Once When I Was Mustering

Once when I was musterin', out Carnarvon way
I had a mob of musterers aworkin' night an' day
Well when the mobs were restin', you wouldn’t hear a
But when they started movin' you could hear all around
Hey, stitch 'em up, fetch 'em back, turn the leaders
Then come behind, come behind, come behind, you hound
Oh, we were under contract to run the scrubbers there
In amongst the gorges, the caves an' prickly-pear
We’d bulge 'em through the timber to sweep them down
And if we saw a Mickey break, we’d yell this old
Hey, stitch 'em up, fetch 'em back, turn that blighter
Then come behind, come behind, come behind, you hound
I had a dog called Bluey, a terrier called Dot
And if I ever wanted them, well, they were on the spot
They’d trot along beside me, as quiet as fallin' snow
And you could see them strainin' when I’d give the word
Hey stitch 'em up, fetch 'em back, turn the leaders
Then come behind, come behind, come behind, you hound
We’d box 'em in the big yard an' draft 'em through the
We’d hit 'em with the red-hot brand an' leave 'em safe
We didn’t mind the sweatin' or workin' rather hard
But boys you’d hear a swearin' when they broke out of
Hey stitch 'em up, fetch 'em back, turn the leaders
Then come behind, come behind, come behind, you hound
But the boys they liked it tough, an' sure had lots o'
Now if you were to ask me what stood out on my mind
Well if you’d like to wait a tick, I will soon unwind
Hey stitch 'em up, fetch 'em back, turn the leaders
Then come behind, come behind, come behind, you hound.