McKeith's father had owned a station on the Lower Leura--the bank took it in payment of their mortgage after the catastrophe occurred.

That station had been the scene of one of the most horrible native outrages in the history of Australia.

The tragedy had set its mark on Colin McKeith.

Left a penniless boy after having worked his way to independent manhood he had made it his purpose to pursue the wild black with relentless animosity.
All along the Upper Leura to the fastnesses at the river's head where his new station stood on the boundaries of civilisation he had gone, mercilessly punishing native depredations.
He had been put on trial by a humanitarian Government for so-called manslaughter of natives, and had been acquitted under an administration immediately succeeding it.

Afterwards he had at the peril of his life, made an exploring trip across the base of the northern peninsula of the colony with the intention, as he phrased it, of 'shaking round a bit.' He 'shook round' to some purpose, penetrated to the Big Bight, and got on the tracks of a famous lost explorer.