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 k ,,.,,?t!:;ia!l!|:'i:if.!lllllliiSftS:'ll''l* 

 
 THE 
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS 
 
 OB TBI 
 
 IboFntore^ d d^aptnin Ipencer, 
 
 HIS HOESE Am> DOa. 
 
 BY MRS. R. LEE, 
 
 AITTHOR OK " AFRICAN CRUSOES," " ANECDOTES OF BIBDBy" 
 
 "anecdotes of animals," <fco. 
 
 WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 LEE AND SHEPARD, PUBLISHERS. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 
 LEE, SHEPARD it DILLINGHAM, « GREENE STREET. 
 
 1873.
 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 The favourable reception given to the " African Cru- 
 Boes" has prompted an Australian wanderer to recite 
 his adventures; and as the natural productions of the 
 newer world are even more extraordinary than those 
 longer discovered, it is the object of the present work 
 rather to dwell upon them, than on the fast increasing 
 riches ot the settlements. 
 
 The author is desirous to express her gratitude for 
 the assistance which she has received from private 
 Boufces, and from the admirable travels which have 
 l«*ja written on the same subject. 
 
 576509 
 
 LISRARf
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 PAfll 
 
 Captain Spencer recommended to leave India on account of 
 his healtli — Hires a Malay Schooner — Embarks with his horse 
 and dog — Cruises on the outskirts of the Indian Archipelago — 
 Converts a Triton Shell into a tea-kettle, and a Clamp shell 
 into a cup — A bird caught, which Captain Spencer names Char- 
 lie, and teaches to speak — Meets with the inhabitants of the 
 Indian seas — The Organ-fish — The Cuttle-fish — The Diodon — 
 Sea snakes — Captain Spencer, not gaining strength, determines 
 to go to Australia — Touches at Timor to take in supplies — De- 
 scription of Coepang — Excursion ashore — A hunt — Timoree 
 traffic — Departure from Timor 19 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Arrival on the northern coast of Australia — Various sea ani- 
 mals — Albatross — Tropic and Frigate birds — Touch at an isl- 
 and, see natives — Go back to the continent — Enter a river — 
 Catch a crocodile — The country on fire — See a Dugong — Return 
 from the river — The Malays catch Trepang — Captain Spencer 
 goes ashore — Finds a curious lizard — All go to an island to cure 
 Trepang — See natives — Examine their rafts — Oysters found — 
 Playfulness of a Whale at sea — Flies — Natives bring a young 
 man for them to set his arm — Captain Spencer performs the 
 operation — Description of natives — Charlie and Tiger (the 
 norse) frighten them — Natives dance — The schooner goes to 
 
 (iii)
 
 IV CONTENTS. 
 
 FAQl 
 
 another island — Captain Spencer finds an Eagle's nest, and 
 various birds — Goes ashore — Eagle shot — Captain Spencer 
 stays all night — Violent hurricane and storm — Schooner lost — 
 Malays crushed by falling of cliif — Captain Spencer enters a 
 cave with Charlie, Tiger, and the dog Gipsy 33 
 
 CHAPTER riL 
 
 Captain Spencer determines to start for Swan River — Se- 
 cures objects from the wreck — Running fish — Attack from 
 natives — Starts 'for Swan Riveir — A log of wood converted into 
 a shovel — A Hawk's-bill Turtle — Natives touch the baggage — 
 Frightened away — Natives on shore taste pickled Oysters — Put 
 on Captain Spencer's trousers — Insects — Birds — Impression of 
 a cloven foot with a spur — Flight of Parrakeets — Scrub — Cap- 
 tain Spencer makes a grass hat — Albatross — Haze and mirage 
 — Berries — Snakes — Porpoises — Sea-shells — Meteor — Gannets 6 J 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Captain Spencer ascends a ravine — Flying Foxes — Green 
 Ants — Hawks,, Pelicans, Parrakeets, and Cranes — Mullet — Por- 
 poises — Pandanus — Nutmegs — Pigeons, Ac. — Mosquitoes — 
 Sand-flies — Hears natives — Dangerous attack — Captain Spencer 
 kills a man — He is wounded by a spear — Beautiful plain and 
 lake — Water-lilies, <tc. — Residence on the top of a hillock — 
 Native graves — Sees Kangaroos — Tiger loses a shoe — Oats^ 
 Kangaroos — Skin prepared — Mocassins made — Frilled Lizard 
 — Gipsy nearly killed by a Python — Kites and other birds — 
 Cranes — Bitterns — Owls, &c. — Sow-thistle — Falcon — Shrike — 
 Cuckoo — Captain Spencer rides to native huts — Spear-heads — 
 Circles of stones — Bower-birds — Gourd — Cray-fish — Captain 
 Spencer rides over the hills — Caves like temples — Paintings — 
 Vampire Bats — Carved head — Kangaroo — Gouty tree — ^Vitex 
 —Crabs — Reed — Beetles — Fire flies — Storm — Provisions col- 
 lected for journey — The grass hat — A fresh start 93
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 PAOI 
 
 Snako — Huts — Bark bedsteads — Ovens — Basalt — ^Luxuriant 
 grass — Gorge — Another gouty-stemmed tree — Captain Spencer 
 desires to go to the interior — Scrub — Fishes — Gum-trees- 
 Large fish — Birds — Flying Opossums — Insects — Fusanus — Ca- 
 suarina — Dragon-fly — Sun to the north — Tiger's hoofs worn— 
 Tiger's socks — Mesembryanthemum — Jerboas — Bustard — Na- 
 tive grave — Melaleuca — Lark — Natives and dogs — Dogs rush 
 on Gipsy — Captain Spencer saves the dog — Natives equipped 
 for war — Captain Spencer separated from his arms — Dances to 
 conciliate natives — Reaches his fire-arms — Frightens the na- 
 tives — Tiger comes up, and they are still more frightened — Na- 
 tives run off — Tombs — Opossums — Magnetic hills — River — 
 Black Swans — Zamia — Captain Spencer poisoned by nuts- 
 Conduct of his companions — Recovers — ^Tams — Moths — Pep- 
 permint — Grass-trees — Natives and dogs come upon Captain 
 Spencer when cleaning arms — He frightens them away — Un- 
 inhabited villages — Yam-grounds — Howls of dogs — Splendid 
 Pelargonium — Tiger attacked by a venomous Snake — In saving 
 the horse Captain Spencer is bitten — Almost dies — Recovers — 
 Natives blow at him — Hen-Turkey — Native hut for watching 
 prey — Birds — Directs his way south — Water scarce — Tiger 
 drinks all from one can — Protese 131 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Bed of a river — Native women — Captain Spencer finds wa- 
 ter by digging — Diamond birds — Charlie frightens birds away — 
 Captain Spencer takes yams from women — Gives a horse- 
 shoe in exchange — Conduct of the natives with the horse- 
 ehoe — Kangaroo — Howling of native dogs — Captain Spencer 
 eats a dog — Holes of dirty water — Gipsy falls into one of them 
 — Comes out covered with mud — Birds driven away by Charlie 
 —Snake under saddle — A cry of distress — Finds the native 
 whose arm had been broken and lamed by a thorn in the foot
 
 n CONTENTS. 
 
 — Captain Spencer saves him — Kinchela, name of native — 
 Speaks Malay — Tells his history — Conversation between the 
 Englishman and Australian — Captain Spencer goes to a well — 
 Kinchela cooks — Discourse about Boyl-yas — Kinchela afraid 
 of Tiger — Opinion of Captain Spencer among natives — Kinchela 
 ignorant of way to Perth — Promises to take Captain Spencer 
 to white men — Asks so earnestly to go with him that no refusal 
 can be given — Grubs in Grass-tree — Frogs — Charlie interferes 
 with Kinchela's lesson in English — Scarcity of clothes 164 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Kinchela still afraid of Tiger — Zamia trees — Kinchela's first 
 lesson in honesty — Bed of a small lake — Improved cuisine — 
 Australians cannot boil — Fire-stick — Wild fowl — Birds — Kan- 
 garoo caught in Kinchela's fashion — Kinchela greedy — Reflec- 
 tions of Captain Spencer — Gums — Manna — Floss silk — Bee. — 
 Kinchela's memory of words — Cold rain — Kinchela catches 
 Opossums — Kinchela makes a cloak — Burnt grass — Catch 
 animals by burning scrub — Kinchela mends spear — Kinchela 
 talks of bad black men — Magellanic clouds — Higher hills — 
 Wallabies — Talperos — Emu — Emu oil — Cross the mountains — 
 Flies — Iguana — Kinchela's fear of a telescope — Beautiful sce- 
 nery — Flowers — Lake — Ipomea — Everlastings — Nest of Leipoa 
 — Banksias — Finches — Stork — Dragon-fly — Beetle — Fly — 
 Grubs — Captain Spencer carries Gipsy everywhere on his 
 knapsack — Native dogs — Wombat — Snake — Kingia — Grevil- 
 lia — Inga — Eugenia, Ac. — Birds and insects — Buteo — Birds — 
 Scenery — Pieces of crystal and agate — Flowers — Mackintosh 
 given to Kinchela — Fungus — Natives frightened away by gnn 
 —Python — Arrive at the ocean 189 
 
 CHAPTER VIIL 
 
 Captain Spencer makes a signal to a vessel — Boat comes 
 uhore — Captain of the vessel comes in a boat — Offers assist-
 
 CONTENTS. VII 
 
 TAOI 
 
 »nce — Captain Spencer and his companions go on board the 
 French whaling ship, the Marie — Life on board the Marie — Na- 
 tive feast off a stranded whale — Natives pay a visit to the 
 Marie — Kinchela Spoiled — Charlie learns French — Captain 
 Spencer leaves the Marie — Scrub — Tiger very happy — Cran- 
 berry — Kangaroo — Kinchela has a fit of gluttony — Cliffs — Re- 
 turn to the sea-shore — Fishes — Musical Teredo — Salsolse— 
 Eryngium — Fruit — Plants, &c. — Reptiles — Birds — Crabs — 
 Kinchela ill-humoured 228 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Spinifex — Bark of Gum-tree — Excrescence on tree — ^Well— 
 Rhagodia — Water scarce — Water from Gum-trees — Hot wind- 
 Dew — Salt lake — Salsola — Mirage — Gum-tree roots — Emigra- 
 ting birds — Cold wind and frost — Hakea — Curious stones — 
 Absence of animal and vegetable life — Sand, quartz, iron- 
 Scorching sun — No water, no food — Distress of Captain Spen- 
 cer — Dog and horse suffer much — Tiger appears to die — Sor- 
 row of Captain Spencer — Kinchela lies down to die — Captain 
 Spencer gives himself up for lost, and becomes insensible — A 
 shower in the night somewhat revives him — A Pigeon shows 
 the way to some water — Captain Spencer rouses himself and 
 reaches the place, drinks, and takes some to his companions — 
 All go to the well — Kinchela and Gipsy eat Kangaroo skin and 
 fall asleep — While sitting with his face between his hands Cap- 
 tain Spencer's hat is taken off — Sees Tiger with it in his mouth 
 — Joy — Rest three days — Mountains — Country improves — Co- 
 pious rain — Old Man 257 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Plenty of food — ^Yellow bean — Rough ground — Emus — Fish- 
 ing — Natives — Painted man — Birds — Man and his wife — Cap- 
 tain Spencer rescues nets from flames — Rivers — Kinchela recog- 
 nises the country — Finds a dead Kangaroo — Kinchela not al- 
 lowed to take it — Building rat — Cold — Encampment of natives
 
 Vm CONTENTS. 
 
 PAOS 
 
 — Kinchela's friends — Captain Spencer well received by them 
 for his sake — Captain Spencer consents to stay the winter with 
 them — The natives build him a house — Supply him with provi- 
 sions — Two men, Warrup and Ugat, superior to the rest — Opin- 
 ion of Tiger — Description of natives — A new tribe arrives — 
 Their reception — Captain Spencer taken for the ghost of a rela- 
 tion — Corobbery — Dance of hill tribe — Warrup and Ugat talk 
 of native customs to their guest — New sorts of food — Native 
 manufactures 2SS 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 River overflows — Different modes of fishing — Cooking — 
 Frogs — Cray-fish — Tortoises — Birds — Wind — Hatchet missing, 
 and restored — Description of sorcerers — Sorcerers come to cure 
 a boy — Restrictions concerning food — Native laws and cus- 
 toms — Women — Quarrel and combat — Boomerang — Large Kan- 
 garoo hunt — Tribe goes away and steals a young woman — 
 Preparations for war — War-song — Departure in pursuit of the 
 enemy — Captain Spencer follows — Encounter of the tribes — 
 Captain Spencer fires, frightens, and pursues the guilty tribe — 
 The young woman found bleeding to death — Taken home to be 
 eaten — Captain Spencer goes away 314 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Return to the river — Beautiful scrub — Bauhinia — Marjoram 
 -— Ornithorynchus — Natives become more frequent — Watching 
 necessary — Another native funeral — Beautiful country — Casua- 
 rinse — Chirping bird — Sorrel — Wood-ducks — Spiny Ant-eater 
 — Women carrying dead bodies — Old woman — Flowers — Herd 
 of wild horses — Blue mountains — Overlander — Cattle cross the 
 river — Meeting of Captain Spencer and Mr. St. John — Captain 
 Spencer entertains the Overlander — Conversation between the 
 two gentlemen — Astonishment at Charlie — Miners of Adelaide 
 — Murray river — Arrive at the river Darling — Character of na- 
 tives — Mr. St. John gives introductions to Captain Spencer 
 —The friends part with regret 341
 
 CONTENTS. IX 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 FAoa 
 
 Captain Spencer romantic — Birds — Native — Captain Spencer 
 Batches him, and relievos his hunger — Fairy-lilje plains — Bull 
 oomes down the hills, and gentlemen on horseback after him — 
 Insects, and their webs and nests — Harry Blunt attacks Cap- 
 tain Spencer — Harry caught and overcome ; his companions 
 stunned — Captain Spencer kind to the bush-ranger — Captain 
 Spencer goes on — Forest flower — Wooden pear — Lemons — Fly- 
 ing foxes — Native cherry — Beautiful plants — Green frogs — 
 Lizards — Out-stations — Shepherds — Laughing Jackass — Robin 
 — Knife-grinder — Fish and its nest — Storm — Sorcerers make 
 storms — Pine forest — Plants — Metamorphosis of beetle — Head 
 keeper's station — Captain Spencer hospitably received — Tall 
 black man's history — Harry Blunt's visits — Head keeper and 
 wife very kind and hospitable — Untidy and deserted stations — 
 Deserted townships — Ascend mountains — Meet drays — Ants — 
 Come to the river — Arrival at Mr. Onslow's farms 37< 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Description of Mr. Onslow's farm — Cordial reception of Cap- 
 tain Spencer — Clothes supplied — Conversations about Abori- 
 gines — Mr. Onslow wishes for Kinchela to enter his service — 
 Kinchela refuses— Dingoes, sheep, cattle— Mrs. Onslow's gar- 
 den — Hunt stray cattle — Wayside inn — Captain Spencer's cour- 
 age and nerve — Tiger's good behaviour — Letter from stock- 
 keeper Richardson, describing an interview with Harry Blunt 
 —Endeavours to persuade Captain Spencer to settle in Aus- 
 tralia — Conversation with Mr. Onslow — Description of woods 
 — Mare kills a foal — English plants spring up in the neigh- 
 bourhood of cattle — Tarantula — Native cat — Adventure of the 
 pumpkins — Parting — Mr. Onslow goes to Sydney with Captain 
 Spencer — Kinchela rides with them — Mrs. Onslow's courage 
 Hrhen attacked by natives — Arrival at Sydney — Charlie — At-
 
 X CONTENTS. 
 
 PAQI 
 
 tempt of Gipsy, Tiger, and Charlie to accompany their master 
 • — Harry Blunt taken — Captain Spencer obtains a mitigation 
 of his sentence — Harry afterwards becomes a faithful servant 
 to Mr. Onslow — Captain Spencer sends presents to all his 
 friends — Arrival of all the travellers in Bombay — Letter from 
 Mr. George OnUow about the Goldmines »...m 43t
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Captain Spencer recommended to leave India on acconzit of h!g 
 health — Hires a Malay schooner — Embarks with his horse and 
 dog— Cruises on the outskirts of the Indian Archipelago — Con- 
 verts a Triton shell into a tea-kettle, and a Clamp shell into a 
 cup — A bird caught, which Captain Spencer names Charlie, and 
 teaches to speak — Meets with the inhabitants of the Indian seas 
 
 The Organ-fish — The Cuttle-fish — The Diodon— Sea snakes^ 
 
 Captain Spencer not gaining strength, determines to go to Aus- 
 tralia — Touches at Timor to take in supplies — Description of 
 Coepang — Excursion ashore — A hunt — Timoree traffic — Depar- 
 ture from Timor. 
 
 " Really, Spencer, your constitution, after the 
 late campaign, requires some change, and you 
 must for a time leave India. Why linger, when 
 you know that there is a necessity for going ?" 
 
 Such were the observations of Dr. Dynes to 
 Captain Spencer of the — th regiment of Bombay 
 Native Infantry, who pettishly replied, that "he 
 would not go to Europe." 
 
 " It is not necessary that you should," said the 
 doctor ; " you can get as far as the Cape." 
 
 " I hate the Cape," growled out the patient. 
 
 **Well, go where you will," continued the good- 
 2 (13)
 
 14 AUSTRALIAN WAND ERE. iS, 
 
 natured adviser, smiling ; " both mind and boajr 
 need renovation, and I shall send you the proper 
 certificate as mj last prescription." So saying, 
 he left the room, and Captain Spencer remained 
 for some time in deep thought. 
 
 At last, turning himself impatiently on his 
 couch, he muttered, " If it must be done, the 
 sooner I set about it the better." The energy of 
 the young man, of which he had a large share, 
 being now awakened, his countenance brightened, 
 his movements became more elastic. As he arose 
 and walked up and down his room, his pace gradu- 
 ally quickened ; and when his servant presented 
 him with an envelope containing the aforesaid 
 document, he said to him, " Yacoub, would you 
 like to have a long holiday ?" 
 
 "Yes, if Sahib please," replied the man, grin- 
 ning. 
 
 " Very well ; vanish !" 
 
 At these words the servant disappeared, won- 
 dering what was meant by the holiday ; while hia 
 master, having slipped on his uniform, repaired to 
 his commanding officer. After remaining with 
 him for some little time, he proceeded to the port, 
 8tepp<4d into a small boat, and was seen wending 
 his vay among the Malay craft then at anchor in 
 the bay. He went on board several vessels which 
 were waiting for freight or hire, and returned to 
 his quarters before the heat of the day commenced.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 15 
 
 Fatigued "witli his exertions, he threw himself on 
 a sofa, but his mind was at first evidently too full 
 of the future to sleep. One hand hung listlessly 
 down by his side, and it was soon saluted by a 
 cold nose, and the gentle touch of a tongue. "Ah, 
 Gipsy, why do you disturb your master ?" was the 
 answer to this caress. " What will you do without 
 me, my poor dog ?" 
 
 At these words a small black and tan terrier 
 leaped upon him, and nestling her head under his 
 jacket, composed herself to sleep. After a pause, 
 her master, patting her head, seemed to have come 
 to a fresh resolution ; for he said, " Gip, you shall 
 go with me ; we have never been separated since 
 you were born two years ago. You shall go with 
 your master, and help to take care of him ; and 
 what is more. Tiger shall go too. He is as play- 
 ful as a kitten ; he can sleep on deck — he can step 
 in and out of a boat like a waterman — he can 
 swim like a fish — and, still better, he has not for- 
 gotten how to fight with his forefeet. We'll all 
 go together." Having thus settled matters to his 
 satisfaction, Captain Spencer hugged Gipsy close 
 up to him, turned round upon his side, and fell 
 fast asleep. 
 
 The arrangements for the voyage were not long 
 making. Leave of absence was granted for a 
 year, certain ; and if not returned at that time, 
 it was to be extended to the soldier for at least
 
 16 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 another year. A pretty little schooner, with 
 rakish masts and a comfortable cabin beh^w, waa 
 engaged. She was manned by five Malays, who 
 were well and favourably known in the port ; she 
 was provided with a small boat, and a kind of stall 
 was knocked up on the deck for Tiger ; but thia 
 accommodating steed, a half-bred Arab, grey in 
 colour, and having a long white mane and tail, 
 could, in case of bad weather, come down the 
 cabin stairs and remain with his master. One of 
 the Malays undertook to curry and attend to him, 
 and an ample store of food was provided for his 
 sustenance. Captain Spencer discharged some of 
 his servants, gave others the long holiday of which 
 he had spoken to Yacoub, with an allowance of 
 wages through his agent ; and taking leave of his 
 friends in Bombay, started for a cruise on the 
 western side of the Indian Archipelago. He did 
 not like to go much between the islands, for fear 
 of piracy ; but he kept within their reach, that he 
 might occasionally renew his stock of eatables. 
 The idle and the dissipated wondered at him ; his 
 acquaintances said he was an odd fellow ; and his 
 friends, knowing how much " good stuff" there 
 was in him, thought him right to please himself. 
 Tea, sugar, hams, flour, biscuit, rice, and water, 
 were placed in the small hold, with various other 
 comforts ; and poultry was lodged on the deck. 
 The traveller furnished himself with books, draw«
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. IT 
 
 ing and writing materials, took a quamity of fish- 
 ing-tackle, extra horse-slioes, various tools, a double- 
 barrelled gun, a brace of double-barrelled pistols, 
 a short sword, and a plentiful supply of ammuni- 
 tion. He also had a good chart, and a small but 
 powerful pocket-telescope. A close friendship 
 existed between Tiger and Gipsy ; and as all the 
 life of the latter had been spent with her master 
 and the horse, she was perfectly happy when with 
 them, wherever it might be ; and as to Tiger, he 
 emulated Gipsy in docility and attachment. 
 
 The little party proceeded smoothly ; the health 
 of the four-footed animals was preserved by now 
 and then landing on one of the islands, and taking 
 a run and a gallop ; and for a time the invalid 
 was pleased with the dreamy sort of life which 
 such a scheme afforded. One great source of 
 interest lay in watching the inhabitants of those 
 seas, which are so varied, so beautiful, and at 
 times so grotesque. A morning's amusement con- 
 sisted of converting one of those enormous shells 
 called Tritons* into a tea-kettle. Not that Cap- 
 tain Spencer was without this necessary utensil, 
 but the singularity of the thing, as described to 
 him, had struck his fancy ; so, when one of the 
 crew brought him the shell complete, with its lid, 
 or operculum, he determined to exercise his skill 
 upon it. Laying it upon the table in his cabin, 
 
 • Triton variegatus. 
 
 2*
 
 18 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 he witli a gimlet bored a hole opposite to the part 
 on which it rested steadily, and inserted a thick 
 iron wire into it ; with a pair of pincers he twisted 
 this at the lower end, so as to prevent it from 
 slipping through the hole ; and at the top he bent 
 it into a handle, round which he put some plaited 
 hairs out of Tiger's tail. Into the operculum he 
 inserted a smaller and shorter wire secured in the 
 like manner, and the long canal of the shell served 
 for a spout. In the evening, after being put. on 
 the hot ashes of the caboose fire, water was brought 
 to him in it, boiling with great bubbles, as French 
 people call it when fit for making tea, and he was 
 perfectly satisfied with his own workmanship. He 
 afterwards completed his tea-service by making 
 use of the Clamp shell* as a cup, which on one of 
 his excursions ashore he found attached to a rock 
 by its thick tough bysus. He chopped this away 
 with his hatchet, and then removed the velvet- 
 looking animal within, covered with its beautiful 
 spots, and lying in a heap in one part of the shell. 
 He had chosen one of the least, for some of them 
 weighed six hundred pounds ; still his equipage 
 was heavy, it must be owned ; but it had the ad- 
 vantage of not being liable to break. 
 
 One of Captain Spencer's daily occupations was 
 to teach a bird to speak, which one of his men 
 had caught in the interior of an island. At first 
 
 * Tridacne gigas.
 
 AUSTRALIAN -WANDERERS. 19 
 
 he thought it was was Linnaeus called the G-racvla 
 religiosa, which noAV bears the name of Eulabes ; 
 but its beak differed, and he concluded, from its 
 entire resemblance in other respects, that it must 
 be only a different species ; its talking powers, 
 however, were even more remarkable. The Ma- 
 lay told him he had been attracted by its perfect 
 imitation of himself and his companion, as they 
 spoke, and he had easily captured it, owing to an 
 injury it had received in one of its wings. In a 
 short time the bird called Gipsy and Tiger, and 
 talked most impertinently to its master, as Ned 
 Spencer. 
 
 The invalid might have recruited his strength 
 with bird's-nest soup, formed of a marine plant 
 which his men called Agal-agal, and which, when 
 made into nests, hung to the sides of shallow caves, 
 like watch-pockets ; but he did not relish its insipid 
 taste. The Malays, however, procured a great 
 number of these, with the intention of selling 
 them on their return ; and they frequently asked 
 their master's permission to stay in some spots, 
 where they dived for pearls. They brought him 
 several specimens of their treasures, some of which 
 were of a pale straw-colour, and others, taken 
 from the shell called the Pinna, were quite black. 
 Occasionally, as he stepped over a rough beach, 
 during his excursions, he was amused with the 
 Carrier Trochus, as it jumped over the obstacles
 
 20 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 in its way, gathering fresh fragments of shells and 
 sand as it went along, lifting its superfluous bur- 
 den by the action of its body, and trailing ita 
 operculum behind. The tentacula were generally 
 stretched out, the creature bent down its thick 
 pink proboscis, its large black eyes seemed to 
 watch sharply fof- its food, and its carrier labours 
 seemed almost ludicrous, from the idea they con- 
 veyed to the observer of being unnecessary. 
 
 Multitudes of fishes played about the rocks, 
 particularly the Scorpence, whi'ch attracted notice 
 by the extraordinary development of the spines 
 about their head, also of their fins, and by their 
 brilliant colours. There was a great variety of 
 beautiful, branching Corallines, and sea-weeds of 
 strange forms and splendid hues, showing a rich 
 world of interest beneath the waters. In the 
 Mangrove swamps they found the Close-eyed Gud- 
 geon,* which, when it landed on firm ground, 
 jumped about like a frog, slid along on its belly, 
 or climbed the roots of the trees. They took 
 some of the Fighting-fishes on board, and there 
 kept them in water, to watch the fury with which 
 they quarrelled, changed colour, and darted at 
 each other, if they came in too close contact. 
 
 One night, as Captain Spencer lay asleep, he 
 was awoke by a strange, singing and monotonous 
 noise ; and Gipsy at once started upon her feet, 
 
 * Periophthalmus.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 21 
 
 and throwing up her head, uttered a howl which 
 completely roused the whole crew, who rushed on 
 deck together with their master, while the two who 
 had remained up to watch and steer spoke and 
 looked mysteriously. All was again silent, and 
 then the same noise returned, accompanied by a 
 booming sound, as if from under the vessel. They 
 were not near land, the schooner having stood out 
 to sea in apprehension of an approaching storm, 
 so that the disturbance could not proceed from 
 any terrestrial animal ; and then it occurred to 
 the Englishman that it was the sound made by 
 the Drum or Organ-fish,* of which he had read; 
 and when he again heard it, swelling and dying 
 away as it were under his feet, he v^as satisfied 
 with this explanation of the mystery. Not so his 
 men, although two of them had heard it before ; 
 they shook their heads, and looked uneasily at 
 each other, smiling incredulously as they lowered 
 the nets by their master's order, and seeming 
 to have expected their total want of success in 
 making a capture. Night after night did Captain 
 Spencer anxiously watch by moonlight, both for 
 the sight and sound of these musical fishes, but in 
 vain as far as they were concerned ; he, howevar, 
 saw some Cuttle-fishes, whose size quite verified all 
 he had heard of them, for they could easily have 
 taken a grasp of twelve feet with their long arms, 
 
 * Pogonias.
 
