Keeping an Eye on the Workers
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382006)
Rockingham, Australia
November 17, 2016 6:54am CST
I just read a post by Gus Kilthau (@ceerios) entitled 'The Dance' and it reminded me of a story I was told about the early settlers. Some of the early Australian settlers would employ aboriginal labour to help clear their land ready for cropping. Like most labourers, some were a bit lazy and if the boss was away, they would do little or no work.
One particular boss had a glass eye and one day he had a bright idea. When he needed to leave the men to work on their own, he said he had to go away for a while. He then removed his glass eye, sat it on a post and said told the men that it would keep an eye on them to see that they continued working.
All went well for an hour or two but then one of the men had a bright idea. He sneaked around behind the eye and dropped his hat over it. The men then knocked off for the day.
The photo is of my Dad's camp where he lived while carving out his first farm.
Here is the link to the second part of the story, the part I forgot first time around.
I wrote yesterday about the 'eye on the post' but I forgot the sequel. Once the boss worked out that the labourers were covering his glass eye with a hat (so...
25 people like this
25 responses
That's pretty amazing! I don't know anyone that could stick it out camping like that for a good length of time - maybe only a couple weeks tops!!
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
17 Nov 16
lol that is both smart, not smart, and funny at the same time!
4 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
19 Nov 16
@JudyEv with enough work yeah
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
17 Nov 16
What a great story. And the old saying " while the cat is away the mice will play " is so true. Nice pic love it.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (382006)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Nov 16
@fishtiger58 Yes, that's true! 
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
18 Nov 16
@JudyEv lol touch the eye the teeth will bite
2 people like this
@shaggin (74988)
• United States
24 Nov 16
Glass eyes have always creeped me out. I would be terrified if I were these labourers. @daddyevil wrote a post that lead me to this post of yours.
2 people like this
@marguicha (230351)
• Chile
17 Nov 16
I liked the story. Your father must have led a very interesting life.
. Your father must have led a very interesting life.2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (174358)
• United States
22 Nov 16
That is a very funny story, Judy! Didn't the workers think about the guy figuring out they quit for the day well before time since there was very little of the work done?
WOW! It looks like your dad had a real job clearing out the brush before he could start working to grow a crop... Did he ever tell you how long it took him to clear the scrub and get the farm up and producing?
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (174358)
• United States
22 Nov 16
@JudyEv Hmmm... well, I would have thought even Aboriginal people had enough common sense to consider that to be a problem when your dad returned...
Possibly thinking like that hadn't entered their mindset yet?
No matter how long it took, clearing 1500 acres would have been a fair bit of work! (I'm impressed!)
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382006)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Nov 16
@DaddyEvil I think it was before my Dad's time even. The aborigines then weren't very sophisticated but you'd think they'd have thought a bit further along.
1 person likes this
@Inlemay (17712)
• South Africa
21 Nov 16
@JudyEv - that I know - its mentioned in our National Anthem From our deep seas breaking round, From the depths of our sea, (its the English translation of the Afrikaans piece in N'kosi sikelele Afrika.
Over everlasting mountains,
Where the echoing crags resound,
From our plains where creaking wagons,
etched their trails into the earth,
Calls the spirit of our country,
Of the land that gave us birth.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
13 Dec 16
What a great story. I'll bet it really happened, If someone took their eye out I would have been running away....
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99353)
• Canada
17 Nov 16
lol that's a funny story! Thanks for sharing! 
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
19 Nov 16
lol Well that was a perfect solution, wasn't it.
1 person likes this
@kevinakash (2084)
• Sri Lanka
20 Nov 16
very nice story it is and you have written it well
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43586)
• Denver, Colorado
17 Nov 16
That's funny! Wasn't really expecting it.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
18 Nov 16
Oh my, that's a funny story. Wow. I cannot imagine roughing it like your dad did.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382006)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Nov 16
I think there would have been many carving out their first farms in this way.
