Man Tracks

In this book Idriess brings together a story per chapter, from the 1930's Mounted Police in Western Australia (primarily, although there are some cross-border stories).There are a number of recurring characters - particularly Nemarluk, who crops up multiple times, being such a successful escapee. In fact Idriess wrote a separate book in 1941 describing the life of Nemarluk.

Idriess heroes the police and the Aboriginal trackers, whose amazing feats of tracking are well catalogued here. The stories are fast paced and interesting, varied and clever. Camels and horses are the beasts of burden, and the quarry are the murderers, or the recovery of the missing - prospectors, explorers seeking new cattle land to open up, and the victims of robbery or often those just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Once again Idriess captures the essence of the wilderness of Australia in its formative years, and the aboriginal way of life changed forever by the interlopers into their lands.

There are also some great photographs distributed throughout the book, helping the reader bring the visuals into these stories too.

4 stars.