 22 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 They were, however, too active to be caught, but 
 stared with their cat-like eyes, and frequently and 
 suddenly cast forth a thin, inky liquid from their 
 necks, altogether being very hideous and gro- 
 tesque. 
 
 The nets were torn by a curious Diodon, or 
 Globe-fish, with golden eyes and black pupils, 
 which swelled out its body, stuck out its spines, 
 and bit and spat at those who took it into their 
 hands. One morning a small, spotted shark 
 snatched away a sheep-skin which was hanging at 
 the bows ; and snakes of varied form and size 
 swam from island to island. Some of them were 
 beautifully marked with bands, and were the size 
 of a man's leg, lying lazily on the surface of the 
 water, or forming graceful curves. One was 
 caught by a Malay, which had enormous fangs ; 
 he formed a noose of a long piece of grass, which 
 had been brought on board with Tiger's food, 
 dexterously parsed it over the head of the animal, 
 drew it tight, lifted the snake out of the water, 
 and only loosened it when the spine had been 
 divided with a knife. 
 
 Amid so many interesting and beautiful objects, 
 life was varied by occasional intercourse with the 
 inhabitants of the gem-like spots of earth which 
 studded the Eastern Ocean, who brought fowls, 
 fruits, and vegetables alongside for sale. Occa- 
 sio&^lly Captain Spencer thought he saw some
 
 AUbTRALIAN WANDERERS. 23 
 
 SUspiciouB-loolcing craft, wearing a piratical appear- 
 ance ; but his men were faithful, and their Malay 
 birth was a sort of security. Health and strength, 
 however, did not return as quickly as he had anti- 
 cipated ; the iieat was often intense, owing to the 
 lingering remains of the rainy season, and he 
 fancied that the frequent presence of mangrove- 
 lined shores was unwholesome. Tiger began to 
 droop, although every precaution had been taken 
 to keep his shed cool, such as to cover its roof 
 with boughs of trees or grass, and frequently to 
 pprinkle these with water. Then his master de- 
 termined to go still farther south ; and he asked 
 his chief navigator if he were acquainted with the 
 Australian shores. The man replied in the affir- 
 mative, and said that he had frequently been on 
 the northern coast, and bartered with the natives, 
 who were very savage, treacherous, and difficult 
 to deal with. Captain Spencer told him he did 
 not wish to visit them, or any settlement, unlesa 
 it were Sydney, where he could, if necessary, pro- 
 cure money ; but merely to pass backwards and 
 forwards along the north and north-western coasts,, 
 going ashore, as he had already done, when he felt 
 inclined, and returning to the schooner when 
 fatigued. The man answered, that it was very 
 possible to accomplish this, but as it was some- 
 times difficult to land, and water and supplies very 
 seldom to be procured there, they had better first
 
 24 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 proceed to some place where they could lay in a 
 large stock. He recQpimended the island of Timor ; 
 and as Captain Spencer consented, they steered 
 for this place, still keeping on the outskirts of the 
 Archipelago, and so avoiding the larger islands 
 of Java and Sumatra, which he had at first de- 
 termined to visit, but the climate of which he now 
 thought would be too relaxing. 
 
 After some days, constant sailing, high, sharp, 
 and jagged pinnacles appeared in the distance ; for 
 these the master steered, and at night anchored 
 opposite the to^m of Coepang, in whose bay lay 
 some of the southern whalers, to take in a supply 
 of excellent water, which is conveyed from further 
 inland to the beach by means of a pipe. When 
 the bright morning sun lighted up the fleecy clouds 
 which hung about the summits of the mountains, 
 it disclosed rich woods and plantations at their 
 feet. Little boats guided by Malays soon came 
 round the schooner, and great surprise was evinced 
 at seeing an English oflBcer. They all asked him 
 to land in their boats, but he preferred going in 
 that of the schooner ; and for the sake of assum- 
 ing a more favourable appearance, he laid aside 
 his jacket, and putting on an undress uniform coat, 
 he and Gipsy went ashore for the purpose of visit- 
 ing the Dutch Resident. They walked through 
 several narrow streets, chiefly composed of bam- 
 boo houses, in which they met many passing to and
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 25 
 
 fro, belonging to different nations, and frequently 
 bearing with them fruit, poultry, eggs, &c., for sale. 
 The Timoree men were but sparingly clothed ; the 
 women, however, wore long loose gowns : the for- 
 mer were easily distinguished by their athletic 
 forms and crisp hair. Numerous shops lined the 
 streets, which seemed principally to belong to 
 plump, laughing, good-tempered Chinese, who, as 
 they sat at their door eating their breakfast of 
 rice with chop-sticks, asked the stranger to share 
 their meal. Civilly declining their hospitality, and 
 untempted by their merchandise, Captain Spencer 
 pursued his way, and descended into a valley orna- 
 mented with beautiful trees, the most conspicuous 
 of which were cocoa-nuts, placed beside the broad, 
 floating leaves of the bananas. 
 
 Several good stone houses stood in the valley , 
 and seeing a soldier leaning against the entrance 
 of one of them. Captain Spencer supposed it to be 
 that of the Resident. He spoke Dutch fluently, 
 and his inquiry of the sentinel confirming his sup- 
 position, he asked to be shown into the presence 
 of the great man. He was in truth a great man, 
 for he was tall and fat, besides which he talked 
 very loud and fast. His good nature, however, 
 equalled his size, and he offered the stranger every 
 convenience in his power to afford, and a day's 
 sport into the bargain. Captain Spencer said his 
 health would not allow him to undergo m^cb 
 3
 
 26 AUSTRALIAN WANBERERS. 
 
 fatigue, but if his Excellency would allow liiio, he 
 would come early the next morning with his horse 
 and gun, and ride over some of the neighbourhood 
 of the town. The Resident said all should be 
 ready for him, and extended his politeness so far, 
 as to ask his visitor to inspect the fort at the pre- 
 sent opportunity. The offer was accepted, and a 
 servant was sent with him, not only there, but to 
 attend and help him in transacting his affairs in 
 the toAvn. 
 
 This fort stood on a madrepore rock, commanded 
 the port and the straggling town, and was washed 
 on one side by a running stream. The view from 
 it was very beautiful ; the lofty mountains, their 
 deep gorges filled with the luxuriant verdure of the 
 tropics, and the lesser heights covered with vege- 
 tation, sloping off into plantations, altogether 
 formed a sight not easily forgotten. Numerous 
 paddy-fields, however, told the secret of those in- 
 termittent fevers, from which the Resident said 
 the town of Coepang greatly suffered. 
 
 Captain Spencer's guide took him to a place 
 where he could change his rupees into the copper 
 cui'rency used in traffic ; and carrying the load for 
 him, then led him to the warehouses where he 
 could best procure the provisions of which he stood 
 in need. After superintending their conveyance 
 to his boat, he followed the man to a Malay school, 
 where clever, intelligent children were singing old
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 27 
 
 hymns, from music noted in ancient cliaracters, 
 taught to them by the Dutch clergyman, who had 
 converted many to Christianity. After this the 
 Englishman rewarded the servant for his attend- 
 ance, and returned to his floating habitation. 
 
 The next morning came Tiger's turn for an ex- 
 cursion; and his appearance was so superior to 
 that of the native ponies of Timor, that he excited 
 much admiration as he passed to the house of the 
 Resident, who laid aside his pipe, offered refresh- 
 ment, and entered into conversation with his guest. 
 Speaking of the island, he said it was subject to 
 earthquakes, one of which had a few years before 
 destroyed the town ; that water might be had in 
 the northern part, but it was there tainted by a 
 tree which grew close to it, but of what sort he 
 could not tell ; that the mountains were rich in 
 various metals, but the custom of the mountaineers 
 of sacrificing a life for every bottlefull of gold- 
 dust which was collected, precluded all profit from 
 that production ; and that sixty Dutch soldiers had 
 been sent to get some, but they had all been mur- 
 dered. He spoke of the customs of the natives, 
 and described the people as very superstitious ; 
 said that they always killed a number of pigs and 
 ponies over the graves of their relations, in order 
 to propitiate the evil spirit ; that all those fine, 
 wild-looking men his visitor had seen in the streets, 
 were slaves to the Rajahs of the island, and im*
 
 28 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 plicitly obedient to their commands ; that one oi 
 the Rajahs was at that time in the town, who waa 
 styled the Emperor ; and in conclusion, his Excel' 
 lency added, " By the by, although this fellow is 
 polite and well-mannered, he is a great rascal, and 
 makes nothing of cutting his wives to pieces if 
 they give him cause for offence." 
 
 It was time for the traveller to start for his ride, 
 and the Resident desired him to be taken across a 
 well-watered and fertile country, among trees 
 thickly inhabited by monkeys, into a valley, round 
 which some lofty mountains rose in majestic gran- 
 deur. Some enormous trees bordered it, and a 
 village was scattered among them. Here a sub- 
 ordinate authority, having been prepared by the 
 Resident, met Captain Spencer, and regaled him 
 with cocoa-nuts, bananas, mangoes, and honey, in 
 a large, rambling house built near a beautiful 
 stream, for the occasional recreation of the Resi- 
 dent. This repast was, literally speaking, a liors 
 d'ceuvre; for a meal, provided by the Resident, 
 was served immediately in rather a novel order. 
 Tea, coffee, and fruit came first ; and an hour after 
 a train of servants entered with fowls and rice, 
 cooked into a number of different dishes. 
 
 In the evening Captain Spencer walked out with 
 the Commandant, and shot some pigeons — a task 
 of no small difficulty, unerring as his aim was, for 
 they generally perched on the uppermost bougha
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 29 
 
 of the loftiest trees. He found he was expected 
 to stay all night ; and dispatching a message to 
 his schooner to account for his absence, he pre- 
 pared for rest. The lights were merely some 
 threads of cotton drawn through wax, and his bed 
 consisted of a few mats ; he was therefore very 
 glad that he had brought a mackintosh cloak across 
 his saddle ; and after seeing Tiger well fed, and 
 housed in a substantial shed, he rolled himself up 
 in the said mackintosh, and passed, what appeared 
 to him a cold night, in tolerable comfort, Gipsy 
 bearing her share in imparting warmth. 
 
 Early in the morning, when the mists had 
 cleared off the mountains in floating wreaths and 
 flocky masses, the Commandant summoned Captain 
 Spencer to resume his sport, and a large party of 
 Malay servants and village-people added to their 
 number. Each of the former was armed with an 
 old Tower musket, which was loaded with common 
 powder and stone slugs, the necessary quantity for 
 each charge being put into a piece of bamboo. 
 Besides the musket, all carried a large knife stuck 
 into their belt. The combination of Malays and 
 Timorees was picturesque ; the latter, with their 
 aquiline noses, having much the advantage in per- 
 sonal beauty. They proceeded to a plain, where, 
 attracted by a large plant with a very handsome 
 leaf, Captain Spencer was about to gather a branch 
 of it. Before he could reach it, however, the 
 3*
 
 80 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 Commandant eagerly, and even roughly struck hia 
 hand down. He turned round with an astonished 
 look, when his host bowed, apologised for his seem- 
 ing rudeness, and informed him that that was " the 
 Devil's leaf," and if he had touched it, it would 
 have caused great soreness, pain, and terrible irri- 
 tation for many months, if it had not killed him ; 
 especially as his hand had not been protected by a 
 glove. Captain Spencer thanked the Commandant 
 for his kind interference, and on looking more 
 closely at the plant, he saw it was a kind of gigantic 
 nettle. 
 
 The party was now stationed, each at some yards 
 distance from the other, the deer were driven to- 
 wards them, and several were brought down by 
 the rude weapons, the stone slugs making enor- 
 mous holes. The animals were skinned, and pre- 
 sented to the stranger, who restored the shot to 
 the owners, and distributed some coin among the 
 whole assemblage. To the Commandant he pre- 
 sented some of his better powder and shot, which 
 were received with gratitude. On returning to 
 his boat, which, by the messenger of the preced- 
 ing evening, he had ordered round to meet him, he 
 saw the curious mode of tillage practised by the 
 Timorees. A piece of ground was enclosed and 
 well watered, after which some bullocks were 
 driven furiously across it, backwards and forwards 
 in all directions ; and this was all the preparation
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 31 
 
 whicli the ground received before the sowing of 
 the grain. Taking his game with him, in order to 
 share it with his crew, Captain Spencer joined his 
 schooner ; and the next morning, when he started 
 to pay a visit of thanks and farewell to the Resi- 
 dent, his chief man requested permission to go to 
 a distant part of the island, in order to trade a 
 little with the natives, he having brought with him 
 a small stock of merchandise, in case of having an 
 opportunity for traffic. Captain Spencer desired 
 him to wait till he returned, and then they would 
 all go together ; for this would give him an oppor- 
 tunity of seeing more of the Timoree people, for 
 whom he felt considerable interest. He finished 
 his visit by presenting an English penknife to the 
 Resident, who was delighted with the gift ; and 
 the schooner, passing by dark, limestone cliffs, 
 with coral imbedded- in them, anchored off the 
 mouth of a small river, taking its rise in those 
 noble heights, which give such beauty to the 
 island. 
 
 Parcels of the Indian and European goods with 
 which he meant to trade were made up by the 
 master, consisting of silk handkerchiefs, coarse 
 cutlery, gunpowder (which the natives of these 
 places are very anxious to obtain), leathern straps, 
 &c. ; and after laying them down upon the shore, 
 he returned to the schooner. The natives then 
 came and examined them, after which they placed
 
 32 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 by the side of each, packet the quantity of wax, 
 honey, fruit, and cotton cloth of their own manu. 
 facture, which they meant to give, and retreated. 
 The master, in his turn, went to their deposits, 
 and not thinking the amount sufficient, left them 
 all in the same state. The natives came a second 
 time, and added some nutmegs and feathers, and 
 returned to their hiding-place. With these the 
 Malay trader was satisfied ; he took them away, 
 left his own goods in exchange, and finally em- 
 barked. This singular traffic being concluded, 
 there was nothing more to detain them, and the 
 schooner sailed for Australia; Captain Spancer 
 not being sorry to leave a place, which, however 
 beautiful, was decidedly unhealthy: a proof of 
 this was given by one of his men being attacked 
 with a slight fit of cholera, which disabled him for 
 many hours. 
 
 Several weeks of Captain Spencer's furlough 
 having now elapsed, without any great improve- 
 ment in his health, he hailed the superior coolnesa 
 of the breeze, as they left the island, with plea- 
 sure, and, full of hope and cheerfulness, welcomed 
 the first glimpses of the Australian continent, with 
 the full persuasion that he was now within reach 
 of recovery.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Arrival on the northern coast of Australia — Various sea animals— 
 Alhatross — Tropic and Frigate birds — Touch at an island, see 
 natives — Go back to the continent — Enter a river — Catch a croco- 
 dile — The country on fire — See a Dugong — Return from tho 
 river — The Malays catch Trepang — Captain Spencer goes ashore 
 — Finds a curious lizard — Go to an island to cure Trepang — See 
 natives — Examine their rafts — Oysters found — Playfulness of a 
 whale at sea — Flies — Natives bring a young man for them to sot 
 his arm — Captain Spencer performs the operation — Description 
 of natives — Charlie and Tiger (the horse) frighten them — Natives 
 dance — The schooner goes to another island — Captain Spencer 
 finds an eagle's nest, and various birds — Goes ashore — Eagle shot 
 — Captain Spencer stays all night — Violent hurricane and storm 
 — Schooner lost — Malays crushed by falling of cliif — Captain 
 Spencer enters a cave with Charlie, Tiger, and the dog Gipsy. 
 
 Arrived on the northern coast of Australia, 
 Captain Spencer occasionally entered some of the 
 numerous inlets with which it is indented, and at 
 others crossed them, as the humour of the moment 
 dictated, passing one or two which looked like the 
 mouth of promising rivers ; but he did not attempt 
 to ascertain their course, "For," said he to him- 
 self, " I have no intention of making discoveries, 
 and no desire to come in contact with the very 
 barbarous people of these places. The rivers may 
 flow as they will for me, and I am now getting so 
 strong that I shall not have occasion to stay long on 
 
 (33^
 
 34 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 tliese shores, which hitherto have not appeared to 
 be very tempting. Those slimy mangroves seem 
 to abound on the shallow coasts here, as elsewhere, 
 carrying their unhealthy atmosphere with them, 
 and harbouring those vile mosquitoes, which are 
 enough to frighten any one away ; . even at sea 
 they reach me, and I must get further into the 
 ocean." 
 
 During an extension of sea-room, fresh denizens 
 of the salt water were met with, among which was 
 a shrimp-like animal, pi'obably a Peneus, which 
 had a beautiful purple shield on its head, and a 
 Hyalea, the purple grape colour of which cast a 
 phosphorescent light around it. The Velella 
 floated on an oval, but flat, cartilaginous membrane, 
 on the under side of which was a mouth, surrounded 
 by tentacula ; on the upper side it had a crest 
 which caught every little eddy of wind, and was 
 whirled round by it without the power of resist- 
 ance, so swimming along whether it pleased or not, 
 according to the caprices of the breeze. 
 
 There was, however, nothing prettier than the 
 Sea-snail,* mth its beautiful violet colour, and 
 frothy bubbles issuing from its mouth ; the shell 
 sometimes covered with tiny Barnacles, the ani 
 mals of which had become violet in hue, while their 
 coverings remained white. Then there was a 
 Glaucus, looking like a deep-blue feather with a 
 
 * lantbina.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 85 
 
 »rlilte streak, shrinking from every object with 
 which it came in contact, and punishing every ani- 
 mal that disturbed it by emitting a most disagree- 
 able odour. 
 
 Captain Spencer had fitted a canvass bag on to 
 an iron ring at the end of a long pole, in the man- 
 ner of an insect net, by which he was enabled to 
 catch many of these strange creatures. Having 
 been once severely stung by an Acalepha, two feet 
 lon£c, the tail of which had a fin like that of an 
 eel, he was careful not to touch any of them Avith . 
 his hands. The canvass bag had been thickly 
 greased outside, therefore for a time held water, 
 and so he was enabled to watch them while swim- 
 ming. One very extraordinary creature* was so 
 nearly transparent, that he took it out in order to 
 observe it more minutely ; and when he put it on 
 to the head of a cask, it stood upright, and then 
 crawled away like a beetle. 
 
 One evening, a large white Albatrossf flew over 
 the schooner, and remained for some time in sight. 
 It seemed to float in the air rather than fly, and 
 its grave, solemn motion, recalled Coleridge's won- 
 derful poem of the Ancient Mariner so forcibly, 
 that Captain Spencer would not have shot it on 
 any account. As a contrast to this mysterious- 
 looking creature, which seemed as if it never could 
 be in a hurry, were both the TropicJ and Frigate 
 
 * Phyllosoma. t Diomeda exulans. J Phaeton.
 
 86 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 birds ;* the former, with their extensive wings and 
 /ong narrow feathers in the tail, appearing as if 
 tliey never ceased their rapid flight ; and the latter, 
 vrith their wings stretching out twelve feet, swal- 
 lowing all the flying fishes they could catch, most 
 unceremoniously knocking over the Boobies, f which 
 had already caught them, and making them relin- 
 quish their dinners. He was fortunate enough to 
 bring one of these down while so engaged, and, on 
 examination, found an inflated bag under its throat, 
 to increase its internal volume of air, and the open- 
 ing to which was placed in the middle of the 
 shoulder-blade. Thus he ascertained the secret of 
 its lengthened and powerful flight. 
 
 More Water-snakes too were seen ; and one 
 which was caught in his bag had flattened fangs, 
 without a cutting edge.| To another he gave the 
 name of the Sea-serpent,§ from its size, it being 
 even larger than the Indian snake before taken. 
 It was as big as a man's thigh, and was several 
 feet long ; a third kind had lids to its nostrils, and 
 smooth and polished scales. There was no end of 
 Star-fishes, with hard, round tubercles all over 
 them ; and a Gull, very much like that of the 
 northern Skua, freqviently made circles round the 
 Bchooner. 
 
 Several coral reefs and small islands lay more or 
 
 * Tachypetes. t Pelecanus sola. 
 
 i Hydrus australiensis. § HypotrophiB.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 37 
 
 less in the vicinity of the shore ; and being cyrious 
 to examine them, Captain Spencer ordered the 
 Bteersman to approach them. When near, they 
 saw some of the natives, women as well as men, 
 swimming away from one of them, their progress 
 apparently quickened by the sight of the schooner. 
 In vain did the Malays hail them ; one alone, or 
 two together, held a large log with one hand, while 
 with the other they impelled themselves forward, 
 being almost upright in the water. Making for 
 the largest island, some bold coral rocks at first 
 forbade the landing of the Indian party, and they 
 steered round it to find a more accessible spot. 
 They at length cast anchor in a shelving bay, and 
 Captain Spencer went ashore with three of the 
 Malays to ^search for water. The beach was 
 thickly strewn with the shells of enormous Whelks, 
 for which probably the natives had been seeking ; 
 and getting a bag from the vessel, the Malays 
 filled it with enough for more than one meal ; and 
 while they explored further, the two left on board 
 caught what they called some Rock-cod, but which 
 was not in the least like Cod, and these fishes had 
 very large mouths, and were frequently five feet 
 long. 
 
 No water was found, and the schooner proceeded 
 
 still nearer to the contineut. From the sudden 
 
 bending of the coast to the south, they thought 
 
 they must have been near some sharp promou- 
 
 4
 
 88 AUSTRALIAX WANDERERS. 
 
 tory ; and shaping their course along shore, the^ 
 passed some rocks looking like bastions, and found 
 themselves in a considerable gulf, at the mouth of 
 ■which they encountered a large, grey shark, with 
 a short nose and white belly. As they advanced, 
 they perceived that a river of some size fell into 
 this gulf; and thinking it would be a capital wa- 
 tering place, Captain Spencer determined to go 
 up it as long as there was depth enough for the 
 schooner, and brave the mosquitoes. The man- 
 groves disappeared after a little distance, the banks 
 became low and muddy. Pelicans and Curlews 
 frequented them, and occasionally they were cov- 
 ered with small, matted-looking bushes. Detached 
 masses of rocky sandstone hills rose abruptly from 
 the level plain, and in the far distance, long lines 
 of dark-looking forest were perceived. Plere and 
 there a palm,* dwarfish to Indian eyes, raised its 
 head of fan-like fronds, and tropical monsters of 
 animal life accompanied tropical vegetation. Three 
 or four enormous Crocodiles were passed, and a 
 fifth being announced as very near the schooner, 
 Captain Spencer fired at its head, and the ball 
 lodged in it Avith such effect, that it turned upon 
 its back, and floated with its feet uppermost. 
 Captain Spencer ordered his men to get out the 
 boat, put a rope round its legs, and tow it ashore ; 
 &t first they hesitated, for they knew it was only 
 
 * Livistona,
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 
 Btuimed ; so he stept into the boat w'ith then? him- 
 self fastenet^ the line to one of the legs, and pi'O- 
 ceeded with it to the bank. Before it reached 
 land, however, it gave signs of being still alive, 
 and struggled ; but they pulled vigorously, and 
 jumping ashore, they dragged it with all their 
 might, Captain Spencer at the head. Their task, 
 however, suddenly became too easy, and turning 
 round to look at their prey, they found that it had 
 drawn its foot out of the noose, and was walking 
 after the hindmost man with murderous intent, 
 and its mouth open. All at once it closed this 
 huge aperture with a snap like the shutting of a 
 gate, and the man whom it seemed to have in its 
 eye, fell, contracted himself almost into a ball, 
 and rolled away. Captain Spencer then fired 
 again, but he was obliged to give the reptile six 
 balls in its head, before it was dead ; it measured 
 fifteen feet in length ; the breadth of the head was 
 two feet, and that of the shoulders more than five 
 feet. The Malays skinned it with great pleasure ; 
 then cutting ofi" the best parts of its flesh while 
 their master amused himself by shooting some 
 Ibises, they returned to the schooner ; and the 
 Bteaks which they produced at Captain Spencer's 
 Bupper-table were like excellent veal. 
 
 Evening surprised the party in the river, and 
 not thinking it wise to explore by night, orders 
 were given to anchor in the middle of the stream.
 
 iO AUSTRALIAN "WANDERERS. 
 
 The heat had been very great as they receded 
 from the sea ; and in the night was alinost intoler- 
 able. The moon shone so brightly that Captain 
 Spencer had read by her light till he was tired ; 
 the heat, however, would not allow him to sleep, 
 and he fancied some storm must be approaching ; 
 he threw on his cloak and went on deck. Then he 
 perceived that the whole country on one side of 
 the river was on fire, and that if the wind had 
 been in a contrary direction, they must have been 
 enveloped in smoke. Whence this could arise he 
 was unable to imagine ; but as there had been no 
 lightning to set the dry grass on fire — and in fact 
 it was too near the winter for vegetation to have 
 become dry enough to be so burnt — he concluded 
 that natives were not far ofi", and consequently 
 ordered his men to get out of the river as fast as 
 they could. They had scarcely turned the head 
 of the little vessel in a contrary direction when 
 they heard a great splashing in the water ; and 
 looking over the side, Captain Spencer instantly 
 recognised an animal swiftly passing them to be a 
 Dugong ;* probably making its way further down 
 the river from the same cause as themselves ; its 
 tusks, just peeping from its moustached lips, were 
 visible, but there was no time for closer inspection. 
 On passing round the western entrance of the 
 gulf the next morning, the sea looked as if it were 
 
 * Halicore australis.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 41 
 
 covered witli reddish saw-dust. Guessing what it 
 might be, Captain Spencer took some up in his 
 bag, and pouring the Avater into his Tridacne cup, 
 found that his surmise was correct. It prove 1 to 
 be an accumulation of tiny animals, which soon 
 died, and sank to the bottom, and as they decom- 
 posed, stained the w^ater of a bright crimson 
 colour. 
 
 Not having procured any water in the river, 
 they continued to steer close to the shore in the 
 hope of finding some place where they could re- 
 plenish their stock. It Avas characterised by sharp 
 capes, shoals, and occasionally overhanging cliffs 
 of red sandstone, which sometimes rose two hun- 
 dred and ten feet from' the sea, now and then 
 opening and forming a gulley. At the entrance 
 of one of these, some red objects were lying not 
 far from the edge of the water, and by the help 
 of his telescope. Captain Spencer perceived that 
 they were pieces of broken pottery. When he 
 told the men what they were, they said that their 
 countrymen must have visited that place in search 
 of Trepang. On inquiring what Trepang was, 
 they replied that it was an animal which lived in 
 the sea ; they did not think it Avas a fish, but it 
 was very good to eat ; that it frequented this and 
 many other seas, and they hoped he would give 
 them leave to stop and catch some for themselves. 
 Captain Spencer consented, and creeping still 
 4*
 
 42 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 nearer to the shore, they at first only saw some 
 Medusae, but afterwards dragged up an animal, 
 which he immediately recognised as the Sea-slug,* 
 "which the Chinese and inhabitants of the Indian 
 Archipelago are so fond of eating. He told the 
 men to fish for it ; and after inspecting the gulley, 
 and finding it accessible to Tiger, he started with 
 him and Gipsy for a short excursion. He found 
 a low and arid country behind the high cliffs, with 
 patches of tall, reedy grass, off" which, however, 
 Tiger, who was by no means dainty, contrived to 
 moisten his mouth. Several lizards were crawling 
 about, and among them was one of very formid- 
 able appearance, and of whose presence he was 
 made aw^are by Gipsy. She growled, gave a short 
 bark, plunged at something, and then retreated, 
 shaking her head as if scratched or wounded ; 
 she, however, made a stand at her enemy, and 
 coming up to her assistance, her master found her 
 engaged with a reptile about a foot and a half 
 long, covered all over with rows of sharp, horny 
 spines, and of a yellow colour spotted with brown 
 over the tail, making a most fearful opponent. f 
 As it was not required for eating, he called the 
 dog off", and after a short gallop returned to his 
 men, Avho ha^d collected a considerable quantity 
 of Trepangs. Just before descending he had 
 passed a large mound of shells, and knocking » 
 
 » Holothuria. t Moloch horridus.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 43 
 
 hole in it, he peeped in to see what' was inside ; it 
 was, howeyer, empty, but the Malays told him it 
 was most likely a native grave. 
 
