These were not mustered into a yard or counted, except roughly.

Gordon was not completing a purchase, but simply taking over what were there--many or few; good or bad, he could only take what he found.
Miles and miles they rode, always in the blazing heat, camping for a couple of hours in the middle of the day.

To the Englishman it seemed always the merest chance that they found the cattle, and accident that they got home again.

At rare intervals they came upon substantial mustering-yards, where the calves were brought for branding; near these a rough hut had been constructed, so that they could camp there at night, instead of returning to the head station.
They always slept out of doors.

In the intense heat it was no hardship, and the huts, as a rule, fairly jumped with fleas.