# Poss — An Outback Marriage character guide

> Poss in An Outback Marriage by Banjo Paterson.

**Role:** supporting

**First appearance:** 0003-iv-the-old-station

## Snapshot

A station hand who slips away from mustering five thousand waterless sheep to sit by Mary Grant's fire, and lies about it with magnificent confidence.

## Who they are

Poss works the Gordon place alongside Binjie, and the two of them are supposed to be clearing a paddock with no water in it, a job that will kill sheep if it waits. Instead Poss turns up at the homestead, and when Charlie Gordon discovers him there the excuse collapses into comedy. He is loyal, lazy in the specific way of bushmen who know the work will still be there tomorrow, and utterly susceptible to a pretty visitor, which makes him the story's warmest running joke about how little anyone actually controls out here.

## In the story

### [Some Visitors](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_outback_marriage_se/chapters/ix-some-visitors)

A young bushman who arrives on a bucking colt, is thrown in front of Mary, and stays at the homestead.

### [XI: A Walk in the Moonlight](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_outback_marriage_se/chapters/xi-a-walk-in-the-moonlight)

One of the children, mentioned as falling over a log during the possum hunt.

### [Mr. Blake Breaks His Engagement](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_outback_marriage_se/chapters/xii-mr-blake-breaks-his-engagement)

Accompanies Hugh and Binjie to draft sheep.

### [XIII: The Rivals](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_outback_marriage_se/chapters/xiii-the-rivals)

Accompanies Mary on rides and hunts, becomes infatuated with her.

### [XXI: No Compromise](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_outback_marriage_se/chapters/xxi-no-compromise)

Contributes to the discussion, supporting the idea that there is something to Peggy's claim.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_outback_marriage_se/characters/poss
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_outback_marriage_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_outback_marriage_se/characters