 The Trepang was generally from six to eight 
 inches long, of a tough, leathery texture, not at 
 all tempting to Europeans, and Avith numerous ten- 
 tacula round its mouth. It was necessary that it 
 should he cured for keeping, and the Malays asked 
 to go to a neighbouring island which looked con- 
 venient for the purpose ; Captain Spencer complied 
 with their request, and when their capture was 
 embarked, they steered for this island. On near- 
 ing its shore, they saw several of the natives de- 
 part from the other side, men, women, and children, 
 seated on small rafts, one of which being empty, 
 floated towards them. They secured it for inspec- 
 tion, aftd found that kwas made of slender poles, 
 fastened together very ingeniously by wooden pegs, 
 and broader at one end so as to resemble a fan. 
 After it had been examined. Captain Spencer de- 
 sired it to be launched and pushed off, that it 
 might be taken ashore by the tide ; on it he put a 
 handkerchief, some biscuit, and a knife. He de- 
 Bired his men to shout with all their might to the 
 supposed owners ; but they refused to answer, and 
 watching with his telescope, he saw the raft arrive, 
 and a man take the presents from it, which under- 
 went the scrutiny of the others also ; two tasted 
 the biscuit, but immediately spat it out again, and
 
 a AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 they left that and the other things on the shore 
 and ascended the cliffs. 
 
 All hands quitted the schooner, which anchored 
 in twelve fathoms water close to the beach. A fire 
 was made, and preparations were commenced ; the 
 cooking utensils were brought ashore, the Mollusks 
 were split open on one side, put into boilers, and 
 placed on the ashes, which were constantly fed 
 with bushes, where they were to boil for eight 
 hours. That night, and perhaps more, must be 
 passed on the spot, and Captain Spencer determin- 
 ing to remain quietly where he was, let Tiger roam 
 at large, and amuse himself on the island. Some 
 of the spare poles were placed close to a hollow in 
 the rock close by ; and these and some bushes 
 were converted into an excellent shelter. The 
 men said they should have to press the Trepang 
 with heavy stones, and stretch it open the next 
 morning with pieces of stick, and then dry it in 
 the sun, after which it was to be smoked over the 
 fire, and that the length of time this would occupy 
 must depend on the effect of the sun ; but at all 
 events they should be glad of a longer time than 
 the usual period of rest. It was a good opportu- 
 nity to give Charlie a little liberty, for so the bird 
 was named, and try how far he would avail himself 
 of it ; for now his wing was perfectly well, he 
 might at any time make his escape. When put 
 down upon the ground, he seemed somewhat at a
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 45 
 
 loss to understand his position, and at first had 
 some difficulty in stretching his wings ; by degrees, 
 however, he rose higher and higher, and then flew 
 rapidly backwards and forwards ; at last he took 
 the direction of the mainland, and seemed to bid 
 adieu to his former companions, screaming and 
 calling out, "I'm coming, I'm coming!" — "You 
 are going, I think," said his master, as he watched 
 him to the opposite shore, and in spite of the reason- 
 ableness of the proceeding on the part of the bird, 
 somewhat disappointed, for Charlie was a great 
 favourite and source of amusement, and Captain 
 Spencer thought he was gone forever. 
 
 On walking under the rocks the Englishman 
 found some delicious Oysters attached to them, and 
 he called one of the men to collect a number. 
 Having some vinegar on board, he amused himself 
 by pickling a stock of them for future purposes. 
 While standing by the fire with the Malays, he 
 asked them what they meant to do with their Tre- 
 pang. They replied, that they should sell it to the 
 Chinese, and as this was the black, or best sort, 
 called batoo, they should get forty dollars for every 
 hundred and twenty-five pounds ; but that the grey 
 was not worth more than half that money. They 
 added, they should like to catch some sharks, for 
 they could cut ofi" their fins and cure and sell them 
 to the same people at the same rate of profit. 
 Sponges and Madrepores with various shells, lay
 
 46 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 scattered upon the shore of this interesting islanl, 
 which Av<as evidently a frequent resort of the na- 
 tives, for thej found various traces of them, some 
 of which were roots which they were apparently 
 going to cook ; also a spear, the shaft of which 
 was made of mangrove wood, and was seven feet 
 eight inches long. The lance, or head, was a 
 sharp splinter of quartz, fastened on vrith a strong 
 gum and plaited grass ; altogether, in a skilful 
 hand, making a fearful weapon. Shoals of ^Mullet 
 played round the island, and many were caught, 
 cured with the Trepang, and packed in barrels fir 
 future use ; and a bush smelling like Rosemary 
 awakened all the home feelino;s of the Eno;lishman, 
 going as far back as when his nurse used to wet 
 his hair with rosemary tea, to make it thick. 
 
 Provisions were fast disappearing, and a return 
 to Timor was contemplated ; but Captain Spencer 
 was beginning to feel interested in the scenes 
 which opened around him, and he determined, by 
 going ashore more frequently with his gun, to de- 
 lay the return as much as possible. He knew he 
 could procure any number of Rails,* for he had 
 seen them in hundreds when last ashore ; and who 
 could tell what other good things might be pro- 
 cured ? besides which, who could return from Au- 
 stralia without having seen a Kangaroo ? The 
 faithful Charlie came back in the evening after he 
 
 * Eallus littoralis.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 47 
 
 had been let loose, and at sunset liis deep voico 
 was heard saying, •' I'm coming, I'm coming, Ned 
 Spencer !" so it -was settled that he should in future 
 have more liberty, for he had perched himself on 
 his master's shoulder as a place of refuge, and 
 consequently was likely to return to him on other 
 occasions. 
 
 A distant but violent storm, accompanied by 
 torrents of rain, had cooled the air ; the Trepang, 
 Mullet and Oysters, were safely stowed away in 
 their proper places ; the schooner returned to the 
 main coast, and Captain Spencer, finding his way 
 ashore, was not disappointed of the Kails which he 
 had promised himself ; besides these he procui'ed 
 a foAV species with shorter and more feeble wings,* 
 and he loaded Tiger with a full meal for days, not 
 only for himself, but all his crew. The grass was 
 of a better sort, and the Malays laid in a stock of 
 it for Tiger ; so that all seemed to prosper. In 
 some places he met with sand dunes, where vege- 
 tation was stunted, and the only thing which grew 
 freely there was a pale, pink Convolvulus, whose 
 trailing stem was an inch thick and thirty yards 
 long. At the bottom of the cliifs was an abund- 
 ance of Oysters and Neritoe ; and a cmious Sea- 
 urchin, with hair-like spines, afforded his men a 
 feast ; but the fishes were not tempting, being 
 chiefly of the Silurus, or Cat kind, which, on being 
 
 * Eulabeomis casUineoventris.
 
 48 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 taken out of the water, made a singular noise, 
 and showed a broad back of silvery green and a 
 white belly. Several small hillocks at a distance, 
 and smoke not very far off, made him fancy that 
 he saw the dwellings of natives, but on looking 
 through his telescope, he ascertained that the 
 former were gigantic ant's nests. 
 
 One evening, while sitting on deck, resting him- 
 self after a hard day's sport, he was startled by 
 what he supposed to be the report of a gun at sea, 
 but one of the Malays told him it was only a 
 Whale at play ; and, if he would look with his 
 glass in the direction whence the sound proceeded, 
 he would see that it was so. Following the man's 
 advice, and very much amused at the idea of a 
 playful Whale, he beheld several fin-backed Whales 
 lashing the sea in sport, suddenly leaping out of 
 it, and falling again with a noise resembling can- 
 non. Ashore, life seemed to become more beauti- 
 ful and abundant : the Palms told that they were 
 still between the tropics, the Cycas also presented 
 itself, but as yej its fruit was not ripe enough to 
 be useful ; the Gre^dllea Cancerina, with its curved 
 red blossoms, like crab's claws, was of great 
 beauty ; and flowers from bulbous roots were 
 springing from the earth in totally new shapes and 
 forms. To his game he added various Pigeons, 
 one of which had dark-blue plumage and a white
 
 AUSTKALIAN WANDERERS. 49 
 
 head, and afforded a delicious repast.* For the 
 first time he now saw a Butterfly, f which had a 
 large yellow spot on the upper edge of the upper 
 wings. White Cockatoos came in flights over his 
 head, and he brought several down with his gun, 
 so that the stock of provisions was increased be- 
 yond the apprehension of not lasting ; for it seemed 
 as if he had only to go ashore to procure plenty. 
 He had, however, more abundance than he liked 
 of hornets, small scorpions, snakes, centipedes, &c. ; 
 and flies, the greatest of Australian torments, of 
 which he had hitherto had but a gentle warning, 
 assailed him in full force ; these are the sand-flies, 
 so minute that they are not seen, but which lodge 
 on the eyelids, enter the nostrils, mouth, and ears, 
 and cause almost unbearable irritation : his poor 
 horse and dog snorted and sneezed, rubbed their 
 heads in the grass, and jumped about as if they 
 were mad. At last, tired out with these tiny pests, 
 he took his way back to the schooner. Certainly, 
 thought he, the country has become more inter- 
 esting ; still it is nothing to eyes accustomed to 
 India ; and if I could but shoot a Kangaroo, I 
 would go back directly. As he walked along pon- 
 dering on the past, his companions followed ; 
 Tiger well contented to stop for half a minute 
 at a time to nibble on the way, and Gip, who 
 always assumed her master's tone of mind, was 
 
 * The Wonga Wonga. f Papilio Sthenelous. 
 
 5
 
 50 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 perhaps also pondering on the past, for she WhlkeJ 
 steadily by his side, only pricking up her ears no\? 
 and then as a frog jumped out before her nose, 
 and occasionally looking up at Charlie as he 
 S"W"Oop(id down and said, " Gip," to show he was 
 close by. 
 
 On descending the cliff, Gipsy had preceded her 
 master a little, and all at once she paused, put her 
 head first on one side, then on the other, and 
 jumping up, commenced a most outrageous bark- 
 ing. A sharp turn disclosed the cause, for there 
 Captain Spencer saw two of his men amicably 
 seated on the shore among a party of natives. 
 The latter were, although somewhat lanky, very 
 fine, athletic-looking men, with all the character- 
 istics of their race ; but nevertheless there was a 
 manly bearing about them which prepossessed the 
 Englishman in their favour. The head and nose 
 were large, and some had the latter pierced for 
 the insertion of a piece of wood or bone ; the 
 brow was very prominent, the eyes sparkling and 
 deeply set ; the lips full, the mouth very wide, 
 the hair crisp, and frequently tied behind in a sort 
 of club ; the shoulders broad, the muscles of the 
 arms well developed, the hands and feet small and 
 well shaped, but the hips also small, and the lower 
 limbs spare and slight. Their conlplexions were 
 brown, approaching to black, the upper parts of 
 their bodies were tattooed, and the scars projected
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 51 
 
 at least lialf an inch from their bodies, which 
 made a very ugly appearance ; they had no clothes 
 whatever; the older men had had one of their 
 front teeth knocked out, and several of them were 
 painted with black and white earth. 
 
 On the ground, in the midst of the group, lay 
 a young man, whose left arm was very much swol- 
 len, and a third Malay was fomenting it with rum 
 and water ; they could speak a very few English 
 words, and were without weapons. When they 
 heard Gipsy bark, they started to their feet, say- 
 ing, " Ho ! ho !" and then, on perceiving Captain 
 Spencer, saluted him by bowing almost to the 
 ground, exclaiming rapidly and shrilly, "White 
 fellow ! very good." When Charlie, however, 
 mocking even their tones, cried "Ho! ho! I'm 
 coming. Come back again, Ned Spencer," they 
 fjeemed perfectly stupefied with alarm. They 
 stood as if awed ; and when Tiger suddenly ap- 
 peared from behind the rock, their fears came to 
 • a climax, and all fled except the disabled man, who 
 was left upon the ground. Charlie, however, went 
 on board the schooner ; one of the Malays took 
 Gip and Tiger, and Captain Spencer proceeded 
 to the relief of the young sufferer. His men said, 
 they thought they could understand that a fall had 
 brought him to this condition, and the swollen arm 
 was broken. After bathing it for about half-an- 
 hour longer, the swelling had much decreased, and
 
 52 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 then Captain Spencer found that the upper arm 
 was fractured, and that the poor creature had aiso 
 received several severe bruises. He tried to en- 
 tice the other natives to come hack to him, and as 
 they gradually recovered their alarm, they ap- 
 peared from behind the rocks, but did not at first 
 approach ; he made signs to them that he would 
 return, and then went to the schooner, where he 
 tore up some linen into bandages, and taking his 
 medicine-chest with him, hastened back to the 
 shore. Seeing one of the men with a piece of 
 bark in his hand, he asked for it ; it was readily 
 given, and he proceeded to set the limb, not with- 
 out trepidation, it is true ; but he had more than 
 once assisted the regimental surgeon in such ope- 
 rations, and he tried to do all he had seen done on 
 such occasions. After putting the arm into its 
 proper position, he bandaged it with a double- 
 headed roller; by the aid of a strong knife he cut 
 the bark into strips in imitation of splints, and 
 tied these pieces on with some string which ho had 
 in his pocket : taking off his silk cravat he con- 
 verted it into a sling and lodged the arm in it ; 
 but how he was to tell the natives it must be kept 
 there for a month, he could not imagine. He ad- 
 ministered some medicine, rubbed the patient all 
 over with a lotion, and made up some powders 
 which were to be taken every night. He closed 
 his eyes and laid his head down to imitate going
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 53 
 
 to sleep, in the hope of conveying an idea of the 
 time of swallowing them ; and endeavoured to 
 make the longer interval comprehended by the 
 help of the Malays. The young man fixed his 
 large eyes upon him with an expression of grati- 
 tude, and his friends carried him away ; but be- 
 fore they mounted the cliffs they took their spears 
 from the rock in which they had hidden them, and 
 besides this description of weapon, each held a 
 short stick, which the Malays told their master 
 they used in throwing their spears. 
 
 Very little water at a time had been procured 
 at this place, which little had descended to the sea 
 through a fissure in the rock. Captain Spencer 
 therefore ordered his men to steer to the south- 
 west, it being his intention, after he had procured 
 a proper quantity, to return along the northern 
 shores, on his way to Timor. As the schooner re- 
 ceded, the natives, who had been watching it from 
 the top of the cliffs, danced about with very extra- 
 ordinary gestures, which, the Malays said, showed 
 their friendly intentions, and bawled out — " Very 
 good, very good !" till their visitors could no longer 
 hear them ; upon which Charlie made a little ex- 
 cursion in the air, echoing, "Very good, very 
 good !" till Captain Spencer shouted with laughter, 
 in which the bird joined with all his power. On 
 the whole, these men were favourable specimens 
 
 of the aborigines of Australia; but the remark- 
 5*
 
 54 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 able carriage of their head j^uzzled Captain Speit- 
 cer ; and on mentioning it to his chief Malay, the 
 man told him thej were obliged to keep their eyes 
 nearly shut to exclude the sand-flies, and therefore 
 threw back their heads when they required to look 
 at anything. Frequently a degree of suppuration 
 was caused by these tiny creatures during the 
 night, which it was necessary to wash off the next 
 morning, before the eyes could be opened. 
 
 The schooner again anchored close to an island, 
 about a mile from the continent, which had at- 
 tracted Captain Spencer from its promising appear- 
 ance for procuring water. It was formed of two 
 ranges of cliffs, with a valley between ; and as 
 they were to stay there tAvo or three days, the 
 search for water was postponed till the next morn- 
 ing. The night was tranquil, and the day dawned 
 with a splendour which gave every token of fine 
 weather. Two of the Malays went ashore before 
 sunrise to reconnoitre, and met with traces of na- 
 tives, for whom they sought in all directions. They 
 had, however, suddenly decamped at the approach 
 of the schooner ; but the marks of their footsteps 
 showed the way to a pool of water, and the mei> 
 returned for implements with which they might 
 enlarge it, and after breakfast they began their 
 work. Captain, Spencer proceeded to examine the 
 island, first shooting some of the quails, which 
 abounded there, and sending them back to the ves*
 
 ACrSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 55 
 
 eel. After going through the valley, in which he 
 saw a very large and vigorous umbelliferous plant, 
 and which made an impression on him by being 
 almost the only one of the family which he met 
 with in his Australian travels,* he and Gip scram- 
 bled on to the top of one of the cliffs to look 
 around him. There he found an enormous nest 
 built upon the ground, and rising two feet from it ; 
 the branches of trees and collections of fragments 
 in it Avould have filled a small cart. There were 
 no eggs, but masses of seals' hair, and that of 
 terrestrial animals, and small bones of quadrupeds 
 and birds. He stood looking at it, and then ex- 
 claimed, " It was an eagle,f then, which I saw 
 yesterday soaring over my head, and this its eyrie. 
 I must^ try and shoot it, for I should like to take 
 its measurement." From this point Captain Spen- 
 cer, through his telescope, saw a fresh and tempt- 
 ing tract of land on the opposite shore, and de- 
 scended to get ready and pay it a visit, in doing 
 which he disturbed whole flocks of sooty terns, J 
 noddies, oyster-catchers, and sand-pipers, which 
 took fright at him. The heights seemed to have 
 been seldom visited, and he had excited an immense 
 commotion among the winged tribes, whose different 
 characters he could not detect in their hasty flight 
 
 * Azorella. 
 
 ■f Haliiietus leucogaster (Kaup.) ,• lehthyaetus (Qould). 
 
 \ Onychoprion fuliginosus Anous (Gould).
 
 56 AUSTKALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 Ordering the boat to be made ready, Captain 
 Spencer breakfasted, and then prepared for a long 
 and last excursion to the mainland while in this 
 latitude. The men were to make sundry repairs 
 in the rigging, and clean his cabin thoroughly dur- 
 ing his absence, and were also to catch, salt, and 
 smoke birds and fishes for the ensuing voyage. He 
 took with him a large quantity of "ammunition, 
 with which Tiger was chiefly loaded, and he hoped 
 not only to kill the eagle, but a kangaroo, the ob- 
 ject of his present ambition. On leaving India he 
 had, for the sake of convenience, caused holsters 
 to be fixed to his saddle, and into these he now 
 thrust his pistols and many spare charges. He 
 filled a bag with biscuit and dried provisions, and 
 in another put some of the roasted quails which 
 had been shot and cooked before breakfast ; he 
 slung a couple of tin cans full of water by a leath- 
 ern strap across the saddle ; and as he surveyed his 
 preparations, said to himself, "All these things I 
 mean to fill with game when I return." He took 
 his gun in his hand ; a short sword, an axe, and a 
 large knife were stuck into a belt round his waist ; 
 and he filled his pockets with odd things, such as 
 pincers, and several boxes of copper caps. On tho 
 beach he found Charlie much too busy picking up 
 insects to accompany him, and who, when he saw 
 lis master going away, looked up at him, saying,
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 57 
 
 "Good-bye, Ned Spencer; make haste back to 
 Charlie — ha, ha, ha !" 
 
 The shore was rocky, and the surf beat high 
 upon the fragments of rock lying at the foot of 
 the bluff which the traveller now approached, and 
 of whose lofty proportions he could only form a 
 just idea as he approached close to it. It was a 
 bold headland, at least five hundred feet high, con- 
 sisting of the usual red sandstone, interspersed 
 with granular quartz. Before he dismissed the 
 boat, he sought for a track by which he might 
 ascend the cliff; and after some difficulty found a 
 part that was accessible to such good climbers as 
 the trio now together ; then telling his men that 
 he would fire a gun from the top when he wished 
 to go again on board, and not to be uneasy if he 
 did not return at night, he and his companions 
 scrambled to the summit, and the boat and her 
 crew returned to the schooner. 
 
 On arriving at the top, the air was so fresh and 
 balmy, so laden with sweet odours from an exten- 
 sively wooded district not far ofi" ; the grass was so 
 green, the country was so chequered with rich 
 yellow patches, which were evidently the flowery 
 districts of abundant vegetation, that even flies, 
 which here, as elsewhere, abounded, were disre- 
 garded, and the telescopo was lifted to the eye to 
 ascertain if natives were near. None were dis- 
 covered. Gipsy jumped and barked with delight,
 
 58 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 and Tiger danced, and curvetted, and kicked, and 
 seemed quite inclined to run off altogether, verj 
 much to the discomposure of his mast(ir's property 
 on his back. It was the month of October, the 
 end of winter in those latitudes ; the grass was 
 still young and tender, the flowers were just be- 
 ginning to come into blossom, and insects, birds, 
 and all living things seemed to rejoice in the glo- 
 ries of creation. A large eagle was performing 
 circles in the air, probably the inhabitant of the 
 eyrie on the island, and it caused the first disturb- 
 ance in this scene of beauty ; for it evidently had 
 an intention of pouncing on poor Gipsy, who was 
 quite unconscious of her danger till the eagle sud- 
 denly dropped upon her, when she uttered a scream 
 of terror. At that instant, however, the unfailing 
 aim of her watchful master took effect.; and the 
 monstrous birji rolled upon the ground. It was 
 not quite dead when Captain Spencer went up to 
 it ; but a blow from the back of his hatchet put an 
 end to his struggles, and he longed to skin it, or 
 at least to preserve its beautiful brov.n and banded 
 feathers. He could only draw a few from its 
 graduated tail, stick them on one side of his forag- 
 jng-eap, and leave the body where it was, in the 
 hope of securing it on his return. 
 
 Several beautiful Kingfishes* flew past the 
 sportsman while busy with the eagle, as if they 
 
 * Alcyone pulchra (Gould).
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 59 
 
 had been relieved from tlie fear of an enemy, and 
 took their way to the shore ; they were of a new 
 species to him, and were of a brilliant blue, orange, 
 and red-wine colour, forming a contrast to a sober- 
 looking Crow,* which now came forth to pick up 
 his food from the ground ; in fact, the death of 
 the eagle seemed to form a jubilee among the birds, 
 so many now issued from their hiding-places, and 
 appeared so joyous that the sportsman could not 
 find it in his heart to disturb their happiness. 
 
 Day was beginning to close, when exercise and 
 fresh air made the Englishman hungry ; he took 
 the load from Tiger as aycII as his saddle and bri- 
 dle, and suffered him to graze at pleasure. There 
 were no trees near enough to afford shelter ; and 
 accustomed to bivouac in all sorts of localities, he 
 and Gip seated themselves on the grass where they 
 were, and ate their meal, drawn from the stock 
 brought from the schooner ; cold quail and biscuit 
 being most acceptable. By this time the sun and 
 heat of the horse's body had warmed the water in 
 the cans ; so the traveller rose and followed Tiger, 
 whom he saw drinking at some distance from a 
 stream which flowed through the grass, and fell 
 into the sea on the opposite side of the bluff to 
 that where they had landed. The cans were re- 
 filled there, and he again sat down to rest. A 
 range of curiously-shaped, flat-topped hills closed 
 
 * Corvus coronoides.
 
 60 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 the horizon to the east ; and a belt of dense and 
 dull-looking forest formed the southern boundary 
 of the landscape, where the ground seemed to 
 sink. Not a trace of human life was to be seen, 
 and, alas, many miles had been walked that day, 
 and no kangaroos had been perceived. Captain 
 Spencer swept the horizon with his glass to fix on 
 the direction towards Avhich he should bend his 
 steps with the morning's dawn, for he almost made 
 a vow he would not return without one of these 
 animals. Gipsy, however, had been much more 
 fortunate, for she had again been roaming, and 
 disappeared among some thorny bushes, whence, 
 in a few minutes, she brought a small animal of 
 the marsupial kind, and laid it at her master's feet. 
 It was a Kangaroo-rat,* which she had nipped in 
 the back of the neck, and as it was better than no 
 kangaroo at all, he determined to take it to the 
 schooner. 
 
 It was now necessary to . look for some spot in 
 which the party might pass the night comfortably ; 
 and then, for the first time, the traveller became 
 conscious that an alteration in the weather had 
 been gradually taking place ; the breeze had 
 dropped, and thick masses of clouds were gather- 
 ing all round. He felt that a storm was approach- 
 ing, and he sought for some shelter ; he saw at a 
 distance what he took for a native hut, but the 
 
 * Hypsiprymnus or Macropus minor.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. ^1 
 
 telescope only showed an ant-hill, which he knew 
 to be likely to crumble and overwhelm him on such 
 an occasion ; he sought for bushes under which he 
 might creep, but those around him were too low 
 to do him any good ; he then proceeded to a rising 
 ground, from the top of which he looked around 
 him. A still more heavy mass of the thick, black 
 clouds had gathered in the north-west, which fore- 
 boded a fearful tempest, not far off in point of 
 time and distance. It was getting dark more 
 rapidly than usual, from the loaded state of the 
 sky, and there was no time to mount jTiger and 
 seek better protection ; so he returned to the bot 
 tom of the hill, placed himself on the lee side, and 
 prepared for the night with his saddle for his pil- 
 low: he carefully secured his fire-arms and powder 
 from the chance of getting wet, and Gip curled 
 herself round upon his knees ; Tiger trotted up to 
 him, laying back his ears, as the first drops of 
 rain fell, and cast hijnself down by his master's 
 side, who rolled himself and his dog in his cloak, 
 spread his ample mackintosh over them all, to its 
 utmost extent, and prepared to endure patiently 
 that which was unavoidable, saying to himself, it 
 was " the fault of those rascally kangaroos that 
 lie was thus exposed." 
 
 Often as Captain Spencer had spent the night 
 in the open field, he had seldom, if ever, encoun- 
 tered such an one as this proved to be, in so de« 
 6
 
 62 AUSTRALIAN "WANDERERS. 
 
 fenceless a state ; and his great fear was, that 
 from the violence of the hurricane all their' cover- 
 ings would be 'Stripped from them; fortunately, 
 however, they remcained firm, thanks to the shelter 
 of the hill ; but the lashing of the waves upon the 
 cliffs, the furious lightning which ploughed along 
 the ground, the roaring of the mighty thunder, 
 the sheet of Vain, were nothing to the all-absorb- 
 ing rush of the wind. Two or three times a dull, 
 crashing, but awful sound was heard during a 
 slight lull in the storm, and the ground shook un- 
 der the little party, disturbing Tiger, who lifted 
 Up his head, and making Gipsy tremble. " Down, 
 good beasts," said their master ; " you at least are 
 safe, but where are my poor men, and my schooner, 
 and Charlie ? — he can fly to land, but I tremble 
 for the good Malays." 
 
