Duke Tritton was one of the early members of the Bush Music Club.

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page 56 of John Meredith's book.

(chapter name) Songs that he wrote.

("In this section 'song' is used in it's broader sense to include also the spoken ballad")

ADVICE TO A YOUNG SWAGMAN by Duke Tritton

When you're stoney broke and walking
An' your tucker bag is flat,
It will never get you nowhere
If you start to whip the cat,
For there ain't no time for weepin'
aWhen you're on a hungry track,
An' we have no use for squealers
On the roads that run outback.

You must keep your independence
An' if a squatter snarls at you,
You snarl back at him
what you think he ought to do;
You can query his ancestry
Which will mostly start a brawl,
Win or lose, it shows the squatter
That you're never one to crawl.

But when the grass is long and dry
You will find the all polite,
An' you'll get a good handout
If you work your noodle right.
You just flash a box of matches
An' speak of the 'Wild Red Steer',
He'll most likely call you 'mister',
He might even shout a beer.

An' if ever you are short of meat,
It really is not a sin
For to knock a jumbuck over,
But be sure you plant the skin.
For if they catch you with it,
You'll surely get it hot,
For the magistrate's a squatter
And he'll hand you out the lot.

You may be busted up and broke,
Well, you are not the first
To shove a cheque across the bar
To satisfy your thirst.
You'll have plenty other troubles,
But keep them under your hat;
One thing no dinkum swagman does
Is whip the flamin' cat.

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