ said Walter Hepburn, as he got up
from the table where they had just been refreshing themselves, and
went to the door.
‘Hang me if it is not that black chap of yours! The “spielers” are on
to him. Come along, quick, or they’ll do for him!’
Edgar and Will jumped up, and the three ran towards the scene of
the encounter.
They were only just in time. One of the gang of cowards attacking
Yacka struck him a severe blow on the head with a heavy stick, and
the black fell on to his knees. No sooner was he down than a brutal
assault was made upon him. Edgar outstripped his companions and
was first on the scene. He said nothing, but he began to knock the
‘spielers’ about in a manner that left no doubt as to his hitting
powers.
Will Brown and Walter Hepburn were not slow to follow his example,
and although they were opposed to more than double their own
number, the trio quickly drove the ‘spielers’ away, some of them
much the worse for the encounter.
Edgar knelt down beside Yacka, who was lying on the ground half
stunned.
‘The brutes!’ said Edgar. ‘They have mauled him badly. How do you
feel, Yacka? Any bones broken?’
The black smiled feebly and said:
‘No bones broken, Master Edgar, but I have got a bad head. I could
have beaten the first three, but more came up and they got at me
from behind.’ Seeing Hepburn, he added significantly: ‘That is what
causes revenge, and the killing of white men.’
‘I’m not surprised,’ said Will. ‘You cannot expect a blackfellow to
stand such brutal conduct as this.’
‘No,’ said Hepburn, ‘but the worst of it is the innocent suffer for the
guilty. These brutes get off scot-free, and some poor settler meets
with his death.’
‘Yacka has never killed a man what you call a settler,’ said the black.
‘No one supposes you have,’ said Edgar. ‘Can you walk?’
Yacka managed to stand on his feet, but his head swam, and he felt
dizzy.
‘Bring him into my shanty,’ said Hepburn. ‘I can’t stand even a
blackfellow being knocked about in this style.’
The ‘spielers’ were hanging about as they led Yacka into Hepburn’s
house. As he entered the door the black turned and shook his fist at
them, and a cruel look came into his eyes.
Hepburn saw it and whispered to Edgar:
‘I would not give much for one of those fellows’ chances of salvation
if Yacka got him alone.’
Had it been a white man the ‘spielers’ had set upon, they would
have been hustled out of the place quickly enough, but a blackfellow
more or less did not seem to matter with the bulk of the men. The
majority of them would have knocked a ‘spieler’ down with the
greatest of satisfaction, but even in such a case as the assault upon
Yacka they were inclined to regard the black as the aggressor. This
feeling naturally aroused Edgar’s indignation. He had not lived
amongst savage blacks as most of these men had, and gone with his
life in his hands every time he went a few miles up country. The
blacks in many cases undoubtedly attacked peaceful settlers and
murdered them in a treacherous manner. This naturally aroused a
feeling of intense hatred against the original inhabitants of the
country, and all blackfellows were treated alike. When the settlers
treated the blacks kindly it was regarded by them as a sign of
weakness, and an encouragement to attack them. Arguments such
as these Hepburn used to convince Edgar the white men had good
reason for hating the black.
‘The Finke blacks,’ said Hepburn, ‘are a peaceable lot; but when you
get into the Musgrave and MacDonnell Ranges, and farther north, it
is necessary to be well armed if you wish to come back again. I have
been there and know, and that is the main reason I have
endeavoured to persuade you not to go with Yacka.’
‘It would be cowardly on our part to desert Yacka now,’ said Edgar,
‘nor have we any inclination to do so. I would sooner trust a whole
tribe of blacks than the brutal fellows who attacked him.’
Hepburn saw it was useless to argue more, so he said good-
naturedly:
‘If you are bent upon proceeding, you must let me supply you with
more ammunition. You will want it, I am afraid, unless Yacka is well-
known to the northern tribes.’
‘You’re a brick!’ said Will enthusiastically, ‘and I for one will accept
your gift.’
‘It’s a good while since I heard that expression,’ said Hepburn. ‘It
reminds me of my school-days.’
‘Where were you put in training?’ asked Edgar with a smile.
‘At a grand old school, which I dare say you have heard of,’ said
Hepburn. ‘I was educated at Redbank.’
Edgar and Will gave a whoop that startled Hepburn, and before he
could realize what had happened, he felt both his arms being
worked up and down in a rapid style that took his breath away.
‘Hold on, lads!’ he gasped; ‘you’ll have my arms off. What the deuce
is the matter with you?’
‘This is the most extraordinary thing I ever heard of,’ said Edgar.
‘I see nothing very extraordinary in my having been educated at
Redbank,’ said Hepburn, ‘except the fact that I might have done the
school more credit, considering the training I received.’
‘We are Redbank boys,’ said Edgar.
It was Hepburn’s turn now, and the pumping process recommenced.
They almost danced for joy, and Yacka, who was lying on the camp-
bed, thought they had gone suddenly mad.
‘Bless my soul! it is remarkable after all,’ said Hepburn. ‘To think we
Redbank fellows should all meet in this outlandish spot! The world is
very small.’
What a night they made of it, and they were still talking over the
glories of Redbank when the morning light made the lamp grow dim.
CHAPTER XV.
THROUGH THE RANGES.