 After hours of unabated fury, at length the 
 storm passed over ; and, wearied with anxiety and 
 watching. Captain Spencer slept till the bright 
 sunbeams darted upon him. Rousing himself, and 
 immediately recollecting all the past events, he 
 hastily swallowed a few mouth fuls of food to give 
 him strength, placed all his effects on Tiger's back, 
 and departed for the shore. It took him some 
 little time to reach the edge of the bluff; the 
 mists which rose in consequence of the preceding 
 rain had disappeared, and nothing obstructed hia 
 new : the whole place was clear, and the schooner
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 63 
 
 was not in sight. " She stood out to sea," thought 
 he, " and she Avas a strong little craft. She may 
 yet be safe." He fired his gun, and anxiously 
 awaited an answer : not a sound was heard, except 
 the dashing of the waves, swelled by the previous 
 disturbance. He stayed some time, anxiously 
 looking to sea-ward, both with and without his 
 glass ; and then, full of melancholy forebodings, 
 he slowly bent his steps backwards and forwards 
 by the edge of the bluff, stopping at every few 
 paces to look for the approach of the vessel, and 
 firing again and again. Tiger and Gipsy strayed, 
 and each found food ; but their master was too full 
 of anxious forebodings to think of eating ; at 
 length he determined to go quite round the head- 
 land ; but ere he reached it, daylight was gone, 
 and that memorable 6th of October never was 
 erased from his memory. With Gip in his arms, 
 and Tiger for his pillow, there, on the open ground, 
 listening to every sound, and fancying, each time 
 .he dozed, that he heard the cries of his men, lay 
 the soldier, who started up at daybreak, determined 
 to search the shore itself. 
 
 The suspense was ended ; for that morning's 
 light shoAved him the sea covered Avith the frag- 
 ments of his schooner: he raised his glass with a 
 shudder, and felt thankful that he could not dis- 
 cover a human form among them. Following the 
 direction taken by the floating wreck, ho reached
 
 64 • AUSTRALIAN "WANDERERS. 
 
 the extreme end of tlie bluff, and at some little 
 distance saw a well-worn track, doubtless made by 
 natives, wMch led to a much easier descent to the 
 shore, and he determined to follow it ; he thought 
 that his men had escaped by the boat, or had re- 
 mained on the island, or were perhaps even now 
 waiting for him at the foot of the cliff. As he 
 advanced he perceived that enormous masses had 
 been detached from the top of the headland, and 
 cautiously peeping over at the first point where he 
 could with safety plant his foot on the edge, the 
 whole dreadful truth was revealed. The crew had 
 tried to escape in the boat, and had been about to 
 shelter themselves on the further side, where the 
 fragments (the crash of which Captain Spencer had 
 heard the first night) had fallen upon them to their 
 utter destruction. It was with difficulty that the 
 stout-hearted soldier prevented himself from fall- 
 ing over the brink of the cliff in his agony and 
 horror ; but he realed back a few paces, and then 
 nerving himself, he went hastily down the side, 
 followed by Gipsy and Tiger, who both seemed to 
 know that something was the matter. They passed 
 a comfortable-looking cave, and the little stream 
 from above dripped in tiny cascades from rock to 
 rock ; but Captain Spencer could not then take 
 much note of such things ; he set his foot on the 
 flat beach, turned round a sharp angle of rock, 
 and beheld two of his men, one of whom was tho
 
 .AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 65 
 
 master, lifeless on the sand, and evidently killed 
 bj the fallen rocks, for their bodies were dread- 
 fully mangled ; another was nearly buried under 
 a huge mass, and the other two had disappeared 
 altogether. Pieces of the boat were strewn about, 
 and combined with those of the schooner in telling 
 the tale of desolation. 
 
 Tiger had started at the first glimpse of the 
 master's body, and would not advance a step 
 further ; Gip ran round and round the three bo- 
 dies, licking their faces and hands, and whining 
 and moaning her lamentations for her good friends. 
 Her master stood \viLh his eyes fixed upon them, 
 deploring the sudden fate of his good and faithful 
 servants, and thinking what he could do for the 
 burial of the bodies. He tried to scoop a hole in 
 the sand by means of the broken spars, and suc- 
 ceeded with two of them ; but he was unable to 
 move the third from under the superincumbent 
 mass ; he therefore heaped as much soil upon him 
 as would cover him ; and although they were not 
 fellow Christians, they were fellow men, and he 
 obeyed the impulse of his heart, by repeating as 
 much of the burial-service of his Church as he 
 could recollect over them, and praying most 
 heartily to his and their God. This exercise 
 opened the heart which had become rigid from 
 grief and horror, and he concluded his orisons by 
 fervently expressing his gratitude for his own
 
 (36 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 preservation. Leaving the spot with a more tran- 
 quilized spirit, he retired to the cave which he 
 had seen on his way down to the shore, to ponder 
 upon his present situation, and to form plans for 
 the future. Tiger, who lnul made an ample meal 
 in the morning, entered the cave with him, and 
 threw himself down near the entrance ; and Gip 
 and her master, after convincing themselves there 
 were no inhabitants already in it, took posse8ei&4 
 of the interior.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Captain Spencer determines to start for Swan River — Secures ob* 
 jects from the wreck — Running fishes — Attack from natives- 
 Start for Swan River — A log of wood converted into a shovel — 
 A hawk's-bill Turtle — Natives touch the baggage — Frightened 
 away — Natives on shore taste pickled oysters — Put on Captain 
 Spencer's trowsers— Insects — Birds — Impression of a cloven foot 
 with a spur — Flight of Parrakeets — Scrub — Captain Spencer 
 makes a grass hat — Albatross — Haze and mirage — Berries — 
 Snakes — Porpoises — Sea-shells — Meteor — Gannets. 
 
 For a time Captain Spencer sat with his head 
 buried in his hands, and could scarcely realise hia 
 own position, so filled was he with grief and hor- 
 ror at the loss of his five men, drowned as it were 
 for his sake. His horse and dog seemed now to 
 be of double value ; and as he sat with one arm 
 round Gipsy's neck, it occurred to him that Charlie 
 had not made his appearance. " My poor Charlie 
 too!" he said; the word Charlie was repeated, 
 and he started ; but as all was again silent, he 
 thought the sound must have proceeded from an 
 echo in the cavern. "All dead!" he exclaimed, 
 as his head again dropped. " All dead ! all dead ! 
 Charlie's coming, Ned Spencer !" exclaimed the 
 bird, and thus signified his escape. He hopped 
 up to his master, who hugged and caressed him, 
 
 (67)
 
 68 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 poor, wet, sandy, and miserable-looking creature 
 as he was, as if another dear object had been pre- 
 served. The bird had probably been frightened 
 by the hurricane to take refuge in the cave, or had 
 crept out from under the masses of fallen rock ; 
 at all events, he was overjoyed at finding his mas- 
 ter and his companions. Gip, who had hitherto 
 been rather jealous of him, actually licked him; 
 and Tiger raised his head and fixed his large eyea 
 upon him in a most amicable manner. 
 
 This circumstance roused the energy of Captain 
 Spencer, and the necessity for immediate exertion 
 presented itself. The desolate nature of the coun- 
 try on which he was thus cast, the dangerous repu- 
 tation of its inhabitants, and many other evils 
 Btood before him with almost appaling force ; yet 
 the more he thought, the more did his natural 
 courage and piety revive. " Shall I," said he, 
 "who have faced death hand to hand with the ene- 
 mies of my country ; who have fought my way 
 through ranks of foes, and held England's posses- 
 sions against a besieging army, fear a handful of 
 rude savages? Nevertheless," added he, "they 
 are perhaps more formidable because they are 
 treacherous, and defy the laws of honourable war- 
 fare." Throwing himself on his knees, he again 
 thanked God for his own preservation, and prayed 
 fervently for aid and support. 
 
 Strengthened and refreshed by prayer, the wan*
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 60 
 
 derer began to consider what was best to be done. 
 Three ways seemed to present themselves, one of 
 which was to remain near the coast on the chance 
 of seeing a vessel ; but when he recollected that 
 all the time he had already been there he had not 
 beheld a sail of any kind, this was rejected. The 
 second suggestion was to return along the northern 
 coast, and so reach Port Essington ; but he fancied 
 he was nearer to Perth on the Swan River, and if 
 he had to travel, it might as well be in a totally new 
 country ; and he accordingly decided on proceed- 
 ing close to the western shore, in the hope of per- 
 haps seeing a vessel which was going to that port, 
 or at all events reaching that settlement in some 
 way or other. His chart, his sextant, were gone, 
 he had nothing but his compass to guide him ; but 
 he deemed it an easy matter to steer in a south- 
 west direction, which must lead him more or less 
 near to the last mentioned colony. His pocket- 
 book, containing letters of credit, was sewn inside 
 his waistcoat ; and the latter being cashed there, 
 would enable him to take passage for India. 
 
 Captain Spencer's resolution being formed, he 
 glanced at two of his companions as promising to 
 be most serviceable in helping him through his 
 undertaking, and he knew that his unfailing prow- 
 ess as a shot would procure him food ; but he re-- 
 solved to remain where he was for a few days, to 
 see if any useful articles would come ashore from
 
 TO AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 the wreck, especially gunpowder and shot. It 
 Beemed to have been like foresight that he should 
 have provided himself with so much ammunition, 
 and made so little use of it, and he thought if the 
 chest did not come up he had still enough. His 
 chief difficulties would be want of water and cloth- 
 ing ; "but," said he in a more cheerful tone, " jou, 
 my poor beasts, obey every sound of my voice, and, 
 please God, we shall get through our troubles ; so 
 let us try to sleep." Thus speaking, he stretched 
 himself on the ground, and the four were soon at 
 rest ; Charlie having perched himself close by on 
 a ledge of sandstone. 
 
 Early in the morning. Captain Spencer took 
 Tiger to the top of the cliff to get his food, and 
 then descended to the beach, where he picked up 
 some pieces of plank and brush-wood, which had 
 been driven ashore, and setting fire to them with a 
 little gunpowder, he contrived to make a hot meal 
 for himself and Gip of some quails which he had 
 shot above, though he felt quite sorry to pluck off 
 the pretty fawn, or reddish, coloured feathers from 
 their breasts ; he stewed them in one of his tin 
 cans, and ate them heartily, in spite of the failure 
 of sauce and seasoning. On going to the sea- 
 shore a multitude of objects met his view which 
 would be very useful, and among others, tiio very 
 large pieces of tarpauling. The ammunition-chest, 
 to his great joy, was sticking fast in the sand ; and
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 71 
 
 having the key in his pocket, he opened it, and 
 found the powder but little damaged ; he spread 
 this out on the tarpauling to dry, and was so in- 
 tently occupied, that he scarcely observed the pro 
 gress of the sun, till its descent warned him it was 
 time to collect all his treasures, and take them to 
 the cave. Among the latter was a barrel of flour, 
 which he also emptied and dried ; he then made 
 some cakes of it, and baked them on hot ashes, as 
 an addition to his evening meal. Tiger had several 
 times peeped over the cliff as if to see whether he 
 were wanted, and at sunset trotted down the path 
 to settle for the evening. Charlie had both fed 
 and amused himself upon the beach, but not ap- 
 proaching too near the water, of which he seemed 
 to have an instinctive horror, thereby proving that 
 he had been drenched during the storm. "You 
 must be turned into a pack-horse. Tiger," said his 
 master ; " so come and be loaded for your new 
 oflBce." The docile creature stood unmoved as his 
 master put the things upon his back, and walked 
 steadily with his burden to the cave, where, after 
 being unloaded, he laid himself down. Captain 
 Spencer hearing Gip express herself in impatient 
 tones, went to see what was the matter with her, 
 and found her pulling with all her might at the 
 sleeve of his thick over-coat which had hung up in 
 the cabin, but which was now half-buried in sand. 
 " Good dog," said he, patting her head, and the
 
 72 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 efiForts of both freed the garment. Then putting 
 it under one of the cascades to wash out the sand 
 and salt water, it was the next day dried in the 
 Bun. 
 
 The night was warm and tranquil ; and the next 
 morning, on returning to the beach, Captain Spen- 
 cer saw a number of fish, which appeared to be 
 running about upon their elbows, to the great 
 astonishment of Gipsj; and he could not help 
 smiling at the dog's look and the ludicrous action 
 of the fish, with their three free spines on their 
 head, one of which had a tuft at the top, their gills 
 like a hole, and their lower fins looking like great 
 splaj feet.* They were about nine inches long, 
 and ran at each other with their mouths open ; but 
 the moment Captain Spencer came up to them, 
 they all at once disappeared in the slimy matter 
 which had collected round the mangroves growing 
 on one side of the inlet. Their pectoral fins were 
 supported by a sort of arm or stem, and on this 
 part they walked, the fins themselves looking like 
 hands. On trying to catch one, Captain Spencer 
 saw it swell itself out till it looked like a ball on 
 four feet, of a yellowish brown with black stripes. 
 Gipsy seemed to think that she was also come to 
 the beach to look for what might be found, and ran 
 about with her nose close to the sand ; at last she 
 stopped and began scratching with all her might, 
 
 * Ciiironeotes.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 73 
 
 and her master, attracted by this, came to her 
 assistance. To his great delight he found it was 
 the trunk which contained his clothes, and which 
 He emptied; but as he carried them to the cave, 
 and saw the pile of articles which he had selected, 
 he was sure he could not secure them all, and he 
 was losing time, and uselessly consuming provisions 
 to linger where he was ; he therefore discontinued 
 his search, and remained at the cave to arrange 
 his property. He had secured some needles and 
 balls of coarse thread, and cutting one of the 
 sheets of tarpauling into pieces of sundry dimen- 
 sions, he manufactured bags for holding gunpowder, 
 flour and other eatables, cases for his fire-arms, 
 and a knapsack for himself to carry. He kept 
 the other piece of tarpauling entire, as a water- 
 proof covering for all the rest, and for Tiger in 
 bad weather, to which he fastened strings made of 
 untwisted ropes, thrown ashore, so that it might 
 be tied underneath the horse. From his own 
 clothes he made what he thought a judicious selec- 
 tion of shoes, and woollen articles of dress, linen, 
 and plenty of handkerchiefs and light things, 
 which he thought might conciliate the natives. 
 He hoped that the tin cans would convey a stock 
 of water from place to place, and he hailed with 
 considerable joy two hams, which he now cooked, 
 and which had been but little injured by immersion 
 in salt water. 
 7
 
 74 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 All these preparations for his arduous joumej 
 occupied Captain Spencer a longer time than he 
 had at lirst calculated on, and five days had elapsed 
 before he thought of starting ; during "vvhich time 
 his horse and bird fed as usual, and he caught a 
 sort of Guard-fish ; and, besides this, met with one 
 with a long muzzle like a Chelmar, cockles, and 
 small and well-flavoured oysters, which had at- 
 tached themselves to the mangroves, and in which 
 he often found pearls. These trees were not 
 numerous at that spot, therefore the traveller 
 was not injured by them, but became still more 
 strengthened for the long route which he had tc- 
 traverse, and which he contemplated with an in- 
 defina,ble sadness, in spite of his faith, and the 
 excitement which new adventures bring to the 
 young and courageous. Gip had, during the last 
 three days, taken an independent walk on the top 
 of the cliff's, and each time brought back a Kan- 
 garoo-rat ; thus cheering her master by the pro- 
 mise of her future services, which would spare his 
 ammunition, and not only make it last for procur- 
 ing food, but give him the more for self-defence. 
 Each day. he became more expert in cooking, of 
 which all soldiers who have seen service know 
 something ; and as to Charlie, he was more intel- 
 ligent than ever, repeating every word his master 
 epoke, and applying his phrases to all circiiia<
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 75 
 
 Btances -which were similar to those under which 
 he had learnt them. 
 
 The night before he left his quiet retreat, Cap- 
 tain Spencer was awoke by a low growl from Gipsy, 
 as she raised her head and pricked up her ears. 
 "Be quiet, Gip," said her master ; but although she 
 did not move, the animal continued very uneasy, 
 and now and then gave a stifled bark. At length 
 Tiger was roused, and stood uprighf in the cave ; 
 and on seeing a sudden disturbance, Charlie ex- 
 claimed, " What's the matter ?" Then Captain 
 Spencer also rose, gun and pistol in hand, which 
 he always kept loaded, and looked out. How 
 many dark forms he saw before him, and on the 
 beach, and ledges of the rock, he never knew, but 
 the moonlight disclosed a formidable number who 
 had spears in their hands. They advanced ; and 
 two, more daring than the rest, came close to the 
 cave, each carrying a thick heavy club. " To him, 
 Gip !" said Captain Spencer, and the dog imme- 
 diately seized one of them by the leg ; while Tiger, 
 who seemed to understand what was going on, 
 burst out on his hind legs, striking all within his 
 reach with his fore-paws, knocking them over down 
 the rocks. Those who were behind paused, and 
 Captain Spencer, who only wished to alarm, called 
 Gipsy off, and fired one of his pistol-barrels into 
 ihe air ; the bal ' whizzed over their heads, and 
 they retreated ; he cautiously looked after them.
 
 76 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 and saw them hastily making their way upon iheil 
 rafts to the island, with their double-bladed pad- 
 dles ; and he concluded that they had discovered 
 him from thence by the smoke of his fire. " This 
 decides my departure," said he ; "it is better to 
 go before they have recovered from their fright, 
 and start with to-morrow's dawn ; but this night I 
 and Gip will watch." 
 
 On the mcft-row Captain Spencer packed his 
 things in as small a compass as he could, eating 
 his breakfast during the operation ; he carried 
 them to the top of the cliff, and there loaded 
 Tiger, who was an apt and obedient servant when 
 his master wanted him ; the whole of the load 
 was secured by the tarpauling, and he was much 
 amused at seeing Charlie seat himself on the top, 
 saying, "Let us be off; all's right." No more 
 was seen of the natives, even from the height, by 
 means of the telescope. The travellers followed 
 the outline of the coast, except where its deep and 
 frequent indentations rendered it more expedient 
 to go straight across the projection. Captain 
 Spencer had lost all trace of the day of the week, 
 and consequently could not distinguish the Sab- 
 bath ; but as far as prayer and praise were con- 
 cerned, each day was Sunday to him, and it seemed 
 as if, in that wild country, and in his isolated posi- 
 tion, he must unceasingly invoke the aid of hia 
 Heavenly Protector, and admire His wonderful
 
 AUSTRALIAN "WANDERERS. 77 
 
 works. To all who have read Scripture, it is in 
 these scenes that the very words of Holy "Writ 
 rise unconsciously to the lips, as- if they alone, in 
 their grand simplicity, could express the feelings ; 
 and those who, in their intercourse with their fel- 
 low-men, would refrain from using them as heing 
 irreverent to do so, find themselves involuntarily 
 speaking in the language of the Bible. 
 
 The steady pace at which Captain Spencer be* 
 gan his long march, as all experienced soldiers do, 
 made Gipsy walk by his side the first day, and the 
 novelty of carrying a burden curbed the dancing 
 propensities of Tiger. As for Charlie, lie kept 
 up a dignified demeanour at first, as if he would 
 not interfere with the grand conveyance which he 
 had chosen for himself. " This steadiness is too 
 good to last," thought Captain Spencer, as he took 
 off the load, and prepared for rest, dinner, and 
 siesta, during the heat of the day. On rising to 
 resume his journey, he examined the country with 
 his glass, saw the jagged coast on one side, and 
 on the other, at a considerable distance, the land 
 seemed to be more covered Avith large districts of 
 flowering bushes, and here and there a patch of 
 untidy -looking timber, while in the far-off horizon 
 some hills seemed to rise, some with flat summits, 
 which betokened their sandstone formation. Alto- 
 gether, mind and eye ached with the immensity 
 of space around him, some of which he had tc 
 7*
 
 78 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 traverse . it was monotonous, yet it was grand ; 
 but the apparent absence of animal life was op- 
 pressive, and he thought of the many leagues 
 which he must journey before he could find a civil- 
 ised companion. A few birds, eagles, and crows, 
 and others which were strange to him, were high 
 up in the air ; but with these exceptions, he and 
 bis unreasoning companions, as they are called, 
 seemed to be alone. He had read something about 
 the coimtry in which it had thus pleased God to 
 place him, and knew that it was unlike any other 
 in its features and productions ; yet he hoped that 
 the little knowledge which he possessed of natural 
 history Avould be of some help in procuring suste- 
 nance, for he thought the great laws of creation 
 must be the same everywhere. As he stood gaz- 
 ing around him, and absorbed in his reflections, a 
 soft, velvet-like touch upon his cheek made him 
 start, and turning round he saw Tiger, who went 
 up to one of the cans as if to ask for water. 
 " What, already is there a scarcity ?" said his 
 master ; " if you have not found any, I must let 
 you have some from my own stock ; poor fellow ! 
 it is lucky that Arab horses do not require as much 
 as others do ; nevertheless, instead of going on 
 now, I had better begin to look for some. Come 
 along, Gip." "I'm coming," said Charlie, and 
 flew before him. He directed his steps towards a 
 clump of trees covered with pale yellow and
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 79 
 
 feathery blossoms, perfuming the air with their 
 delicious odour ; they proved to be acacias, which, 
 from growing near a small stream, had acquired 
 greater size than the neighbouring bushes of the 
 game sort. These bushes were also beginning to 
 flower, and Captain Spencer concluded they must 
 form one of the scrubs described as so formidable 
 both to man and beast ; he stooped down to ex- 
 amine this scrub, and found that no description 
 had done justice to its inaccessible nature ; it was 
 full of sharp, woody, and branching thorns, often 
 eight inches long, frequently crossing each other, 
 and he thought with dismay of the probable neces- 
 sity of making his way through such obstacles. 
 There was water, however, under the trees, and 
 by raising the turf with his axe, and scooping the 
 earth out with his hands, he made a hole big 
 enough to enable him to fill his cans ; and calling 
 his companions to him, he resolved to remain there 
 all night. Then Gipsy, with her usual sagacity, 
 dashed into the scrub, and brought her accustomed 
 tribute to the meal, producing two or three rats^ 
 which, as usual, were good to eat. 
 
 The following day Captain Spencer strolled 
 towards the sea, in the hope of finding something 
 with which he might be able to scoop out earth 
 when he met with water underground, as the last 
 had been. On looking over the cliff he discovered 
 a log of wood which had been washed ashore.
 
 80 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 " Why should I not shape that into something lik€ 
 a shovel ?" thought he ; "it might do for any soft 
 sort of soil ;" and he determined to secure it. 
 Leaving Gip at the top, where he stood looking 
 down, whining and wagging her tail, afraid to fol- 
 low, and yet not liking to stay hehind, he leaped 
 from ledge to ledge of the rock like a birdcatcher, 
 till he reached the bottom. The log was too heavy 
 for him to carry, and while pondering on the pos- 
 sibility of conveying it up the cliff, a much more 
 valuable prize saluted his eyes in the shape of a 
 huge hawks-bill Turtle. To dash into the surf, 
 push it ashore, and turn it on its back, was the 
 work of two minutes ; but then came the same dif- 
 ficulty as had puzzled him concerning the log. 
 His only plan, he thought, would be to chop both 
 to pieces on the shore ; but during the time this 
 would take, he dared not leave his packages above 
 unguarded. In this dilemma he turned his head, 
 and saw Gip at some distance, running down the 
 cliff with ease. "A native path," thought he; 
 *' Tiger shall come down and drag them up." Gip 
 jumped with delight on reaching her master, and 
 her curiosity was excited by the turtle. Going up 
 to examine it with her nose close to the creature, 
 she received such a blow fom one of the fins, that 
 she thought herself killed. On recovering her 
 fright, however, she became very angry, and 
 uttered a cry of such mingled fear and rage, that
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDEIIERS. 81 
 
 her master could not help laughing ; he took her 
 up in his arms and soothed her, but on inviting her 
 to battle with the reptile, she hung her head and 
 tail, and crept behind him, still showing her teeth. 
 Captain Spencer again mounted the cliff in order 
 to fetch Tiger ; and looking around with his glass, 
 he was so convinced of the absence of other human 
 beings, that he thought he might with safety leave 
 his packages, with the exception of the cans, closely 
 covered with the tarpauling, and pass the day and 
 night on the shore. His first business was rudely 
 to chop the log into the shape of a shovel, and 
 with the chips he made a fire ; he then chopped off 
 the head of the turtle, and the fins, and these he 
 put into one of the cans with some water ; he di- 
 vided the upper from the lower shell, and to his 
 pleasure found the turtle full of eggs ; he put the 
 rest of the flesh into the can, and set it on to boil, 
 while he strewed some of the hot wood-ashes on 
 the ground, and roasted the eggs in the turtle's 
 shell. Gip had her share of them ; and the whole 
 party went to rest. Rising again at break of day, 
 Captain Spencer and the dog invigorated them- 
 Belves with more eggs, and prepared for remount- 
 ing the cliff. Charlie flew into the air, Gip pre- 
 ceded her master, and Tiger followed, the cans, 
 the turtle, and rude shovel slung across his back 
 by the pocket-handkerchiefs and cravat of Captaiu 
 Spencer.
 
 82 AUSTKALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 The moment the dog reached the summit she 
 began to bark furiously ; and convinced that there 
 was something wrong, Captain Spencer cautiously 
 raised his head a little above the cliff, and saw a 
 body of natives, armed in the usual manner, ex- 
 amining the contents of the tarpauling. They had 
 paused on hearing Gip bark, and one of them had 
 raised his arm in order to spear the poor animal, 
 when Captain Spencer sent a ball flying over his 
 head, and the smoke of the powder went into the 
 faces of all ; then freeing Tiger from his burden, 
 and springing on to his back, he leaped into the 
 midst of them, the horse's mane and tail floating 
 in the air, and he firing off a bullet from the second 
 barrel of his weapon. " Boyl ya ! Boyl ya !" 
 screamed the natives, running away with the utmost 
 rapidity, not daring even to look behind them ; 
 Gip went barking after them, and Charlie flew 
 screaming out, " I'm coming, I'm coming ! here's 
 Charlie !" the one acting in the defence of her mas- 
 ter, the other expressing his delight at a noise and 
 bustle. In their hurry one of the men left his 
 throwing-stick behind him ; and Captain Spencer 
 found it to be eight feet long, smaller at both ends, 
 and at one of these a barb, looking as if made to 
 fit the spear. Bj its side lay a strong cord, made 
 of twisted woody fibres, both of which he left 
 where they had been lying, after they had under- 
 gone hift examination.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 8S 
 
 The route was complete, and calling Gip oflF 
 from the pursuit, Captain Spencer, gave way to a 
 violent fit of laughter, joined by Charlie ; but it 
 was 1 lesson to him never again to leave his things 
 exposed ; and as he watched the Australians with 
 his glass, and saw them disappear down the cliff at 
 a distance, most thankful was he that they had not 
 surprised him when below. 
 
 Some days elapsed without any variety of inci- 
 dent, the wanderers making steady progress, and 
 gaining much ground, when being again near the 
 edge of the cliff, Captain Spencer heard some of 
 the natives chattering below. Lying down flat, he 
 peered over, and was highly amused by watching 
 their proceedings. There was a numerous party, 
 and among them some women ; one with a grass 
 mat tied at her back, from which peeped out .the 
 head of a child, and a large bag in her hand ; 
 another had a kangaroo-skin cloak over her shoul- 
 ders, and a fire-stick, which was a hard, tough 
 piece of wood, lighted at one end, but not blazing ; 
 a third was hugging neither more nor less than 
 Captain Spencer's valuable Triton tea-kettle. On 
 the ground lay a dog with a long, narrow head, 
 like that of a lurcher, which seemed to be of Ma- 
 lay origin. The women stood quietly looking on, 
 while most of the men were squatted round some 
 object which was in the midst of them, and making 
 an immense noise. Presently several put their
 
 84 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 hands to their mouths, and immediately after rose, 
 spitting and stamping their feet, and the jar of 
 pickled oysters came to view ; they yelled, they 
 tossed their arms up, and while the owner was 
 thinking how he could recover his oysters, two of 
 them took the jar, and threw it into the sea. Nor 
 was this all : one of them rose from the ground, 
 deliberately placed a pair of Captain Spencer's 
 trousers on his head, which occupied the seat, while 
 the lesrs floated over the shoulders. This was too 
 much ; rolling himself from the edge of the clifl", 
 he gave way to a hearty fit of laughter, which 
 being echoed by Charlie, caused a sudden sensa- 
 tion below, and he heard the people stealing away 
 with voices hushed into a whisper. They were 
 well-made, dressed their hair in various ways, some 
 decorating it with feathers ; most of them had a 
 nose ornament ; and their language sounded as if 
 it were very melodious, and composed of words of 
 many syllables. Among them were two who had 
 a much lighter complexion than the others, prob- 
 ably owing to Malay blood, and they seemed to be 
 the chiefs of the body. 
 
