The Young Berringtons

This is quite a short book that had been published in parts in a children's magazine. One branch of the Berrington family had been established in Australia for a long time, and had built up quite a profitable station. Another branch of the family had been living in a wealthy style in London, when their business failed, and they had just enough money left to make their way to Australia, to join their cousins. They find that life is not going to be all that easy. A mob of original inhabitants were in the neighbourhood, and were threatening them. Who can blame them? A terrible storm comes, and blows the roof off the house. Then the river floods, much higher than it had ever done before, and the house is destroyed. So is much of the stock. The decision is made to look further inland for a better place to start a new station. That is the part of the story that gives the book its second title, "The Boy Explorers." They do find a suitable place, but are once again attacked by aborigines, whom they beat off with great difficulty. Eventually they make peace with the aborigines, and all begins once more to go well. The various people, adults and children, are well drawn, especially two rather tiresome ones: Hector, one of the children brought from Britain, and Mrs Berrington, the wife of the original settler, who has a dreadful habit of fainting every time anything stressful occurs. According to Wikipedia: "William Henry Giles Kingston (28 February 1814 - 5 August 1880), writer of tales for boys, was born in London, but spent much of his youth in Oporto, where his father was a merchant. His first book, The Circassian Chief, appeared in 1844. His first book for boys, Peter the Whaler, was published in 1851, and had such success that he retired from business and devoted himself entirely to the production of this kind of literature, in which his popularity was deservedly great; and during 30 years he wrote upwards of 130 tales, including The Three Midshipmen (1862), The Three Lieutenants (1874), The Three Commanders (1875), The Three Admirals (1877), Digby Heathcote, etc. He also conducted various papers, including The Colonist, and Colonial Magazine and East India Review. He was also interested in emigration, volunteering, and various philanthropic schemes. For services in negotiating a commercial treaty with Portugal he received a Portuguese knighthood, and for his literary labours a Government pension."