 Fearing a re-action, and perhaps a surprise, 
 Captain Spencer pushed on as speedily as he 
 could, not stopping to bivouac in the middle of the 
 day. On the next he travelled more leisurely, and 
 watched Charlie pursue a butterfly with a golden 
 body, green and blue wings, and spots like black
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDBAERS. 85 
 
 velvet,* which ho vainly tried to save from destruc- 
 tion. Grasshoppers chirped so loudly at night 
 that he could not sleep, and he took that oppor- 
 tunity of polishing and sharpening his shovel with 
 his knife, thereby rendering it much lighter to 
 carry. While so occupied he heard a bird with a 
 full melodious whistle, slowly uttering five or six 
 successive half tones; but he could not get near 
 enough to have an idea of its plumage. Various 
 Beetles had that day attracted hhn, one species of 
 which was very round, of a yellow brown, and 
 spotted. The fliesf still continued to distress all 
 except Charlie. Large Cranes had more than 
 once appeared in the air, a flight of PigeonsJ crossed 
 over the scrub, and Quails with black spots on their 
 breasts, and some curious Ducks§ had given him a 
 large stock of good eatables, in the preparation of 
 which he had now become very expert, as he split 
 and roasted them on hot ashes : a greater abun- 
 dance of animal life, especially of the winged kind, 
 made him think that their scarcity hitherto might 
 have been occasioned by being frightened away 
 from the coast by the hurricane. 
 
 The impression of a large eleven hoof on the 
 short turf had excited some sensation in Captain 
 Spencer's mind, for he knew that no animals own- 
 ing such an one as that were indigenous to Austra- 
 lia. Could he be near any cattle station ? sureN 
 
 * Prianiceps. t Paropsis. 
 
 X Geophaps plumifera. 2 Amas semipalmata. 
 
 8
 
 8£ AJSTRALIAN "WANDERERS. 
 
 there were none so far north as he was then; per- 
 haps it might be a stray bull which had become 
 wild, and had thus wandered. He settled that it 
 was so in his own mind, but yet he dwelt on the 
 circumstance, and he looked for it ag-ain and airain. 
 A piece of depressed ground, however, settled the 
 question, for this had not dried since the rain had 
 lodged in it, and retained the marks of the foot 
 more correctly than the previous print ; he now, 
 therefore, ascertained, from the impression of a 
 spur, that one of the buffaloes introduced in the 
 northern part of the continent, of which the 
 Malays had told him, had strayed to this point, and 
 the hope of soon reaching a settlement was aban- 
 doned. That he was still within the tropics was 
 rvident from the existence of some Palm-trees ; he 
 diverged from his path to go to them, and finding 
 a young one, he cut off the top, and boiled and ate 
 it for his supper without fear of its indigestible 
 qualities. 
 
 Tired of always seeing tlje same things, the tra- 
 veller longed to go further inland, yet he dared 
 not do so to any extent, from the fear of completely 
 losing his way ; he, however, came to an enormous, 
 round projection of land, and determined to march 
 straight across it. In doing this, however, he was 
 annoyed by the scrub which presented itself; no 
 longer Acacia, but Atriplex of the most matted 
 and entangled kind. It was like navigating to
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 87 
 
 follow any track in wliich the mass of vegetatior 
 was thinned ; but now and then, in parts which had 
 been burnt, and consequently cleared, a beautiful 
 crimson Kennedia had started into being. Poor 
 Tiger was much wearied by lifting his feet straight 
 up to get them out at all, and then stamping them 
 down to crush the stems, and obtain a free footing. 
 Now and then a beautiful creeping plant wculd 
 make its way from underneath, in the shape of a 
 yellow papilionaceous floAver, which Captain Spen- 
 cer believed to be a Dolichos. 
 
 A cloud seemed to pass over the travelling 
 party, when Charlie, who had been flying above, 
 gravely took his seat on the top of Tiger's back, 
 muttering to himself, " All's right ! all's right!" — 
 and looking up, his master beheld a vast flight of 
 Grass Parrakeets taking a direct southerly course, 
 and emigrating, probably in search of food; he 
 fired among them, and brought down several ;. 
 though it grieved him to destroy such pretty crea- 
 tures. "The worst part of my present life,' said 
 he, " is, that I am obliged to kill so many innocent 
 beings; but I must eat." "Must eat," echoed 
 Charlie ; thereby confirming the necessity of the 
 destruction. 
 
 At length water was scarce, and Captain Spen- 
 cer was again obliged to seek some in the vicinity of 
 a clump of green-looking trees. He pushed his way 
 to them as well as he could through the scrub, and
 
 88 AUSTRALIAN "WANDERERS. 
 
 then made his first acquaintance with one of the 
 distinguishing features of Australian vegetation, 
 for thej belonged to the great tribe of Myrtles and 
 the genus Eucalyptus, of which there are so many 
 species, gum-trees as the settlers call them, and to 
 which other English names have been also given, 
 according to their fancied resemblances in taste and 
 smell, such as the Peppermint tree, the Mahogany, 
 the Box, the Paper Bark, &c. Their appearance 
 was peculiar, and the trees had a dull, untidy look, 
 owing to the manner in which the leaves huncj 
 from the twisting of the leaf-stalk, which caused 
 them to present their edges, instead of flat surfaces 
 to the observer. The bark hung in picturesque 
 festoons, and he recognised it as the same which 
 he had applied to the fractured arm of the man on 
 the coast. Under the trees was a pool of water, 
 which had evidently been visited by natives, for 
 the edges had been trodden down by many naked 
 feet ; but, tired of the scrub, he turned again 
 towards the shore, Charlie going before him, and 
 pursuing a curious Dragon-fly* with a bright brown 
 and black body, and an appendage to its tail like 
 two small leaves. Hawk-mothsf were also flying 
 about near the pool, for the sun was fast declining. 
 The moment he was outside the scrub he threw 
 himself on the ground to rest ; and then observing 
 ihat the grass was very long and silky, it struck 
 
 * Petalura, t Deilephila.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 89 
 
 nim that he might contrive a covering for his head, 
 which would be cooler and lighter than the hot 
 cloth and leather of his cap ; and he consequently 
 Beleoted some of the longest blades, and endea- 
 voured to work according to measurement, some- 
 what on the model of his military head-cover, only 
 he was decided on having a very broad brim all 
 round. This occupation carried him far into the 
 night, and intruded upon the next day ; but he de- 
 termined not to leave it till finished. Do what he 
 would, however, the crown obstinately assumed a 
 conical shape, and so added to his height, which 
 was already six feet, and the brim would hang and 
 flap about his face; the former he could not 
 remedy, but he procured some long thorns from 
 an Acacia tree, and weaving them into the brim, it 
 stood out wide and stiff; moreover he, to his great 
 satisfaction, contrived a button and loop, which 
 fastened it up in front at pleasure ; he put his 
 eagle's feathers on one side, and flattered himself 
 that he looked something like the picturesque 
 models of banditti of which he had seen drawings ; 
 but the conceit was soon taken out of him, when 
 Gipsy saw him put it on ; for, fancying he was 
 dressing himself up for fun, she ran round him, 
 jumped and barked, and it was some time before she 
 could be quite reconciled to this new head-dress. 
 *' Gipsy, you are no judge," said her master, as he 
 put his cap into his knapsack ; and at that moment 
 8*
 
 90 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 Charlie, whose chase had been very successful, flei? 
 to him, saying, "Ned Spencer! Ned Spencer! 
 ha ! ha! ha!" 
 
 Another Albatross was seen near the sea, and 
 this time came near enough for the traveller to 
 perceive that it had a rose-coloured beak, that its 
 head and neck were of a deep brown, and that the 
 dark back gradually softened into white under- 
 neath ; the noise which it made was like that of 
 an old goose. Gip evidently expected her master 
 to shoot it ; but he could not eat it, and collections 
 of natural history would have been very cumber- 
 some to carry, so the bird passed over in peace. 
 On the same day a thick haze came over the sky, 
 and so much mirage appeared, that he saw over- 
 head the distant objects to which he was coming, 
 and among others, at what distance he could not 
 tell, a deep ravine too wide to cross, and which 
 would therefore force him to go inland, and skirt 
 its sides. At night a heavy dew fell, and but for 
 his mackintosh, would have wetted him through ; 
 and when he had lain down, and covered himself, 
 Tiger, and Gip, with the tarpauling, he was amused 
 at seemg Charlie also creep under it, saying, "I'm 
 coming, I'm coming!" All four formed a loving 
 party, and he felt that he had the very best sub- 
 stitutes for human companions. 
 
 The next morning Captain Spencer visited the 
 cliffs before he turned inland, for he had full faith
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 91 
 
 in the mirage, though at what distance the ravine 
 might be he could not tell. On going there he 
 saw some small shrubs, among which were Acacias* 
 of a new description, and a Pittosporum,! loaded 
 with ripe, many-seeded berries, which Charlie ace, 
 and therefore his master followed his example, 
 having no fear of their being poisonous. Several 
 snakes were near them, black and yellow, and 
 black and green, which glided into holes in the 
 ground, leaving the marks of their undulating 
 course on the sandy ground of which the cliff was 
 formed, and which he had often seen before with- 
 out knowing what they were, thereby finding that 
 they were numerous, and exciting his gratitude 
 that neither he nor his followers had been bitten. 
 Aland-slip and depression tempted Captain Spencer 
 to go down to the sea-shore, and there he saw 
 whales at a distance, and porpoises swimming one 
 after the other in such a manner that they re- 
 sembled the drawings and prints which he had seen 
 of the Sea-serpent, and he could scarcely persuade 
 himself that they were really not that far-famed 
 mcnster. Again did he catch a turtle, which Gip 
 would not approach ; and again did he bathe with 
 two of his companions. There were plenty of 
 different kinds of shells on this part of the coast, 
 and among them he recognised Cyprese, Coni, 
 Volutes, and Patellae, also some encrmous Venus'a 
 
 * A. ligulata. t P. oleifolium.
 
 i)2 AUSTKALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 Ears,* one of which he formed into a drinking 
 cup, and another into a strainer ; from the former 
 he twisted off the holes through which the inhabi- 
 tant thrusts its tentacula, and filed the edge quite 
 smooth. That same night a large meteor crossed 
 the sky out at sea, leaving a long train of light 
 behind it, and exploded into a shower of star-like 
 sparks. Numerous Petrels of diiferent species 
 hovered about ; and the next morning a large 
 flight of Gannets, extending many yards in length 
 and breadth, passed along at the rate of at least 
 thirty miles the hour. They were evidently going 
 to the south, and some thousands must have been 
 there, for they were an hour and a half in their 
 nassage over the spot where Captain Spencer was. 
 Charlie sat on the top of the cliflF staring up at 
 them, and muttering to himself, and when the last 
 was gone, he burst into a loud " Ha ! ha ! ha !" 
 
 From this point the party proceeded along shore 
 at the foot of the deep red cliffs, till the truth of 
 the mirage was proved, and they reached the 
 mouth of a wide inlet, through which a river waa 
 flowing to the ocean. 
 
 "» Haliotes gigantea.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 I 
 
 Captain Spencer ascends a ravine — Flying Foxes — Green AntS— 
 Hawks, Pelicans, Parrakeets, and cranes — Mullet — Porpoises— 
 Pandanus — Nutmegs — Pigeons, <fcc. — Mosquitoes — Sand-flies— 
 Hears natives — Dangerous attack — Captain Spencer kills a man 
 — He is wounded by a spear — Beautiful plain and lake — AVater- 
 lilies, <fcc. — Residence on the top of a hillock — Native graves — 
 Sees Kangaroos — Tiger loses a shoe — Oats — Kangaroos — Skin 
 prepared — Moccasins made — Frilled Lizzard — Gipsy nearly killed 
 by a Python — Kites and other birds — Cranes — Bitterns — Owls, 
 Ac. — Sow-thistle — Falcon — Shrike — Cuckoo — Captain Spencer 
 rides to native huts — Spear-heads — Circles of stones — Bower- 
 Ijird — Gourd — Cray-fish — Captain Spencer rides over the hills — 
 Caves like temples — Paintings — Vampire Bats — Carved head- 
 Kangaroo — Gouty tree — Vitex — Crabs — Reed — Beetles — Fire- 
 flies — Storm— Provisions collected for journey — The grass hat — 
 A fresh start. 
 
 To ascend the inlet at which he had now arrived 
 on one side, till he could cross the river flowing 
 through it, and then return towards the coast on 
 the other, seemed to Captain Spencer to be the 
 only feasible plan which he could pursue ; for al- 
 though he, Gip, and Tiger could swim well, the 
 current was immensely strong, and the bed of the 
 river full of rocks, so that he would have found it 
 difficult to resist being carried out to sea by the 
 force of the water, and certainly the light Gipsy, 
 and Tiger with his burden, could not get across. 
 (93)
 
 94 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 The idea of being taken by this ravine into a new 
 part of the country would have caused no regret, 
 had he not reflected, that as yet he had made but 
 little way in the many leagues of distance which 
 he had to traverse ; but there was no help for it, 
 and he consoled himself with the prospect of see- 
 ing the interior of a country which he knew to be 
 beautiful, but which had not as yet presented many 
 of its charms to his eyes. He retreated for the 
 night to a distance from the mangroves, and only 
 unpacking what was absolutely necessary to allay 
 thirst and hunger, he wrapped himself in his cloak, 
 and, sheltered by the cliffs, the whole party slept 
 for a few hours. 
 
 The next morning, even before the sun had risen 
 high enough to light up the western ocean, Cap- 
 tain Spencer was ready for starting. The sea was 
 calm, but a heavy tide rolling in shore, gave it that 
 ong, heavy swell, which conveys an idea that the 
 irhole of our planet must more or less partake of 
 the vast movement. None but a very rugged path 
 could be found between the banks of the river and 
 the high cliffs which bordered them ; but Tiger 
 picked his way through, Gip leaped from stone to 
 Btone, and for a time Charlie rode in his usual 
 place on the top of the baggage, as if afraid to 
 trust himself out of sight in a new scene. In 
 their passage close to the mangroves, they dis- 
 turbed numbers of those bats which are called
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 95 
 
 flying Foxes. * and wliic'h his Malays had told hire 
 were good eating ; but he had never tried them ; 
 and now, as they flew past and around him, their 
 musky odour rendered him still more unwilling to 
 convert them into food. With his Indian dislike 
 to mangroves, he hastened on, and was well pleased, 
 after walking for two hours, to find that they alto- 
 gether disappeared, thereby leaving him a ' wider 
 path, skirted on one side by the rushing, tumbling 
 river, and on the other by a thick belt of trees of 
 various kinds, which, in their abundance, frequently 
 spread their branches across the way, to the dis- 
 comfort both of master and horse ; for when they 
 knocked against them, a swarm of green ants, 
 which built their nests among the leaves, dropped 
 upon them and bit them severely. According to 
 his usual custom, when anything annoyed Tiger, 
 his master sought to relieve him from it ; but there 
 was no kind person to perform such an office for 
 himself; and the painful attacks of these little 
 creatures made him rejoice in the brim of his grass 
 hat. The ears of Tiger, however, suffered so much, 
 that he stamped and kicked ; and Captain Spencer 
 contrived, when he rested for the night, to make 
 coverings for them out of one of his handkerchiefs, 
 and hanging from each was a long shred of the 
 same material, which he hoped would also keep off 
 the flies. 
 
 * Pteropus edulia.
 
 96 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 The height of the cliffs, and the dense vegeta- 
 tion rendered the air less fresh than above, but it 
 was far from disagreeable ; these heights were still 
 composed of coarse ferruginous and siliceous sand- 
 stone ; and from the foliage numbers of beautiful 
 parrakeets rushed out, pursued by black-shouldered 
 hawks ; and from the former Captain Spencer did 
 not hesitate to derive two or three meals. Now 
 and then a row of pelicans, with their solemn looks, 
 told him that fishes were to be had in the river ; 
 but these heavy birds slowly flew away at his ap- 
 proach, wheeling off in circles near the ground, 
 and then soaring upwards. Large cranes* also 
 came to feed by the water side, and with their ac- 
 customed fearlessness of man, would probably 
 have suffered him to go by without being disturbed ; 
 but when Tiger appeared he was too much for their 
 courage, and they flew away as if unwilling to go 
 Plenty of mullet in the river explained the pres- 
 ence of these birds, as well as that of some wild 
 ducks resemblinor teal ; and he determined to fol- 
 low their example of having fish for dinner. Un- 
 loading Tiger, he prepared a line and hook, which 
 he took from one of his jacket pockets, and cutting 
 a pole from one of the trees for a fishing-rod, he 
 baited the hook with one of the unknown insects 
 hovering over the water, and seating himself on a 
 fragment of rock, he soon captured a plentiful sup- 
 
 * Ardea antigone (Native companion).
 
 AUSTKALIAN WANDEREKS. 97 
 
 plj ; and, as he drew them out, lie observed that 
 they were of a much paler red than when thev 
 inliabited the ocean. Experience had not taught 
 tliem to avoid man, and they seized on his bait 
 with avidity ; but on hearing a great splashing at 
 some distance, they darted away with the utmost 
 rapidity. A shoal of porpoises had just arrived 
 from sea, and rapidly advancing, overtook the 
 hindmost ; and then Captain Spencer knew it 
 would be in vain for him to compete with his finny 
 rivals ; so while Tiger browsed on the herbage 
 growing between the pieces of fallen stone, he 
 made his fire, roasted his mullet, and he and Gipsy 
 enjoyed an excellent repast. 
 
 The trees under the cliffs were of various kinds ; 
 but the Pandanus,* having the air of a palm-tree 
 with simple fronds, and Nutmeg,t were the most 
 abundant ; the traveller* tasted some of the fruit 
 of the latter, and found it very insipid ; but it was 
 still very young, and in this sheltered ravine was 
 probably never out of fruit and flower. The 
 brightest and most exquisitely-coloured parrots and 
 parrakeets, displaying all the most brilliant plum- 
 age which could be conceived, filled the air with 
 their cries as they came to feed upon the nutmegs ; 
 and equally beautiful, though not so gay, were 
 some white pigeons, which came for the same pur- 
 pose. Of these Captain Spencer secured a pro- 
 
 * Pandanus pedunculatus. f Myristica insipida. 
 
 9
 
 98 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 vision for himself and Gipsy. Various climbing 
 plants crept up the trees, and the bright orange 
 fruits of the Pandanus, having attained something 
 like maturity, afforded an agreeable refreshing 
 pulp at the bottom of each scale, in the manner of 
 the scales of an artichoke. 
 
 Small lateral creeks, or rather fissures, now and 
 then broke the monotony of the vegetation, and 
 at the end of the afternoon's march, the party 
 reached a circular opening, down which a rivulet 
 dropped in tiny cascades. The water of the river, 
 though drinkable, was still a little brackish ; but 
 this was deliciously fresh, and here Captain Spencer 
 determined to remain the whole night. Tiger was 
 freed from his load, the fire was made and lighted, 
 the fiish were split, impaled, and placed over it. 
 Gipsy lay down with her paws crossed to watch 
 the operation, and Charlie, who was always near 
 when in a new place, perched himself upon the 
 rocks, hopping from one to another to catch his 
 insect supper. The birds and fishes were cooked, 
 and all four having feasted to their satisfaction, 
 laid themselves down to rest in their accustomed 
 fashion, as much covered as possible to avoid the 
 mosquitoes ; but the first heavy sleep of fatigue 
 over, rest was gone, in consequence of their old 
 enemies the sand-flies. Gip adopted her usual 
 remedy, which was to creep under the coat which 
 she herself had secured from the wreck, and on
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 9ir 
 
 whicli her master generally slept, where she nestled 
 with one paw over her nose. Poor Tiger, however, 
 had no such remedy, and started and fidgeted, and 
 at last stood up. Captain Spencer turned up the 
 collar of his coat, and huried his face in it, but it 
 was of no use ; he also got up, and tied a hand- 
 kerchief over Tiger's nose and mouth, and en- 
 veloping the whole of his own face in another, 
 and tucking his hands under his sleeves, he seated 
 himself with his back against the cliff, regretting 
 the hei^'hts, where at least he had been free from 
 mosquitoes, and wishing for some mosquito-gauze, 
 throuo-h which he could have seen ; for he well 
 knew the continued torment to which he should be 
 liable whenever he was near water. During his 
 disturbed sleep he fancied he heard some footsteps, 
 and Charlie muttered, Tiger pawed the ground, 
 and Gip withdrew from her covering and barked ; 
 but no molestation followed. In the morning, 
 hoAvever, to his great annoyance. Captain Spencer 
 discovered that there was not only a well-trodden 
 path from above to the spot where he had passed 
 the night, but that there were marks of recent 
 footsteps, which proved that none of them had 
 been mistaken. 
 
 Hastily swallowing his breakfast, and throwing 
 to Gipsy hers, while he saw that his fire-arms were 
 in good order, and loading Tiger, Captain Spencer, 
 fearing some hostile attack, departed early from
 
 too AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 hits bivouac. As hours passed away, and fresh 
 beauties presented themselves to his view, appre- 
 hensions of evil from the natives subsided, and 
 laughing to see how Tiger snorted awaj the flies, 
 and Gip rubbed her nose in the bushes, as they 
 walked on with their eyes almost closed, according 
 to the native fashion, he had some thoughts of 
 resting, when Charlie, who had been occasionally 
 flying ahead of them, quickly returning, exclaimed, 
 "Ned Spencer! Ned Spencer!" and perched upon 
 his master's shoulder. Advancing a few paces 
 into a spot cleared of trees, and full of masses of 
 fallen cliff, the soldier stood opposite to his ene- 
 mies mounted on the top of the cliff, and awaiting 
 his approach. They were headed by a man much 
 taller than the rest, whose face was painted white, 
 to show that he was in mourning ; and he and the 
 others had their spears fixed in their throwing 
 sticks, and uttered the most savage yells. They 
 pointed with firce gestures towards the sea, as if 
 ordering the stranger to return. But the sight 
 of Captain Spencer with Charlie on his shoulder 
 for a moment astonished them ; and the bark of 
 defiance with which Gipsy greeted them, so dif- 
 ferent to the howl of their own dogs, which never 
 bark, arrested them. Then, when Tiger appeared, 
 they fell back, and evidently talked to each other 
 concerning the whole party ; and wishing to con- 
 ciliate. Captain Spencer, unable to find anything
 
 AUSTRALIi^r wanderers. 101 
 
 white as a signal of peace, broke a bough from a 
 tree, and, hokling it up, advanced towards them. 
 Many of them retreated still further ; but the tall 
 man loudly addressed them, with passionate ges- 
 tures, on which they screamed, jumped, bit their 
 beards and spat them out again, and at last the 
 chief hurled his spear; Captain Spencer avoided 
 it by stepping on one side, and thinking that he 
 ought now to show his power, he fired one ball 
 from his pistol over their heads. As it whistled 
 through the air, they stared, and endeavoured to 
 follow it with their eyes ; but they stood their 
 ground ; and when again excited by their head 
 man, a shower of spears was about to be hurled at 
 the party, when the able marksman paralysed the 
 aim of the principal person, by lodging a bullet in 
 his arm. Again were the weapons lowered, and 
 the Englishman tried to advance ; but their leader, 
 in a still greater fury, evidently ordered them to 
 throw their spears. Springing behind a piece of 
 rock, the traveller saved his life ; but one of the 
 spears carried away a part of his valuable grass 
 bat, and another became transfixed in the load on 
 Tiger's back, who raised his head and neighed 
 lOudly, while Gipsy continued to bark, and Charlie 
 to scream overhead. Now, thought Captain Spen- 
 cer, if ever a man were justified in taking away 
 jife in self-defence, I must destroy that fellow ; 
 and, crouching down, and resting his gun upon 
 9*
 
 102 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 the rock, lie fired at the tall enemy, and sent & 
 bullet into his heart. The man instantly fell, and 
 most of his companions crowded round him, Tvhile 
 two or three again hurled their spears. The 
 second barrel of the gun sent a third bullet into 
 the leg of another man, and then all crowded in 
 confusion round the body of their companion, and 
 went away as quickly as possible in the greatest 
 state of alarm and distress ; at which time -Cap- 
 tain Spencer again heard the syllables, " boyl-ya" 
 muttered in an under tone. 
 
 The first impulse of the traveller was to utter 
 his short and fervent thanks to the gracious Pre- 
 server of his life, and then to leave the spot as 
 quickly as possible. On turning round to summon 
 Tiger, he beheld the poor beast on the ground, 
 and in the greatest alarm he ran to his assistance. 
 Anxiety .gave way to joy, when he found that this 
 faithful friend was unhurt, having been brought 
 down by one of the last spears, which destroyed 
 the equilibrium of the baggage. After reloading 
 his gun and pistol, he repacked the baggage, and 
 Tiger was as ready to start as he was. Gipsy had 
 been behind the rock with her master, and so 
 escaped unhurt ; and Charlie issued from a hole, 
 saying, "All's right! I'm coming !" 
 
 Anxious to avoid further surprise. Captain Spen- 
 cer endeavoured to find a way of getting up the 
 cliffs ; but this being impossible, he pushed for-
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 103 
 
 ward at a brisk pace, and went on without stop- 
 ping till nightfall, by which time he had gained a 
 considerable distance. He chose a convenient spot, 
 where there was grass for Tiger, and he and Gip 
 ate cold bird and flour-cake, as he would not light 
 a fire for fear of discovering his whereabouts to 
 the natives. Then he discovered that he was stiff 
 and uncomfortable from a slight wound in the 
 neck, made by the spear which carried away part 
 of his hat. Another spear had made a deep in- 
 dentation on the surface of his powder-flask, and 
 "this hair-breadth 'scape" seemed to promise him 
 that he should be allowed to reach home, regiment, 
 and friends, in safety. He kept the spears which 
 had pierced his hat and upset Tiger's load, think- 
 ing they might be useful in killing quadrupeds, 
 and so save his ammunition. One of them had a 
 head of stone, deeply notched like a series of fish 
 hooks ; and had it entered his flesh, could not have 
 been extracted without either cutting or tearing 
 him terribly; the other was headed by a sharp 
 piece of wood, harder than the shaft of the spear^ 
 He bathed his wound well with cold water, put a 
 soft handkerchief over it, and thus alleviated the 
 pain in some degree. When he settled for the 
 night, and had time to think, he felt greatly dis- 
 tressed at having been obliged to kill the native ; 
 and, restless and feverish, it preyed upon him, 
 although it had been necessary for his own preser*
 
 10-4 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 vation. Tiger and Gipsy were foot-sore from their 
 forced inarch, and he suffered them to sleep in 
 quiet, while he watched over their safety. He did 
 not know if Charlie were apt to talk at night, or 
 whether the disturbance of the day had made a 
 deep impression upon him ; but more than once, 
 during those long hours, he frequently moved his 
 head from under his wing, held it first on one side 
 and then on the other, and after saying, " Such a 
 row ! all's right !" went to sleep again. When the 
 morning began to break. Captain Spencer, rous- 
 ing Gipsy, ordered her to watch, and, quite ex- 
 hausted, he threw himself on the ground, and slept 
 soundly. 
 
 Refreshed by three hours of good rest. Captain 
 Spencer and Gipsy breakfasted upon the scraps 
 of their now scanty stock, and all proceeded at a 
 steady and uninterrupted pace for several hours ; 
 at that time the cliffs began rapidly to decline in 
 height, and the river, though still broad, became 
 more tranquil in its course. Anxious to get out 
 of reach of the mosquitoes as soon as it was prac- 
 ticable for Tiger, Captain Spencer clambered with 
 him and Gip to the top of the cliffs ; and on arri- 
 ving there stood for some minutes in silent admi- 
 ration of the beautiful scene displayed to his 
 observation. A large plain lay below and before 
 him, in which the river, -whose course he had been 
 following, spread into a wide basin or lake, covered
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 105 
 
 mth. white and blue water-lilies, and here and 
 there a head of the pink Nelumbium in the midst 
 of them ; its banks were adorned with reeds and 
 flowering plants ; the long grass of the plain was 
 five feet high, and very silky ; and small hillocks 
 and beautiful shrubs, some of which wxre in flower, 
 and clumps of trees, were spread over the surface. 
 A ridge of sand-hills, with whimsically-shaped 
 heads, looking as if they had been put on by the 
 hand of some mighty man in sport, skirted the 
 eastern part of the plain, and their sloping sides, 
 covered with verdure, almost reached the lake, 
 making this park-like country, hitherto untrodden 
 by the foot of the white man, seem to be a plea- 
 sure-ground ; a dense forest to the south closed 
 the horizon in that quarter. 
 
 On descending into the plain, Tiger could not 
 resist nibbling the delicious bearded grass, and her 
 master could not help laughing at Gipsy, who 
 jumped, and played, and tumbled among the long 
 blades, and yet never got out of them, till, know- 
 ing how tired the poor little animal was, he placed 
 her on the top of his knapsack, while he sought 
 for the best spot in wdiich to find a resting-place. 
 He made his way toward the hills, in order to get 
 ibove the region of water and mosquitoes ; and 
 where, on something like an eminence, he could see 
 around him, and detect the approach of enemies. 
 No traces of natives having been recently there
 
 106 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 could be found ; and he concluded those with whom 
 he had had his late encounter had not taken that 
 direction. 
 
 On the way to the hill a place had been cleare( 
 amongst the grass, and a mound of earth was 
 seen, ornamented with small sticks, some painted 
 with red horizontal marks, and others, which had 
 been scraped, had the shavings twisted round them. 
 At a short distance from this were two heaps of 
 stones ; and taking a large one from the top of the 
 lowest, and peeping in. Captain Spencer discov- 
 ered a skeleton ; he covered the hole again, and 
 concluded that all three mounds were graves, and 
 looking round him, thought he saw some of the 
 inhabitants of the neighbourhood, in the long 
 grass, at a great distance. Notwithstanding his 
 late encounter, he always hoped to be friends with 
 these people, and knew if he could overcome the 
 first hostile feeling, he should probably succeed, 
 for all savages act from impulse, and this once 
 gone by, they will, generally speaking, listen to 
 amicable overtures. Whether men or any other 
 animals, however, the dark moving objects which 
 he saAV suddenly disappeared. 
 
 Captain Spencer had chosen the highest hillock 
 he could find, and thought it would be a com- 
 manding position from which he could watch the 
 approach of an enemy. It was easy of ascent, 
 &nd on reaching the top he first surveyed the
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 107 
 
 country around with his glass, and, to his great 
 delight, those which he thought were men again 
 leaped up, and proved to be kangaroos. Here, 
 then, all his preconceived notions of Australia 
 were to be realized ; and forgetting dangers, sava- 
 ges, mosquitoes, and all disagreeables, he said to 
 his weary companions, as they toiled up the hill, 
 " Cheer up, boys !" " Cheer up, boys !" was 
 echoed by a voice over bis head ; Charlie caught 
 the lively tone, and again and again bade them all 
 be cheerful. For a moment, however. Captain 
 Spencer's pleasure was clouded by seeing Tiger 
 walk as if he were lame, and apprehensively he 
 examined his feet. Fortunately, however, it was 
 nothing more than the loss of one of his shoes ; 
 so when the horse arrived at the top of the hill, 
 he took off the rest, and tied them carefully to- 
 gether, thinking he would present them to some 
 native, who would be glad of the novelty, and 
 Tiger must in future go bare-footed. 
 
 On the top of the hill an irregular surface pre- 
 sented itself, and in one of the depressions he saw 
 a hole ; fearing that it might harbour some beast 
 or reptile. Captain Spencer thrust a spear into it, 
 and found that it was a cave of small extent, and 
 would form a safe hiding-place for all his baggage 
 when he wished to quit it, and might be easily made 
 to conceal it by covering the mouth with grass or 
 bushes. The area of the whole summit was quite
 
 108 ATSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 Bufficient for his purposes of rest and cooking 
 The most urgent necessity now, however, was to 
 allay hunger, and Tiger heing unloaded, began to 
 satisfy his appetite on the long grass, while his 
 master examined the state of his larder. " These 
 bones must do for us to-night, Gip," said he, "for 
 I am too tired to get anything else, and to-morrow 
 we will be afoot early and shoot a kangaroo. We 
 shall have a glorious stock of provisions before we 
 go further south ;" then beating the grass all round 
 to dislodge any unwelcome companion, he fright- 
 ened away some beautiful lizards, and frogs of 
 brilliant colours, and in a short time the whole 
 party was asleep, with a feeling of security which 
 made their slumbers more refreshing. 
 
 Early the next morning, by means of the shovel, 
 the hiding-place was completed, and Tiger having 
 descended the hills, and Charlie started on his 
 foraging excursion. Captain Spencer and Gipsy 
 took their way in search of kangaroos. The atten- 
 tion of the former was, however, immediately 
 arrested by a tract covered with a yellowish grass, 
 and on approaching it, he found that this was a 
 sort of oat,* and not only would it afford the most 
 invigorating food for Tiger, but yield meal and 
 cakes to his master. Although he had not had 
 any breakfast, Captain Spencer turned his "sword 
 into a reaping-hook," cut some down, and calling 
 
 * Fanicum.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 109 
 
 Tiger, placed it on liis back and bore it to the bill, 
 •wbere he spread it to dry upon his large piece of 
 tarpauling. Gip took to her usual hunting, and 
 had already caught and devoured her former food, 
 the kangaroo rats ; and munching some of the oats 
 as he went along, the traveller again started in 
 quest of his long-wished for spoil, this time guiding 
 Tiger to the spot where he might feast. 
 
 Turning to a small tree which grew like a young 
 elm, but which had a dark-green, pointed leaf, he 
 cut it down for fire-wood. The timber was very 
 hard, and dark inside, with a white rim outside it 
 an inch in thickness ; and leaving it to take up at 
 his leisure, he pursued his way to the kangaroos, 
 from which he had been twice diverted; Charlie 
 flying up to him occasionally, and talking like a 
 child from happiness. 
 
 Tall, dark figures, some of which were at least 
 nine feet high, raised their heads from out of the 
 grass, and the wary sportsman stopped; then 
 making a circuit, and keeping his dog close to him, 
 he made good his way to some trees, near which 
 the kangaroos were feeding. Again did the kanga- 
 roos prick up their ears, and again did their enemy 
 pause ; but as they seemed inclined to make off, he 
 fired at the nearest, and it lay dead upon the plain. 
 The report of the gun made the whole herd de- 
 camp at their utmost speed, and Gip started after 
 them, not in the least daunted by their, to her, 
 10
 
 no AUSTRALIAN "WANDERERS. 
 
 unusual appearance, or their novel, leaping gait; 
 ehe sprang after them like a mad thing, and fas- 
 tening upon the ear of the smallest and hinder- 
 most, she there hung. The poor bewildered beast 
 made for a tree, and placing its back against the 
 trunk, kicked with nis hind legs. Had not Gipsy 
 attacked it on one side, she would probably have 
 been torn to pieces by the strong nails of the kan- 
 garoo ; but she kept fast hold till her master came 
 up to her, and with his knife killed the animal, as 
 if he had been a deer-slayer. He was puzzled 
 what to do with this abundance of game ; but call- 
 ing Tiger to him with all the force of his lungs, 
 the good steed heard, and galloped to him at full 
 speed; then laying one portion of the spoil on his 
 back. Captain Spencer walked by his side to the 
 hill, and repeated his journey for the second 
 kangaroo. Charlie, however, who had heard his 
 summons to Tiger, had also come to him, and 
 placing himself on the top of the last kangaroo, 
 screamed out, " Ha ! ha ! ha ! all's right !" 
 
 The whole of the rest of the day was spent in 
 skinning the kangaroos, and cooking their flesh, that 
 it might keep the longer, for which Captain Spen- 
 cer's only resource lay in the tin cans, into which 
 he put large pieces of his game, and boiled it. 
 The kangaroos belonged to the species which has 
 a nail, and a tuft of hair at the end of the tail.* 
 
 * Macropus unguifer.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. Ill 
 
 "And now," said he to himself, "when I havo 
 killed an Emu, I shall be happy to quit Australia 
 the next morning." " The next morning," echoed 
 Charlie, "ha! ha!" 
 
 For some time had the traveller seen with dis- 
 may that his shoos were wearing out ; and now 
 that he found the kangaroo leather to be thick and 
 pliant, it occurred to him that if he could but pre- 
 pare it, he might make some moccasins and stock- 
 ings, and shoes would thus be supplied. There is 
 no telling how much may be done when the inven- 
 tion is sharpened by necessity ; so he dug a hole 
 near the lake, into which the water soon rose, and 
 throwing some pieces of bark, procured from the 
 neighbouring trees, into it, he steeped the skin 
 with them, to imbibe the tannin which they yielded, 
 and let them remain there for some days ; then 
 taking them out, he stretched them on the ground, 
 fastening them down with pegs, and he scraped and 
 beat them till they became perfectly soft and even. 
 By these means, which he adopted as long as he 
 stayed by the lake, he acquired a valuable stock 
 of leather, which was of more use in many ways 
 than he at first anticipated. 
 
 There was no end to the treasures which the 
 plain and its neighbourhood afi"orded, and Captain 
 Spencer determined to profit by them to the 
 utmost: he made a flail with two pieces of stick, 
 fastened to each other ¥ ith a thong of leather, and
 
 112 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 tlii-eslied liis oat-grass ; he then procured two large 
 stones from the range of hills, with which he 
 ground the seeds into meal, Charlie helping him- 
 self very often during the process ; and on this 
 occasion, when he reached the hills, Gripsj gave a 
 muffled bark, and juiaping away from what she had 
 seen, ran to her master, and asked him, as well as 
 she could, also to behold the strange sight. It 
 was another remarkable lizard,* of even more sin- 
 gular appearance than any he had yet met with; 
 its colour was a yellowish brown, variegated with 
 black ; its small eyes were placed in a ridge on the 
 upper part of the head ; the eye-lids, and indeed 
 the whole animal, were encased in scales of various 
 sizes, which more or less projected, and a scalloped 
 frill began at the back of the head, and extended 
 along the sides of the neck, reaching as far as the 
 chest ; it stood upright when Gip approached, was 
 supported by several cartilaginous spines, which 
 proceeded from the tongue-bone, and the outside 
 of it was clothed with scales. When Gipsy went 
 away, this strange appendage was contracted into 
 five plaits, and lay like a tippet upon the shoulders ; 
 the tail was twice as long as the body, and the 
 claws of the feet were hooked. It did not avoid 
 the approach of the strangers, as if it trusted in 
 its frill as a sure defence ; and for a long time did 
 Captain Spencer examine this creature as nearly 
 
 * Chlamydosaurus Eingii.
 
 AUSTRALIAN W A N D E R E |l S . 113 
 
 as he could, and regret that his drawing materiala 
 had been lost in the schooner. 
 
 At length, shouldering the stones. Captain Spen- 
 cer turned towards his temporary abode, and as he 
 continued for a time to skirt the foot of the hills 
 he heard an agonised shriek from Gipsy, who was 
 behind him. Turning his head, he to his horror 
 saw the faithful creature almost enveloped in the 
 folds of a Python. - Twice had the reptile twisted 
 itself round the body of the poor dog, who was 
 almost breathless from fear and pressure ; but 
 quick as thought her master dropped the stones 
 which he was carrying, and being an accomplished 
 killer of serpents in Indian fashion, he knew what 
 to do in Australia, and struck the Python on the 
 tail with his axe, so as instantaneously to render it 
 powerless. It was then easy to release Gipsy, and 
 deprive the snake of its head as well as its tail ; 
 and taking the poor dog up in his arms, he felt her 
 all over with the greatest anxiety, fearing that 
 some of her bones might be broken ; but his suc- 
 cour had been timely, and she was not seriously 
 hurt. She, however, trembled excessively, and 
 licked her master's hand incessantly. He left his 
 pieces of stone for the time, and carried her to his 
 abiding-place, rubbing her as he went along ; he 
 there laid her down on his coat, and he did not 
 leave her till she was fast asleep. It was many 
 
 days, however, before she recovered the squeeze 
 10*
 
 114 AUSTRoLIAX WANDERERS. 
 
 and the alarm, and often awoke in a fright, looked 
 up m her master's face, and repeated her caresses. 
 It was still longer before she would hunt again ; 
 and he left her constantly to keep guard over the 
 baggage, at first taking care not to go out of hear- 
 ing, in case she should announce the arrival of visi- 
 tors, and be too frightened to defend herself. 
 
 Finding that he and Gipsy could not devour two 
 kangaroos, while they were good, when he pro- 
 cured others, Captain Spencer cut the meat into 
 strips, and dried it in the sun; a plan which 
 ansAvered perfectly, and by which means he had 
 always materials in store for a capital stew. He 
 also met with very small marsupial animals, re- 
 sembling mice,* which afforded much sport to Gipsy 
 when she was well enough to catch them, and which 
 he split open, and dried with the kangaroos. 
 
 The number of birds which frequented the beau- 
 tifid spot where Captain Spencer sojourned, would 
 have kept his gun in constant requisition, had he 
 not sought to spare his powder and shot as much 
 IS possible, even seeking for small stones to supply 
 the place of bullets, so much did he fear to be 
 without them in case of an attack from the natives, 
 who, though unseen by him, he was sure were not 
 very far off ; for he frequently, when he looked 
 towards the hills, saw thin columns of smoke 
 ascending above them. With the Kites, and other 
 
 • Acrobata pygmsea.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 115 
 
 birds of the kind, he often had a regular fight at 
 meal-time ; they tried to snatch the meat from his 
 hands ; and he now and then amused himself by 
 throwing pieces of it into the air, and seeing them 
 catch it as it fell. Then the noise and struggling 
 between them was almost deafening ; and on these 
 occasions Charlie, who had been taught to abuse 
 his brother birds, would creep into the hole in the 
 hill, saying, "Great rogues! great rogues!" A 
 few Grows would hover about, but they did not 
 openly snatch their morsels ; and slily coming 
 round at the back, dragged them away, if they 
 were for an instant laid down. Many flights of 
 Cockatoos came into the plain to feed on the nu- 
 merous and beautiful Orchidae which grew there ; 
 and never did they pass overhead without exciting 
 Gipsy's anger. They seemed to be her particular 
 aversion, for which Captain Spencer could not ac- 
 count, till he recollected that, not long before they 
 left Bombay, she had had an encounter with a tame 
 one belonging to a lady friend, in which combat 
 Gip was by no means victorious. 
 
 Several species of Crane frequented the shores 
 of the lake, in which were numerous fishes. One 
 had white plumage ; but the most common was a 
 very large species, which, when he was close, 
 walked familiarly up to the stranger, and even 
 .3uflfered his caresses, but which instantly took flight 
 whenever Tiger appeared, who, as soon as he de-
 
 116 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 Bcried liis master in the plain, danced up to bid 
 him welcome ; it was of a pale gray, with a red- 
 dish tinge on the head.* The Snipes there were 
 large ; and it was most entertaining to see the 
 Plovers use the spurs on their wings when they 
 had a battle with the Crows and Kites. Water- 
 hens and Divers frequented the lake ; Musk Ducks 
 with their strong odour, others like Sheldrakes,t 
 Shovellers, and also common Teal. One sort he 
 watched till it roosted in trees, swinging itself 
 backwards and forwards, and whistling in a pecu- 
 liar manner.- He surprised a Bittern among the 
 reeds, and then could not resist the impulse to 
 shoot it for supper; some exquisite little grey 
 birds, like Eeed-warblers, always flew out of the 
 rushes as he approached ; and at night he distin- 
 guished the almost noiseless flight of the Goat- 
 sucker, with its soft plumage ;| while a melancholy 
 Owl§ worried him with its hootings. 
 
 The oatmeal cakes had been made over and over 
 again, and no Scotchman could have had more 
 pleasure in munching them than Captain Spencer 
 and Gipsy enjoyed, while Tiger revelled in the 
 grass, which waved like rye,|j and for a time was 
 always to be seen in its vicinity, when his master 
 required him. For two days, however, he had 
 
 * Ardea reetirostris. •(• Tadorna Rajah. 
 
 J Podai'gus brachypteruSi § Athene boobook. 
 
 IJ Panicum laevinode.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 117 
 
 moved away to anotlier place, and at niglit sliowed 
 Bymptoms of having eaten a little too much. This 
 excited his master's curiosity ; and going to him 
 on the third day, he found him devouring the com- 
 mon sow-thistle* with as much avidity as if he had 
 been an European horse ; when he called him, he 
 only looked around and neighed, as much as to say, 
 " I shan't come ;" but instantly repenting, he trotted 
 up to his master, and put his nose into his neck. 
 "Your coat shines, old fellow," said the latter, 
 *' as it used to do in India, although I do not often 
 curry you ; but you grow enormously fat, and I 
 must take a few rides upon your back to keep you 
 a proper size, and fit to travel ; so mind, to-morrow 
 we will have a ramble to the other side of the hills, 
 that I may see what lies beyond." That same 
 evening, as Gip and her master were taking their 
 meal, Charlie, who always hovered about near 
 home at that time, and closed the day by having a 
 long talk with Captain Spencer, gave a sort of 
 scream over his head, and calling out his name, 
 dropped on to his knees, and hid himself under 
 his jacket. Gip, who was lying with a piece of 
 kangaroo between her paws, started up ; but her 
 amazement was still greater when she looked down 
 again, for her meat was gone. Charlie had been 
 pursued by a powerful falcon, with a white head 
 and neck, which, disappointed of its living prey, 
 
 * Sonchus.
 
 118 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 had snatclied the morsel from the dog. " Toler- 
 ably impudent, that," said Captain S])encer; "if 
 I settled here, what a falconry I would have !" 
 Charlie was too much frightened to learn his les- 
 son, and his master spoke to him in vain ; but he 
 was surprised to hear himself imitated in another 
 quarter ; he paused to listen, and then he lieard 
 the calls of different birds, and now and then a 
 shrill whistle ; he himself whistled in various tones, 
 which the bird repeated, even catching the tunes 
 he uttered, and then giving a few of its own clear, 
 ringing notes. It came again and again ; and 
 when he had recovered his agitation, this excited 
 Charlie's jealousy. He exerted himself to the 
 utmost to out-do his rival, and as soon as it began, 
 he tried to drown its sounds by his own. He at 
 last fled in a rage to the tree where it was, and 
 frightened away a Shrike, as big as a Thrush, of a 
 dull, brownish black, and a white bar across ita 
 wings. This was a daily amusement ; the human 
 whistler generally giving the signal when he com- 
 menced his supper, and each bird trying which 
 could follow him best. The Shrike, however, 
 never seemed to catch words very distinctly. Birds 
 of splendid plumage were to be seen, which were 
 wholly new to the traveller ; and Pigeons of singu- 
 lar beauty abounded. One had bronzed wings, 
 and another* resembled a quail in size and habits, 
 
 * Geophaps plumifera.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDEREKS. 119 
 
 ran along the ground, had a long, pointed crest, 
 and fed in families of eight or twelve. One of 
 the Cuckoo tribe* looked something like a pheas- 
 ant, but had two toes before and two behind, like 
 a parrot; it climbed trees, and as it ran in the 
 grass, made a noise like whir-r-r-r. Multitudes of 
 Swallows, Finches, anJ other kinds hovered round 
 the traveller's resting-place, to pick up the grass- 
 seeds and scraps which had accidentally fallen : 
 and seeing this, he scattered some on purpose, by 
 which means he gathered round him all the feath- 
 ered tribes of the neighbourhood ; and sometimes, 
 while they were scrambling for their morsels, 
 Gipsy's aversions, some black, some white, with 
 scarlet and sulphur crest, some rose-colour, and 
 accompanied by Parrots and Parrakeets of rain- 
 bow hues, all dashing in among the lesser birds, 
 would assert the right of the strongest, and bear 
 away their prizes. On all these occasions Charlie 
 was evidently very much annoyed, and hopped up 
 to his master, repeating, " Great rogues! great 
 scoundrels, Ned Spencer !" 
 
 In pursuance of his design. Tiger was one morn- 
 ing desired to stop and feed at home, and received 
 an unusual portion of cleaning from his master ; 
 uhe saddle and bridle were put on, and when Cap- 
 tain Spencer mounted on his back, he capered and 
 danced about half mad with delight, while Charlie 
 
 * Cuculus pbasianus.
 
 liO AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 flew overhead laughing with all his might, till ihfi 
 Shrike hegan to imitate, and then he flew away, 
 muttering ahout rogues and scoundrels. The first 
 point to which Captain Spencer rode was that ot 
 some native hute which he had discovered with his 
 telescope ; they were built like bee-hives, and 
 thatched with long grass ; the entrance was small, 
 and placed opposite to the wind which most fre- 
 quently blew there ; they were entirely deserted, 
 and on dismounting to examine them, ail that 
 could be discovered inside were some fragments of 
 agate for the making of spear-heads, with the 
 stones used in chipping them into shape ; one of 
 them had been left half finished, and was of a 
 pretty green colour. Outside the huts were seve- 
 ral circles of large stones, paved at the bottom, 
 and heaps of broken shells were scattered around, 
 as if they had been crushed by the lesser stones 
 lying about; rude troughs of bark, and places 
 where grass-seeds had been evidently ground, some 
 of the meal still adhering to them, were mixed 
 with these circles, and broken shields, also of bark, 
 were close by. 
 
 On riding away from the village. Tiger almost 
 stepped upon what his master thought Avas a bird's 
 nest; but it was the playground of the Bower- 
 bird,* formed of twigs and grass, so as to make 
 nearly an arch, and on the ground underneath an(J 
 
 * Cblamydera uuclialis.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 121 
 
 ubout were pieces of broken shells, bright pebbles, 
 which evidently came from the sea-shore, feathers, 
 flowers, and fruit-stones. At the time he could not 
 comprehend it ; but he afterwards came upon an- 
 other, and there saw speckled brown and white 
 birds enticing each other to run backwards and 
 forwards under the arch. On returning through 
 the plain, he saw two trailing plants of the Gourd 
 kind, one with red and white oblong fruit, and the 
 other with fruit the size and shape of an orange, 
 of a bright scarlet ; he ventured to taste them, but 
 they were much too bitter to swallow. 
 
 " I think, Gip," said Captain Spencer, when he 
 reached home, " that you ought to try and run 
 about now; I am sure you are quite well;" so 
 taking her in his arms, he carried her to the banks 
 of the lake, v,hcre he placed her on the ground. 
 She had recovered frorH the pressure of the snake, 
 but was a little stiff for want of exercise ; how- 
 ever, she in a short time ran about gaily, though a 
 little nervous, and started at the frogs which hopped 
 before her ; but all at once she gave a cry, and 
 looked at her master, as she always did when she 
 had made a discovery. On reaching the spot, he 
 could not help laughing at the poor little animal, 
 for one of a regiment of Cray-fish had nipped her 
 nose, as she placed it within reach of its claw. 
 This was an important addition to the already long 
 ]'st of eatables ; and fetching a bag from the hil- 
 11
 
 122 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 lock, lie carried many of them Lome, plunging 
 them into boiling water to kill them immediately 
 for his supper. They accounted for the broken 
 shells which he had seen at the huts, and which at 
 the time he thought must have belonged to Crus- 
 tacejB. " I do not think I have sufficiently ex- 
 plored this lake," said he; "and after having been 
 to the other side of the hills to-morrow, I will see 
 more of it." 
 
 At first Gipsy started as usual with her master, 
 but when she found where he was going, she hung 
 her tail and head, and whined. " Go home, good 
 dog !" said her master, pitying her natural appre- 
 hension ; she did not wait to be twice told, and 
 scampered back at full speed, not, however, with- 
 out now and then stopping to give a wistful look at 
 Captain Spencer. Tiger and he scrambled up the 
 rude acclivities, and on reaching the top of the 
 ridge, he found that it formed the boundary of the 
 fertile country in which he had stationed himself. 
 They overlooked an immense district of scrub and 
 shrubby trees, intermingled with small patches of 
 Eucal^-ptus, some of which rose to a lofty stature. 
 As far off as he could distinguish anything, he saw 
 a range of blue hills running N.N.E. and S.S.W., 
 much more lofty than those on which he stood, and 
 yet not very high, which sent off lateral branches, 
 and gave indication of basaltic structure in places ; 
 ^he branches evidently consisted of horizontal
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDEEERS. 123 
 
 Strata of ancient sandstone, and he tliouglit that 
 behind them was that mysterious interior, which 
 was })j some supposed to contain a large inland 
 sea, and by others to consist of a desert district of 
 sand. Dark and gloomy ravines seemed to exist 
 between the hills ; and now and then a silver- 
 like thread marked the course of a small river, in 
 the vicinity of which rose the smoke of several 
 fires. 
 
 Cautiously descending the further side of the 
 hills which bordered the plains, Captain Spencer 
 found that they were composed of nearly hori- 
 zontal strata of diiferent coloured sandstone ; but 
 rain and time had caused the soil to crumble in 
 some places, leaving that which still stood in vari- 
 ous forms, such as pillars, overthrown obelisks, 
 gigantic, statue-like pieces ; and one part looked 
 so like a ruined temple, that he made his way to- 
 wards it in spite of the wiry spinifex scrub which 
 he had to encounter. A little imagination would 
 have persuaded him that these fallen masses were 
 the works of a race which had now disappeared ; 
 some of the pillars were encircled by an insignifi- 
 cant-looking, but sweet-sm.elling Jasmine, and on 
 others were magnificent creepers. Still further 
 on he found caverns, and dismounting, he was de- 
 sirous of entering them in the hope of finding 
 fossils. In this he was disappointed ; but he there 
 met with what astonished him much more — paint-
 
 12i AUSTRALIAN AYAN0ERERS. 
 
 ings of gigantic figures, wliicli showed a greate? 
 deorree of civilization anions the natives than he 
 thought they possessed. The roof of one of these 
 caves was sloping, and on it was portrayed a huge, 
 grim personage, in red and white colors on a black 
 ground, having red rays all round the head, and 
 a circle of yellow round each eye ; other faces on 
 the sides were merely surrounded with a rim oi 
 blue and red, and none of them had any mouths ; 
 on one was a necklace, and this seemed to be in- 
 tended to represent a female. 
 
 Surprised and interested in his discovery. Cap- 
 tain Spencer visited these caves several times, and 
 found others at a little distance, but which did not 
 all contain paintings ; in one of them was an 
 enormous black hand, which produced a startling 
 effect, from appearing to issue from a crevice in 
 the wall ; and in this cave he disturbed a number 
 of vampire bats as he entered, which flew out with 
 a screeching noise, and filled the air with a disa- 
 greeable odour, resembling mildew ; they settled 
 on a bamboo-looking tree close by, which they 
 almost bent to the ground by the weight of tlieir 
 numbers. He then came to another cave, in which 
 was a rude painting of a man carrying a kangaroo, 
 and also a number of those animals with a spear- 
 head flying among them. What -the pigments were 
 which had been used. Captain Spencer could not 
 tell ; but they were evidently mineral, and were
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 125 
 
 uot to be defaced either by rubbing or washing. 
 Some little distance from the caves, a hmnan head 
 was carved on the surface of the rock, and not at 
 all resembling an Australian in features. It was 
 the. best specimen of artistic skill which had yet 
 appeared, was two feet long, and fourteen inches 
 broad ; the ear was in the right place, and it 
 seemed to have been cut with a better instrument^ 
 than the stone knives and hatchets which he had 
 heard that the natives alone possessed. The edges 
 were round, as if it had been done some time ; 
 and further on was a figure without a mouth, 
 dressed in a red gown, which reached from the 
 head to the feet. 
 
 Hours were passed in the examination of these 
 extraordinary works of art, and then hunger 
 pressed Captain Spencer to return ; he and Tiger 
 again clambered up the hills, and in so doing dis- 
 turbed a species of kangaroo, which he had not 
 found in the plain,* and which he shot and slung 
 across the saddle before him. He passed many 
 trailing plants, such as Convolvuli and Ipomese ; 
 and as he descended on the other side, he came 
 upon a very extraordinary tree,f the stem of 
 which, at the bottom, swelled into a protuberance 
 like an old-fashioned decanter ; and it had hori- 
 zontal branches, with palmate leaves. He got off 
 his horse to examine it; and cutting the trunk 
 
 *Petrogal6 brachyotis (Gould.) t Sterculia. 
 
 11*
 
 126 AUSTRALIAN WANBEilERg. 
 
 with his hatchet, he found that the "wood was 
 stringy, and contained an agreeable, mucihiginous 
 pulp, some of -which he carried home as a variety 
 of food for supper. A beautiful trailing Yitex, 
 with a white blossom, covered the rugged sand- 
 stone in many parts ; and in the plain some bright 
 blue flowers, very like those of the borage, at- 
 tracted his attention ; while a tree like a horse- 
 chesnut carried his thoughts far away. 
 
 As soon as Captain Spencer left the hills, Gip, 
 who was on the watch, ran to meet him, and Tiger's 
 friendly salute was that of taking her up by the 
 skin of her back, and giving her a good shaking, 
 which proof of love seemed rather pleasing to her 
 than otherwise. The kangaroo was placed in 
 safety for the night, and prepared the next morn- 
 ing ; after which Captain Spencer more minutely 
 examined the lake and its productions, preferring 
 the middle of the day on account of the mosqui- 
 toes, and taking his shovel in his hand. Here he 
 found such treasures that he returned to the spot 
 several times. Of animal productions he met with 
 Unios, or fresh-water muscles, of which he took 
 away a great bagful, also some of the numerous 
 other Mollusca with which the shore abounded.* 
 A whole army of Crabs was marching from one 
 spot to another, each with the left claw much larger 
 than that on the right side ; water-beetles, and 
 
 ♦Planorbis, Ancycius, Paludina, Cyclas.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 127 
 
 small, merry Cicadse abounded. The greatest of 
 the treasures, however, was the fresh-water Turtle, 
 which was excellent eating. 
 
 Of vegetable food, Captain Spencer secured 
 some of the tubers of the Cooper's Reed,* and 
 the Bulrush, f which he had heard of persons eat- 
 ing in England, and which, when well roasted, 
 were so farinaceous that they formed an excellent 
 substitute for flour. Nor did he neglect to secure 
 some of the seeds of the Water-lilies, especially 
 those of the Nelumbium, which his Indian experi- 
 ence told him, when roasted, were very like coffee. 
 A plant very like the Papyrus was plentiful ; but, 
 as evening approached, he did not stop to gather 
 it, the more especially as he was very wet from 
 wading into the water in search of provisions. As 
 he returned to his hillock heavily laden, he ob- 
 served there was an unusual appearance of insects ; 
 when Tiger came home for the night, some green 
 flies were annoying him very much ; beetles with 
 tiny plates, or lamellae, on their antennae, knocked 
 against his face ; and Charlie, as he returned, 
 chased a large Sphynx moth. When the sun had 
 quite sunk, one part of the plain was brightly 
 illuminated, which told of the gambols of fire-flies, 
 and which the* traveller was accustomed to see in 
 India, though probably not the same species. As 
 he and Gip supped together, the howls of some 
 
 * Arund« phragmites. f Typha Chara.
 
 128 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 animal saluted his ears, which niiide Gip prick up 
 hers ; and he imagined it to proceed from the 
 native doss. Charlie began to croak, and mutter 
 to himself, as he always did when he was dis- 
 turbed. These mysteries were explained by thick, 
 heavy masses of clouds, which were gathering to 
 sea-ward, and the traveller prepared all his cover- 
 ings to escape a wetting. He defended himself 
 and companions, with the tarpauling and skins ; 
 Charlie crept into the cave with the baggage ; and 
 glad was his master that he had repaired the tar- 
 pauling with the bags, and used the kangaroo 
 leather in their stead. Before he lay do^-n, how- 
 ever, fearing that the water would stand in the 
 hollow where they were placed, he dug a sort of 
 sluice, by which the rain, when it came, as it did 
 with tropical fury, in torrents, ran off down the 
 hill, and they remained perfectly dry. 
 
 Although not injured by the storm, it had bro- 
 ken into the general routine of everything around 
 him ; it had swelled the lake, and consequently 
 there would be some unhealthy exhalations ; and 
 it was probably the last for a long time, when the 
 dry season would come for months, and the tra- 
 veller began to think that he ought not lo linger 
 in that plentiful spot as he did ; and once con- 
 vinced of the necessity of departure, he made 
 preparations for it ; resolving all the time, that if 
 he were ever to settle in Australia, he would come
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. l£y 
 
 there ; for he thought the bed of the river might 
 be improved so as to admit of navigation, and if 
 not, that it at all times afforded a plentiful supplj 
 of water. The grass was of the most superior 
 kind, and covered an immense tract ; the climate 
 was delightful ; the abundance of Eucalypti and 
 Acacias, at a little distance, would afi"ord materials 
 for building, thatching, tanning, &c. ; and the 
 stones on the hills would serve for many purposes. 
 There had been no drawbacks that he had seen, 
 except a few reptiles, which would soon desert the 
 haunts of man, or be extirpated ; and surely the 
 natives might be conciliated. He wound up his 
 eulogium by saying, " None but those who have 
 lived in the countries where ferocious beasts 
 abound, can appreciate the feelings of security 
 which their certa'n absence afi'ords. I shall take 
 care to inform the good people of Perth what a 
 treasure they possess within their reach, though 
 at some little distance, I suspect." 
 
 That day Captain Spencer began to collect food 
 for his march, and in the course of his researches 
 he stumbled en some Cycas trees, growing in ?* 
 sandy, rotter soil, and which were from ten to 
 twenty feet hign, full of half-ripe fruit. He cut 
 down two, on which this fruit was the least ad- 
 vanced, and extracted the pith-like sago from" the 
 stems ; then gathered some of the cone.s of the 
 others, and when he took them to the hill, lu cut
 
 ii 30 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 tliem into slices, and dried tliem with the pith, so 
 aa to be put into bags. He had always remarked 
 that there Avas a great scarcity of butterflies ; but 
 on this day he discovered some of the Meadow- 
 brown, one with a broad yellow spot on the wings,* 
 and those which live on the chalky soils of Great 
 Britain ; he also saw some of the Bower-birds on 
 some high trees, as if seeking their fruit. 
 
 While his flour of various kinds was drying, 
 ani the kangaroo meat and fishes curing in the 
 sui-, Captain Spevicer Avashed his clothes in the 
 lake, soaking ihein in the water, stamping on them 
 in the manner of the Indians, and occa.sional]y 
 beating them, for he thought the absence of soap 
 could alone be made up by manual labour ; which 
 labour, however, wore out the materials much 
 sooner than common washing or friction would 
 have done ; and he saw w'ith dismay that his linen 
 was likoly to disappear. In his washing labours 
 he disturbed several water inseors, but they were 
 unknown to him ; and on his return by a diiferent 
 path, he was surprised at some plants which re- 
 sembled Carrots ; he was rather suspicious of any 
 vegetable which bore such a leaf, but he pulled 
 one up, ant' to his surprise found that its root per- 
 fectly carried out the resemblance, and after cook- 
 ing it, he was convinced that it was wholesome 
 food. He therefore procured a stock of them, 
 
 ' Papilio Sthenelus.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 131 
 
 chiefly to surprise Tiger with after a long march. 
 Much of the meal of various kinds was made into 
 cakes ; a few cured Unios were added to the ani- 
 mal portion ; and a new grass hat was not for- 
 gotten. It was not any improvement on the first, 
 it must bo owned ; and the manufacturer was pain- 
 fully convinced of his want of talent for that 
 peculiar department. The arms and tools were 
 well cleaned and put in order, and Tiger received 
 two or three most careful dressings. The moment 
 the baggage was put on his back, he altered his 
 demeanour: he seemed to consider that he was 
 then a horse of responsibility, and gave up dancing 
 and jumping ; while Gip also began her journey 
 at a sober pace. The only one of the party whose 
 spirits became raised on the occasion was Charlie, 
 who delighted in movement and bustle of any 
 kind ; and when the party started, flew round 
 and round, screaming, "Hurrah! I'm off! hxi 
 ha ! ha !"
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Si'.ake — Huts — Bark bedsteads — Ovons — Basalt — Luxuriant graP8 
 — Gorge — Another gouty-stemmed tree — Captain Spencer do- 
 sires to go to the interior — Scrub — Fishes — Gum-troes — Large 
 f 3h — Birds — Flying Opossums — Insects — Fusanus — Casuarina — 
 Dragon-fly — Sun to the north — Tiger's hoofs worn — Tiger's 
 socks — Mesembryanthemura- — Jerboas — Bustard — Native grave 
 —Melaleuca — Lark — Natives and dogs — Dogs rush on Gipsy — 
 Captain Spencer saves the dog — Natives equipped for war^ — Cap- 
 tail. Spencer separated from his arms- — Dances to conciliate na- 
 ti\ »« — Reaches his fire-arms — Frightens the natives — Tiger comes 
 "; , and they are still more frightened — Natives run off — Tombs 
 possums— Magnetic hills — River — Black Swans — Zamia — 
 Captain Spencer poisoned by nuts — Conduct of his companions — 
 iecovers — Yams — Moths -^Peppermint — Grass-trees — Natives 
 and dogs come upon Captain Spencer when cleaning arms — He 
 frightens them away- — Uninhabited villages — Yam-grounds — 
 Howls of dogs — Splendid Pelargonium — Tiger attacked by a 
 venomous Snake — In saving the horse Captain Spencer is bitten 
 — Almost dies — Recovers — Natives blow at him— Uen-Turkey — 
 Native hut for watching prey — Birds — Directs his way south — 
 AVater scarce — Tiger drinks all from one can — Protece. 
 
 From a former study of the maps of Australia, 
 and a guess at the distance which he had come, 
 Captain Spencer imagined that he had reached a 
 bulging projection of land which lies on the wes- 
 tern side of the continent ; and deeming it super- 
 fluous to go round it, and so keep close to the coast, 
 as he had at first intended, he determined to shape 
 his course directly south, and to march across it. 
 ( 132 )
 
 AUSTBALIAN WANDERERS. 133 
 
 Scrub began to take the place of grass ; but Tiger 
 managed to get through it, and from it rose a tall, 
 strong gum-tree, whose stem took an oblique direc- 
 tion. Upon it was crawling a large Lizard,* mea- 
 suring at least six feet in length, and making a 
 disagreeable noise. When Gipsy saw it, she beg- 
 ged so earnestly to be taken up, that her master 
 lifted her on to his knapsack ; and glad was he, a 
 few minutes after, that he had yielded to her en- 
 treaties ; for a light-brown snake, with dark-stripes 
 on its back, slipped through the grass where it hud 
 been coiled up ; and as it hid itself in the scrub, 
 he saw by its flattened head that it was venor us; 
 ant-hills again occurred, and he perceived t' ''jt 
 these clever architects mix much clay with thf/ 
 sand of their dwell higs, in order to cement it. He 
 came upon paths worn by natives, and luet with 
 what he at first thought to be mere temporary 
 screens, but which he afterwards found to be more 
 permanent dwellings. They consisted of several 
 boughs of trees stuck into the earth, and then tied 
 together, on the top of a forked stick, so that they 
 were entirely open in front. About them were 
 sharp pieces of chipped basalt, and long narrow 
 troughs 01 bark, which had all the appearance of 
 bedsteads, placed round a spot Avhcre there had 
 been a fire. The circles of stones were repeated, 
 :md in them were some remains of eggs, which had 
 
 * Igiir.iia. 
 
 12
 
 134 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 been roasted ; and he at once guessed that they 
 were ovens, from which the owners had probably 
 made a hasty retreat. He dismounted, and going 
 to the top of the hills, which he was still skirting, he 
 saw a large body of people carrying on their usual 
 occupations. They had, then, been close to him 
 while living in the plain, and why he had been left 
 •:.nmolested, he could not imagine ; for his preser- 
 vation, however, he poured forth an especial prayer 
 of thanksgiving, and entreated for a blessing upon 
 hif; future journey. 
 
 The ground Avas for some time swampy ; and as 
 long as that and the sand-hills lasted, the annoy- 
 ance of flies and mosquitoes continued. Basalt, 
 liowever, began to show itself, and they decreased ; 
 the p'ound became hirder, but of course the sup- 
 ply cf vater was less abundant, and a short, dry 
 hcrl^ age took the place of the long, silky, and lux- 
 uriar t gras: in Avhich Tiger had been lately revel- 
 ling. Strange birds flew over their heads, for 
 which Charlie always prepared by flying closer to 
 the party. "Valley succ3eded to valley ; these 
 often with such steep and rugged banks, that Ti- 
 ger's load had to be carried for him piecemeal, be- 
 cause of the slanting position he was obliged to 
 assume ; but he scorned to be led, and never missed 
 his footing. He and Charlie provided for them- 
 selves.; and as his master and Gip used their
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 135 
 
 ample stock but sparingly, there was no occasion 
 to renew it for many days. 
 
 In a deep, narrow gorge, more like a crevice 
 than the bed of a river, a happy discovery of wa- 
 ter was made, which in some measure tempered 
 the oppressive atmosphere in that great crack ot 
 the earth. Growing in a nook of the rock. Cap- 
 tain Spencer saw another gouty-stemmed tree, the 
 enlargement of which took place at a greater dis- 
 tance from the ground than in the first. He ex- 
 amined it, and could scarcely avoid pronouncing it 
 to be a Capparis, very different to the previous 
 gouty tree in all but its stem ; its branches were 
 loaded with hanging fruit about the size of a cocoa- 
 nut, havhig a brown outer rind, and a shell be- 
 neath, which was easily broken. Within were 
 several seeds, surrounded by a soft white p dp ot 
 very agreeable flavour; and he gathered S)me. 
 which he added to Tiger's load. It was so I'ko 
 the other gouty or bottle tree in shape, that h-' 
 could scarcely persuade himself thut two of differ- 
 ent genera, or even families, shodid so resemble 
 each other in form ; and he cut the stem, and frnm 
 it he also extracted a pith, which came out in 
 strings like macaroni, some of which accidentall\ 
 fell into one of the cans of water, to which it im 
 parted a slightly acid flavour, and transformed i: 
 into a very agreeable beverage. Tiger took suci) 
 a fancy to it, that bo pushed his nose into the can,
 
 186 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 like a spoiled horse as he was, and almost took it 
 bj main force. Some of this pith was also col- 
 lected and put into the bags ; but as the traveller 
 went on, he pondered on the similarity and differ- 
 ences of the trees, and not arriving at any conclu- 
 sion, he then thought that he must have been mis- 
 taken in both of these singular vegetables 7 but he 
 afterwards found that there were two distinct kinds. 
 
 The plentiful supplies which Captain Spencer 
 had hitherto met with admitted of no apprehen- 
 sions for the future, and it flashed into his mind 
 that it would be a noble undertaking to go directly 
 across the continent from west to east ; and the 
 spirit of discovery became stronger in him every 
 day ; but fortunately for his own preservation, he 
 recollected the fearful accounts which had been 
 brought of the interior of that vast continent by 
 those who had penetrated furthest ; and common 
 sen e whispered in time, that it would be fool- 
 hardy to rush unadvisedly upon what threatened 
 destruction. Yet, as he turned unwillingly from 
 the idea, he involuntarily exclaimed, " Our wants 
 are so fcAv, we are so inured to climate and expos- 
 ure, and my beasts are so well trained, that we 
 sh'iuld perhaps stand a better chance than those 
 travellers whose numbers alone impede their pro- 
 g;ress, from the quantity of water and provision 
 which they require." 
 
 The way for some time presented nothing that
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 137 
 
 Was bad, the depressions in the ground amounting 
 to furrows, which seemed as if they took the direC' 
 tion of the coast, and perhaps, in rainy seasons, 
 conveyed the water of the interior to the ocean. 
 This idea was confirmed by occasionally finding 
 some pools of water in them, which had not yet 
 been dried up by the sun ; and they were so cool 
 and shady, that they presented tempting resting- 
 places. Captain Spencer, however, did not remain 
 long in them, for fear of being surprised there by 
 the natives, and also from some apprehension that 
 they might engender fever. In one of them he 
 found some long-necked Turtles, and caught some 
 fishes of the Perch kind ; nor were tlie opportu- 
 nities of washing linen and bathing neglected. 
 
 On the plains above, eternal scrub beset the 
 wayfarers, wliich assumed various shapes, all of 
 which were different, and at times impossible to 
 cross ; often composed of different sorts of Aca- 
 cia, the leaves totally unlike those which Captain 
 Spencer had been in the habit of seeing ; then of 
 Atriplex, which well deserved its name of horrida, 
 but the vouna; shoots of which Tiger nibbled with 
 much satisfaction. Again, there was the Callith- 
 rix, with its yellow flowers. " What European," 
 said he, "could form an idea of tliese scrubs with- 
 out seeing them ? Even if I were to say that they 
 were like exaggerated furze-bushes matted toge- 
 ther in every direction, th^y could scarcely com' 
 12 *
 
 138 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 prehend the impenetrability of Australian wastes." 
 The old author's* terra, ^^ quasi diabolus," as ap- 
 plied to the prickly Spinifex, recurred to his me- 
 mory ; and while he smil'ed at it, he never forgot 
 it when he travelled through or thought of a scrub. 
 The only use which he could find for such bushes 
 was to form hiding-places for the rats and mice 
 which Gip dragged from under them, or to rid Ti- 
 ger of the flies when he plunged his head in for 
 that purpose. 
 
 It was in the water lying m the crevices that the 
 
 objects of greatest interest existed ; and in order 
 
 to catch the Jew Fishes, | Captain Spencer fastened 
 
 tlic hook and line on to one of his spears, and 
 
 baited the formei- with pieces of tortoise ; besides 
 
 these were Perch, some small, and others of the 
 
 Carp kind, yellow in colour, and having dark Ion 
 
 gitudinal lines. On one occasion he was surprised 
 
 Dy a Saw-fish, which had probably come up the 
 
 •avine in a high tide, and could not get back again ; 
 
 it was, however, in a very languishing condition. 
 
 He found a large fish,| which had evidently 
 
 entered the river for the purpose of spawning, and 
 
 it provtd an excellent addition to the larder for 
 
 himself and Gip who now ate fish like a NeAvfound- 
 
 land dog. The gum-trees were not very plentiful 
 
 n these spots, but occasionally a tall, rugged stem 
 
 r yr^ far above the lesser trees, and threw its long, 
 
 * Diuiipier. | Gristi's. J Sciaena.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 139 
 
 sprawling arms about, which bore tufts of bright 
 green, poplar-like leaves at the ends of them, and 
 on which sat multitudes of tiny birds. The bark, 
 like coarse white paper, hung in a profusion of 
 shreds, strings, and festoons, from the trunk and 
 larger branches. Thousands of Pigeons of various 
 kinds — Parrots, with their short, low flight — Parra- 
 keetslike rainbows — Cockatoos of great beauty, and 
 Hawks, would occasionally rest on the tops of the 
 trees, as they passed on their journey, or fed on the 
 fruit of a shrub with stiff leaves, covered with ber- 
 ries like red acorns, enclosing two bitter seeds. 
 Owls made a sort of barking noise in the most re- 
 tired parts ; where also were Flying Opossums ;* 
 bird's nests, out of which he now and then took 
 one or two eggs ; a Craticus,t with a strong, straight 
 bill, hooked at the end, and magnificent plumage, 
 excited Charlie's ire by its imitations ; but he re- 
 velled in the abundance and variety of insects, the 
 principal of which were two kinds of Danais ; one 
 having light green transparent spots on its dusky 
 brown wings. He also feasted on a butterfly very 
 like that of the Cabbage butterfly of England, and 
 countless numbers of beautifully coloured flies, 
 beetles, bees, and wasps. A species of Sphex, and 
 a green Chrysis, seemed very much to affect a 
 Tournefortia,J with silvery white leaves. A Fusa- 
 aus, with globular fruit, like a small apple or Sibe< 
 
 * Petaurus Svcardus. t C. destructor. J T. argentes.
 
 140 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 rian crab, but which had a large rttugh kernel, waa 
 most refreshing in the middle of one very hot day ; 
 he also observed a species of the Fig-tree* tribe, 
 with several other plants which the traveller 
 scarcely expected to find there ; but when there 
 was nothing remarkable in them of rarity or 
 beauty, he passed them with a casual glance. Not 
 so, however, a huge Eucalyptus, nearly covered 
 with a rich drapery, formed by a luxuriant creep- 
 ing-plant, which bore the appearance of a vine, 
 from its hanging bunches of fruit, resembling black 
 grapes both in taste and colour, and the seed 
 within very like coffee. 
 
 A gradual change had been taking place in the 
 vegetation of the country, the only persisting fea- 
 ture of Avhich continued to be the several kinds of 
 scrub ; and Captain Spencer now came upon an- 
 other of the Avonders of the land ; the Casuarina, 
 with its articulated, leafless branches, looking like 
 a gigantic horse's tail, over which one of the 
 Honeysuckle kindf flung its trailing branches ; he 
 thought also that he perceived some plants of In- 
 digo ; and a prickly Solanum close by wounded 
 bis fingers, as he attempted to gather it for inspec- 
 tion. It was Charlie who generally called hia 
 attention to the insects as he pursued them ; and 
 one day he heard a great buzzing noise from a 
 Dragon-fly,j" which was trying to escape him ; the 
 
 * Ficus. t Loranthub. t Thopha saccata.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 141 
 
 bird brought it to him at his desire, and he found 
 it had a brown body, very clear wings, and a bag 
 on each side of its head ; he afterwards saw one of 
 the same kind with white bags in the same place. 
 There was a plentiful appearance of short-nosed 
 Beetles, with little tubercles all over the wing- 
 cases ; and others, with long horns, and red 
 patches of colour, formed by minute scales, became 
 quite troublesome. 
 
 A narrow river, which had once flowed freely, 
 ■was now dwindled to a thread, making the travel- 
 ler apprehend a time of suffering and scarcity. As 
 he sat down by it, he laid his compass on the 
 ground ; and although the sun had constantly been 
 behind him as he walked, he started when he was 
 so plainly convinced that it was to the north of 
 him, and that he had passed the southern tropic ; 
 he knew it must be so, and could not help laugh- 
 ing at himself for thinking it strange to look for 
 warmth and sunshine from that point of the compass. 
 Having for a few hours since he left the river, tra- 
 versed a sterile region, he perceived Tiger walk- 
 ,ng as if he were lame, and he stopped to examine 
 his feet ; the removal of a stone restored him to 
 his usual gait, but his master was dismayed to find 
 how much the constant marching had worn hio 
 hoofs, now they were no longer protected by shoes, 
 and had often encountered rough ground ; he de- 
 termined to rest, therefore, for a short time, and
 
 IA2 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 try to cover tliem with the thickest of his kanga- 
 roo leather, anti shoe him as he had shod himself. 
 He accomplished this Avith some little difficulty; 
 and when he put the coverings on to the beast, he 
 slipped about as if he did it on purpose, and pawed 
 the ground, and looked at his master as if to tell 
 him how uncomfortable he was ; nevertheless, a 
 little perseverance reconciled him to them, and 
 Captain Spencer was surprised to find how long 
 they lasted. As Tiger was sliding about the first 
 day, a pale, bluish-green looking patch of vegeta- 
 tion at some distance attracted his master's atten- 
 tion, and going up to it, he found it to be a Mesem- 
 bryanthemum Avith pale pink flowers, many of 
 which had fallen, and a five-sided, insipid, but 
 juicy fruit had begun to show itself. In the same 
 place was matter of rejoicing to both himself and 
 Gipsy, for the latter caused some Jerboas to 
 spring from the bushes ; they leaped away rapidly, 
 and Gipsy chased them till they suddenly dis- 
 appeared into the ground, where they burrowed. 
 Captain Spencer procured his shovel, and digging 
 at the hole, he found that each habitation was com- 
 posed of a common central shaft, from which seve- 
 ral passages radiated to a distance. 
 
 Some of the Jerboas were secured, and when 
 cooked were of good flavour. Far more accepta- 
 ble, however, was a large Bustard, weighing at 
 le?«t twenty pounds, which he shot, and dragged
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 143 
 
 to his resting-place, where he dried some of the 
 flesh for future occasions. A native grave was 
 near this spot ; and as he had his measuring tape 
 in his pocket, he ascertained that it was twenty- 
 three feet long and fourteen broad; the ground 
 was raised, and over it were laid some branches of 
 a tree, which evidently belonged to the Myrtle 
 family,* and which he concluded to be the Mela- 
 leuca, so abundant in some parts of the country. 
 The next morning, as he was preparing breakfast, 
 a bird rose from the .tup of a neighbouring bush, 
 singing with a clear, melodious note, like that of a 
 lark, and after soaring to a great height in the air 
 for a little time, came down again with fluttering 
 wings. Gipsy looked up in her master's face, as 
 much as to cay, "Won't you shoot it?" and he 
 answered her by replying, " No, Gip, I cannot 
 shoot a Lark, it puts me too much in mind of my 
 own country." Gip was satisfied apparently that 
 there was some good reason for denying her re- 
 quest, and started ofi" to cater for herself as usual, 
 soon returning with food to the bivouac. Tiger 
 would eat any vegetable substance which was of- 
 fered to him ; but not so Gip ; she spluttered and 
 threw it about, and never having yet known Avant, 
 she had not in this respect been obliged to disobey 
 her natural taste. 
 
 Having nuide the usual provisions for starting, 
 
 "* Melaleuca.
 
 144 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 Captain Spencer pursued his way along a sandy, 
 rugged soil, rising occasionally into ridges of no 
 great elevation, but sufficiently so to obstruct the 
 view. Thinking that the country at the back 
 might be better than that in which he then was, 
 he determined to cross these ridges ; but just be- 
 fore he loaded Tiger, Gipsy barked, ran to and fro 
 with great uneasiness, and the tramp of many feet 
 was heard approaching ; she gave tongue ; head 
 after head appeared, and a large body of men 
 mounted on to the top of the bank, with evidently 
 hostile intentions. They were accompanied by 
 dogs, which snarled and appeared to be very sav- 
 age ; and two of them rushed down the ridge upon 
 poor Gipsy. Her master, unmindful of his own 
 safety, flew towards her, placed her in a cavity of 
 the rugged bank, and in his excitement easily put 
 a fragment before her, which he afterwards found 
 it difficult to dislodge, from its Aveight, and which, 
 though it did not quite conceal her, opposed an 
 effectual barrier to the attacks of her enemies. 
 By this time the spears had been placed in the 
 throwing sticks, ready for hurling at him, and the 
 people were yelling, and making all their accus- 
 tomed frantic gestures of anger and defiance. 
 They were probably on their way to meet their 
 enemies, for they were equipped for war, and com- 
 ing suddenly upon a white man, were enraged at 
 his appearance ; their shields were upon theil
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 145 
 
 arms, and thej had clubs as well as spears ; they 
 were painted red and yellow ; their Opossum 
 cloaks were hanging at their backs ; their thick 
 hair was either fastened up behind, or encircled 
 by a fillet, and many had it adorned with dogs' 
 tails or emu's feathers. Not a friendly bough was 
 near to show his own peaceable intentions, and for 
 a moment the Englishman thought he was lost ; 
 for in running to save Gipsy, he had separated 
 himself from his fire-arms, which he had laid upon 
 the bank in order to load the horse. The alarm 
 excited by the appearance of Tiger on former oc- 
 casions darted into his recollection, and he looked 
 round for him, but he had trotted ofi" to take a last 
 nibble of an inviting patch of grass before he 
 started ; and then it occurred to Captain Spencer, 
 that on the northern coast the natives had danced 
 to show their amicable feelings, and now he would 
 dance to show his. He immediately began to ca- 
 per with all his might, and it was many a long 
 month, perhaps years, since he had jumped about 
 as he did then ; for it was no graceful sliding and 
 bending, with the feet scarcely lifted from the 
 ground; it was real, jolly dancing, and had the 
 desired efi'ect, for the natives paused. If he re- 
 laxed for an instant, however, they again raised 
 their spears ; but the day was won ; he of course 
 danced towards his fire-arms, and in one of his at- 
 titudes he took up his pistols, and fired one of the 
 13
 
 146 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 barrels over their lieads. Before they recovered 
 from their panic, he fired a second, and all de- 
 camped with the utmost speed. By this time Ti- 
 ger came galloping up to him, and he ordered him 
 to stand on the top of the bank in a most conspic- 
 u.uis situation, where he neighed loudly, and where 
 his mane and tail spread out like a banner. The 
 two dogs were still trying to get at Gipsy ; but he 
 knocked one on the head, and the other, after a 
 severe blow, made its escape, running with a howl 
 after its owners. After taking his favourite from 
 her place of refuge, where she lay in an agony of 
 apprehension, he peeped over the ridge, and saw 
 the party hurrying oif at an immense rate, in a di- 
 rection quite contrary to that in which he wished to 
 go ; and then calling Tiger down, he examined the 
 dead animal, and found it had a long sharp nose, and 
 was more like the wolf, or the fox, than any of the 
 European breeds. Charlie had flown after the na- 
 tives, calling out, " Hurrah ! hurrah ! ha ! ha ! ha I" 
 as if to give them their last fling ; and then when 
 Tiger was loaded, he perched himself on the top 
 of the baggage, saying, " All's right, Ned Spen- 
 cer !" 
 
 As he journeyed on, the traveller had leisure 
 to think of his late adventure, and the ejacu- 
 lations of gratitude for his escape which had 
 immediately risen to his lips noAv assumed the 
 fjrm of de?p thanksgiving to his Great Pre-
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 147 
 
 server; nor was this less fervent because no 
 blood had stained his hand on this occasion. Then 
 the ludicrous side of the picture came uppermost, 
 and he could not help laughing at the ridiculous 
 figure he must have made ; such a contrast to the 
 gay Edward Spencer, the hero of the Governor's 
 and military balls in Bombay, dancing only when 
 and with whom he chose, and now forced to dance 
 to a set of savages to save his life. It was a good 
 lesson, he thought, and he half-determined never 
 again to give himself airs. Certainly he, for the 
 remainder of his life, laughed whenever he thought 
 of the capers of that morning. 
 
 Traces of the native Australians were now to 
 be seen every where ; such as tombs of stones, 
 placed east and west, and made of pieces of rock, 
 which had been only seen in distant places, and 
 sea-shells ; heaps of ashes where fires had been 
 lighted, and trees which had either fallen from 
 fire, or at least had been charred by the flames. 
 The number of Gum-trees increased, and some of 
 them were in blossom, each flower looking, at first, 
 like a goblet, with a pyramidal cover, which was 
 pushed off" when the stamens burst into a starry 
 circle ; the leaves were dull, and the white trunks 
 were decorated by hanging strips of bark, which 
 assumed fantastic shapes. Up one ran an animal 
 about the size of a cat ; and as the tree leaned to 
 the side, Gip pursued, but it was not quick enougli,
 
 148 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 For the Opossum crept into a hole and disappeared. 
 Some kangaroos were shot ; and patches of grasa 
 were here and there found in the midst of a lo'^^ 
 scrub. Hills of sand, cemented by oxide of iron, 
 with compact quartz and gypsum, occurod more 
 than once ; and Captain Spencer began to suspect 
 that the metal in these had attracted his compass, 
 and that he had made too much easting ; he did 
 all in his power to counteract this by taking • a 
 south-west direction, for he exceedingly dreaded 
 greater uncertainty of route, and missing Perth 
 altogether. In spite of his faith and courage, 
 when tired with a long day's journey, his heart 
 would occasionally sink, as he passed day after 
 day without any traces of civilised man ; and 
 thought that heat was increasing, with its attend- 
 ant evil, drought. The quantity of water being 
 already so greatly lessened in the river which he 
 had lately passed, he became doubly anxious to 
 reach the settlement to which he bent his steps. 
 As if to ease his apprehensions, he after this came 
 to what was evidently a permanent river, on the 
 banks of which were large Casuarinae, and on it 
 some black Swans majestically sailing ; he secured 
 two of these for food ; and after a rest of about 
 four hours, he refilled his skins and cans, and 
 marched on. Melaleucas were also growing by 
 the side of this river, with their small, abundant 
 blossoms ; and some of the leaves having fallen
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 149 
 
 mto :>ne of the cans, he fancied that they had im- 
 parted to the water a flavour like that of tea ; and 
 when he came to some more of them, he boiled 
 them, in the hope of finding a substitute for this 
 invigorating beverage ; but he could not relish it, 
 and did not try the experiment again. His path 
 was made more uncertain by the scrub, through 
 some parts of which he could not penetrate ; and 
 he had been constantly obliged to carry Gip, for 
 she was so small that she crawled under the bushes, 
 and could not get out again without the axe being 
 used to chop a hole for her release. 
 
 Captain Spencer was surprised by what he 
 thought the re-appearance of the Cycas, but going 
 up to the tree which had attracted him, he found 
 it to bo of a different species, and concluded that 
 it was a Zamia. He gathered some of the fruit, 
 and finding it agreeable, he ate it, and proceeded 
 on his journey ; he had not, however, gone far, 
 before he felt incapable of proceeding, from the 
 most violent sickness, and without being able to 
 choose a place where water and grass were to be 
 found, ho laid himself down in the clearest patch 
 of scrub in the immediate vicinity. Finding him- 
 self get worse, he with the greatest difficulty took 
 the baggage from Tiger's back, and then flung 
 himself on the ground, arms, hat and all, with a 
 can of water by his side, for his thirst was exces- 
 sive ; he did not doubt that he had been poisoned, 
 13*
 
 150 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 and it seemed to him very uncertain whether he 
 should survive the agony he was then enduring. 
 Both Tiger and Gipsy seemed to know that there 
 was something the matter with him, and would not 
 leave his side. Charlie, when he saw that they 
 all stopped, came bustling up, and stuck himself 
 into a bush, saying, "Ned Spencer, what's the 
 matter ?" then he put his head on one side to listen 
 for the usual answer, and finding no return to his 
 chattering, he went through the whole of his voca- 
 bulary, over and over again, till the poor sufferer 
 wished he had never taught him a sentence. There 
 he lay for hours without being able to move hand 
 or foot, not even to cover himself. But Gipsy 
 nestled up, and tried to comfort him, and Tiger 
 laid himself, when night came, as close as he could 
 to him, while Charlie descended from his bush on 
 to the horse's shoulder. At length the pain abated, 
 and Captain Spencer thought, as he dozed, that 
 he might never wake again ; he slept the whole 
 of that night, but was awake before his companions 
 had opened their eyes. To his surprise and thank- 
 fulness he was well, though weak ; but as his ap- 
 petite was not yet returned, he determined not to 
 eat more than was necessary that day. Rousing 
 his companions, they fed, and by the time they 
 had breakfasted he was able to lift the things on 
 to Tiger's back, who neighed, and did not attempt 
 to play, and so hinder the progress of loading.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 15] 
 
 Gipsy almost impeded him -with sundry jumps, 
 Charlie flew round him, perched upon his shoulder, 
 and screamed " All's right !" and so they set off. 
 They rested for some hours during the heat of the 
 day, and in the evening reached a fine open plain, 
 with here and there a clump of trees, where Cap- 
 tain Spencer encamped for the night, and ate with 
 his usual ap})ctile. 
 
 On crossing the plain Captain Spencer was sur- 
 prised at finding the soil full of large holes, which 
 made it very difficult for Tiger to keep his footing ; 
 he, however, trusted him to his own guidance, know- 
 ing that he was sagacious enough to pick his way 
 properly, and he found that these holes arose from 
 digging up a number of tubers resembling Yams.* 
 A short, pointed stick, broken in two, showed the 
 tool which had been employed in taking them up ; 
 but overjoyed at so wholesome a discovery, he used 
 his shovel, and procured several in a very short 
 time : he roasted some for supper, and having that 
 morning shot some cockatoos, he made a thick 
 soup with the two, and was perfectly renovated 
 from his late illness. He remained the whole of 
 that day, digging up as many as Tiger could carry, 
 and converting some of them into meal, with which 
 he filled his almost empty bags, and imitated his 
 oatmeal cakes, which Gipsy condescended to par- 
 take of. As for Tiger, he enjoyed the mash which 
 
 • Diosoorea.
 
 152 AUSTRALIAN WANDKP. ERS. 
 
 his master made for him as if it had been oat-grtiel 
 It was a general feast ; for Charlie had the previous 
 evening devoured as many of the Sphinx and 
 Ghost Moths as he could catch. The former had 
 triangular marks on their wings, and measured 
 three inches across. Some locusts, too, had made 
 a loud, rattling, and most disagreeable noise, as 
 they settled on one of the neighbouring clumps of 
 Eucalyptus ; they were large, had brown bodies, 
 two inches long, rough legs, a square-shaped head, 
 with red and yellow marks, half an inch broad, 
 a long proboscis, which was not put out except 
 when feeding ; their wings were perfectly trans- 
 parent, and they altogether were very handsome 
 insects. Chancing to crush some of the leaves on 
 which he saw them, Captain Spencer found that 
 they had a flavour of peppermint ;* the whole tree 
 made a beautiful appearance ; the bark was of 
 varied tints, the leaves were unusually thick, were 
 narrower, brighter, and greener than those of 
 other gum-trees, and the fragrant blossoms looked 
 like a mass of white fringed stars, which yielded a 
 quantity of honey. On one tree he caught an 
 Opossum, and saw several others on the neighbour- 
 ing trunks. 
 
 More uneven ground was crossed, and at last 
 the travellers found themselves in a swampy val> 
 ley, in which Tiger greatly rejoiced, for he there 
 
 * Eucalyptus peperita.
 
 A U S T R A I I A N W A N B E R K 11 S . 153 
 
 met with the same long, silky grass which he had 
 before eaten, and which he attacked the instant he • 
 was free from his load, first, however, taking a 
 good roll in it. "Poor fellow !" said his master, 
 " I have not been well enough to rub you down 
 lately, but to-morrow you shall have a good scrub- 
 bing." Some kangaroos seemed to relish the same 
 grass as that which delighted the horse ; for they 
 were numerous there, and were of a different spe- 
 cies to those before seen. But that which now 
 interested Captain Spencer, was the appearance of 
 some curious tufted masses of long, narrow, sharp 
 leaves, growing on the top of a round stem, of 
 various heights, most of which fell back, and hung 
 round the stem. This stem was rough from the 
 scars of fallen leaves, and was frequently five feet 
 high. From the middle rose a scape tci^feet high, 
 with a spike on the top, a foot long. " These 
 must be Grass-trees," said Captain Spencer, "and 
 are a good sign of my progress, for I must be 
 getting to the south to meet with them.' 
 
 The dew was heavy but refreshing, and wel- 
 comed on account of its rarity, especially as the 
 party was well protected by coverings ; for with 
 the instinct which all animals more or less possess 
 when tame, Charlie now always crept under them 
 with the others : and as it was a spot abounding 
 with all sorts of necessaries for his wants. Captain 
 Spencer decided on halting in it for a short time,
 
 154 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 to repair clothes, moccasins, tarpauling, and Tiger's 
 socks. He examined liis stock of ammunition, 
 and, thanks to Gip, who caught so much for him, 
 the Tortoises, Fishes, Unios, and vegetable food, 
 it was still plentiful ; but his gun and pistols 
 wanted cleaning, and while intently at Avork at 
 them, Gipsy rushed into his arms, followed by 
 several native dogs, and their masters at a dis- 
 tance ; he gave one of the first such a blow with 
 the stock of his gun, that he thought he must have 
 killed it, and hurled the second and third to a dis- 
 tance. The first, however, got up again, and 
 slunk away to the five or six men behind, who had 
 come as if they had known the moment in which 
 the Avhite man was defenceless ; he could not re- 
 treat or shelter himself in any way; his things 
 were scattered about, and all he could do was to 
 gesticulate as much as possible, while he endea- 
 voured to load his pistols. He succeeded in 
 arresting their attention, till he had put in the 
 charges of two barrels ; he fired, but the first 
 would not go ofi", from being still damp after clean- 
 ing. The Australians derided him, even mocking 
 the sound of the pistol lock, and were about to 
 rush upon him, brandishing their clubs. At this 
 moment Tiger came tearing up to his master, and, 
 as usual, the astonishment and alarm of the Aus- 
 tralians paralysed them ; they dropped their hands, 
 and looked at the horse with astonishment. Cap
 
 AUSTRALIAN V\^ A N D E R E R S . 155 
 
 tain Spencer then reloaded, and this time suc- 
 ceeded ; for aiming at a dry bush, close to the 
 people, he covered their naked bodies with its 
 splinters and shattered leaves ; the rest took fire, 
 and communicating with other bushes, a train of 
 flames was laid, which soon drove them from their 
 position, and they were obliged to run hard to 
 avoid being burnt. They did not return, and the 
 success of the stratagem was complete. Still on 
 this, as on all other occasions, thankfulness for 
 escape was mingled with regret that he could not 
 eifect friendly intercourse with his fellow-creatures. 
 The next day he departed, and came to some vil- 
 lages without inhabitants, the huts of which were 
 of a more substantial form and more compact con- 
 struction than any he had before seen, seeming to 
 stamp them as permanent abodes. They were 
 surrounded by Yam grounds, whether natural or 
 artificial, he could not tell; deep wells had been 
 dug in several places, which were full of water at 
 that time ; and there were marked paths all 
 through the surrounding district, by means of 
 which Tiger was able to pick his way without 
 stumbling into the holes from which the tubers 
 had been taken. At night the howls of the native 
 dogs were to be heard, reminding Captain Spencer 
 of those of Jackals, which they also resembled in 
 colour ; and he then remarked that none of those 
 which he had seen had been dark in hue.
 
 156 A u s T R A L I A ;^: vr a n d k r e r s . 
 
 Scrub, gravel, and quartz, characterized the soil 
 for the next few days' journey ; Grass-trees still 
 showing themselves, and a flight of white Cocka- 
 toos o-uidiniz; the travellers to water ; which was 
 reached at nightfall, and by which Captain Spen- 
 cer again rested ; and cutting off the top of some 
 young Grass-trees, and boiling them well with 
 cockatoos, and a little kangaroo fat, he made a de- 
 licious mess for supper. " Perdrix aux choux," 
 said he to himself ; "and quite as good as any 
 produced by Ude or Beauvilliers. Even Gip eats 
 it ; and if I return in safety to India, I shall pub- 
 lish a book entitled, ' Australian Bush Cookery,' " 
 
 From the visible diminution of water in the bed 
 of all streams or rivers. Captain Spencer supposed 
 that at a more advanced period of the dry season, 
 all of them would be perfectly dry ; it was now 
 with difficulty that enough was found for washing 
 clothes as well as dressing food, and he never con- 
 templated its future absence without a shudder. 
 Near to the spot where Tiger was feeding, he saw 
 what looked like a large, splendid, red Geranium, 
 or rather Pelargonium, eight feet high, with 
 flowers an inch and a half in diameter ; and fear- 
 ful that the horse would trample on or devour it, 
 he hastened to gather and examine the blossoms. 
 By the time he reached the spot. Tiger was stamp- 
 ing and pawing with his fore feet ; and, to his hor- 
 ror, he saw a venomous serpent, with broAvn and
 
 AUSTRALI-AN WANDERERS. 157 
 
 red spots on its belly, twisted round the poor 
 beast's legs ; he could not chop its tail, because in 
 so doing he might liave chopped the horse also ; and 
 fearing that the reptile would spring at his nose or 
 mouth, he exclaimed, " Stand, Tiger !" hoping that 
 if he were quiet, the serpent would untwine itself, 
 and go awaj^ Tiger obeyed -at the instant, but 
 the flashing of his beautiful eyes proved that he 
 was still in a state of great excitement. His 
 docility, however, saved him, and the serpent left 
 him ; ut it was only tQ attack its new enemy. 
 Captain Spencer stood still, and met the creature 
 with a firm grasp ; he had not, however, seized it 
 near enough to the head, for it inserted its fangs 
 into his hand; he was not at first aware that he 
 was bitten, and stamping violently on its tail, he 
 crushed the spine, and it became passive ; then 
 severing its head from its body, he went up to his 
 dear horse, and in the joy of having saved him 
 bestowed on him manv a fond word and caress. 
 All at once, however, he found his arm and hand 
 swollen and stiff, and looking at the latter, he per- 
 ceived two tiny red marks. "Aha!" said he, "I 
 fear it is all over with me, for I have no antidote ; 
 could I get at the fat of the serpent, perhaps it 
 might save me ; but I shake so much, I cannot use 
 my knife :" at these words he dropped upon the 
 ground, the most violent shiverings came on, and 
 an intense cold seemed to seize him from head to 
 14
 
 158 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 foot. These convulsions continued for at least 
 half an hour, during which time the sufferer re- 
 tained his senses, and he endeavoured to gain 
 strength of mind on thus, as he thought, receiving 
 his summons from this world ; he took leave of his 
 faithful companions, and thought with comfort that 
 they could sustain life without his help. They, 
 however, could not tell to any one what his fate 
 had -been, and a recurrence to family and friends 
 caused one groan to escape him. Tiger stood by 
 his side, conscious that something was very wrong ; 
 Gipsy watched him with close attention, every now 
 and then giving a whine, and looking into his face ; 
 Charlie, Avho had been called to have a final caress, 
 flew to Jiiiu, saying, " What's the matter, Ned 
 Spencer V and perceiving that all was not right, 
 remained close by, muttering to himself in an 
 under tone, as he always did when anything dis- 
 turbed him. Then came on fever and delirium, 
 and a desire to rush about ; but weakness pre- 
 vented his standing : the sufferer swallowed large 
 draughts of water, and overwhelming nausea came 
 upon him, accompanied by violent pains in the 
 limbs ; these, however, were as nothing compared 
 to that in the head ; and turning upon his face and 
 holding his burning forehead with both hands, he' 
 lay upon the ground, and all consciousness left 
 him. He did not know how long he remained in 
 that condition, but it was bright moonlight when
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 159 
 
 he recoved from his sleep, or rather stupor, and he 
 believed that his dear friends had never left him ; 
 for Tiger still stood close by, his head hanging 
 doAvn with all the appearance of sorrow in his sub- 
 dued look ; Gip had laid herself by him, and put 
 her paws upon his arm ; while Charlie had perched 
 mto a bush, and every now and tlien peered down, 
 with a knowing look, to see what next would hap- 
 pen to his dear "Ned Spencer!" At last the poor 
 wayfarer raised his head, but it immediately fell 
 back. Gipsy licked his face, and when endeavour- 
 mg to return her caress, the past by degrees re- 
 curned to his memory, and he was surprised to find 
 himself alive ; he sat up, drank some v^^ater, and 
 4poke : then did the trio, which had so lovingly 
 ind anxiously Avatched him through his sufferings, 
 ^how their delight. Gip leaped on hira, leaped oft" 
 igain, ran a few yards, returned, and licked him, 
 md then set off once more at full speed. Tiger 
 kicked and frolicked after Gipsy, and shook her 
 well; while Charlie, Avho was always the most 
 vociferous of the party, screamed, hurrahed, and 
 laughed, till he was almost exhausted. 
 
 Before he was able to start again, for it was 
 60me days ere the stiffness left his arm, or his 
 strength entirely returned, Captain Spencer re- 
 ceived another visit from some natives, who ap- 
 peared on a neighbouring elevation, using more 
 extraordinary gesticulations than any he had yet
 
 160 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 seen; one of these was to inflate their cheeks to 
 their full extent, and blow at him with all their 
 force ; and it was impossible to see their grotesque 
 faces without laughing ; this set ofl" Charlie, who 
 uttered his loudest peals of " Ha ! ha ! ha !" which 
 rendered the men absolutely motionless from as- 
 tonishment ; and then it struck the Englishman, 
 that he had been hitherto looked upon as a sorce- 
 rer, and that these poor people were now practising 
 counter incantations. He did all he could to make 
 friends, but they blew harder than ever ; and Ti- 
 ger, at his master's command, displaying his mane 
 and tail, they decamped with a speed which showed 
 that thoy believed themselves overmatched in 
 witchcraft. 
 
 At length the travellers again took their way, 
 and in the first day's march Captain Spencer was 
 startled by what he thought was the cry of a child ; 
 Gip also listened anxiously, and then ran about 
 with her nose to the ground ; "the former thinking 
 that it might be a poor helpless infant dropped in 
 the hasty flight of its parents. Nothing human, 
 however, was met with, and the sound ceased, when 
 Gip put up a bird, something like a Guinea-fowl, 
 but as large as a hen Turkey.* Captain Spencer 
 fired, and brought it down at the dog's feet. On 
 preparing it for eating, he ascertained that it fed 
 ou insects, was full of worms, and had a large, 
 
 * Lciijoa ocellata.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 161 
 
 horny gizzard. He had followed the course of the 
 river, and not far from it a curious mound of earth 
 presented itself, about three feet high ; but sup- 
 posing it to be a native grave, he passed it without 
 further examination. He then came to a hut with 
 several entrances, and it appeared to him that it 
 had been oonstructe'1 by the inhabitants of the 
 place, for concealing themselves when they watched, 
 and wished to surprise the animals that came to 
 the river to drink. He took possession of it for 
 the same purpose, and killed what he at first 
 thought must be Woodcocks, from their manner of 
 running, but which proved to be Quails, some 
 Ducks,* a Crane, a Bittern, and a beautiful Heron, 
 and saw an immense flight of very pretty birds of 
 a dark, dusky green, which alighted, and ran about 
 with their tails stuck up in the most knowing man- 
 ner. To prepare and profit by this accumulation 
 of good cheer, it was necessary to halt ; and when 
 they started again, both master and horse had 
 much additional burden. Greatly puzzled was the 
 former to know which way to go ; he now felt as- 
 sured that the vicinity of the magnetic hills had 
 influenced his compass ; his glass showed him in- 
 creasing tracts of scrub to the west, and he began 
 to fear that he had completely missed his way to 
 Perth ; and the only point to which he could now 
 direct his steps and his hopes was Adelaide. The 
 
 • Anas nsfvosa. 
 14*
 
 162 AUSTRALIAN WAJNt»cuii/xo 
 
 vision of Swan River, however, was too pleasing 
 to part with all at once, and he still took a south 
 erly direction. "At all events," said he, "that 
 must bring me to the sea again without losing much 
 distance, and once there I may be better able to 
 determine which is the proper course. My preser- 
 vation hitherto forbids me to despair, and I cannot 
 think that these dear faithful companions are 
 doomed to die in a desert." So speaking, he 
 pushed on with alacrity, and courageously encoun- 
 tered a thick wood, highly scented from the blos- 
 soms of the Gum-trees which composed it ; but the 
 abundant growth of underwood presented great 
 difficulties. He carried Gip, and cheered Tiger 
 with his voice, Avhich brought them well through 
 it ; and as he looked at the tall stems, bare of 
 branches till they reached a great height, he 
 thought of his more picturesque Indian forests. 
 
 The most refreshing slumbers restored the tra- 
 vellers, and they proceeded on their journey, not, 
 however, with their usual supply of water ; for 
 this had been scarce during some days. None had 
 been allowed in the morning before starting; so 
 Tiger, without any ceremony, directly his load was 
 taken off at night, pushed his nose into one of the 
 cans, and drank its contents, leaving Gip only a 
 little, which she lapped up as it ran over the side 
 of the tin. " Tiger, my boy," said his master, 
 *' you must not be in such a hurry ' again ; you
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 163 
 
 were to have had only half that this evening." He 
 denied himself any out of the other can, and cut- 
 cing off a cuft trons ^ Grass-tree, -ind folding i- 
 closely in its outside leaves, lie roasted it in hoc 
 ashes, and giving Gip some meat, he and the horse 
 enjoyed a succulent meal, which in some measure 
 allayed his thirst ; and thus he avoided the use of 
 water for cooking. The next day they marched at 
 least twenty miles ; and the vegetation showed 
 their more southern latitude, for the patches of 
 scrub belonged to the singular family of Protece 
 They were of the genus called Banksia, which is 
 formed of long, narrow, prickly leaves, deeply in- 
 dented, and brownish green in colour, shooting 
 athwart each other, and forming a mass not less 
 vexatious and difficult than the thorny Acacias. 
 On halting in the evening, before composing him- 
 self to sleep, Captain Spencer took only a small 
 quantity of meal-cake, for fear meat should make 
 him thirsty ; but Gip was fed as usual. They 
 again started in the morning with a very small 
 allowance of water, a privation which the poor 
 animals took very patiently ; and after walking 
 some time through melancholy scrub, they found 
 themselves standing on the edge of table-land, and 
 beyond the steep and rapid descent lay a scene of 
 tncommon beauty.
 
 ' :B AFTER Vl 
 
 Bed of a river — Native women — Captain Spencer finds water by 
 digging — Diamond birds — Cliarlie frightens birds away — Captain 
 Spencer talies yams from women — Gives a horse«shoe in ex- 
 change — Conduct of the natives with the horse-shoe — Kangaroo 
 — Howling of native dogs — Captain Spencer eats a dog — Holes 
 of dirty water — Gipsy falls into one of them — Comes out covered 
 with mud — Birds driven away by Charlie — Snake under saddle — 
 A cry of distress — Finds the native whose arm had been broken 
 and lamed by a thorn in the foot — Captain Spencer saves him — 
 Kinchela, name of native — Speaks Malay — Tells his history — 
 Conversation between the Englishman and Australian — Captain 
 Spencer goes to a well — Einchela cooks — Discourse about Boyl- 
 ya's — Kinchela afraid of Tiger — Opinion of Captain Spencer 
 among natives — Kinchela ignorant of way to Perth — Promises 
 to take Captain Spencer to white men — Asks so earnestly to go 
 with him that no refusal can be given — Grubs in Grass-tree — 
 Frogs — Charlie interferes with Kinchela's lesson in English — 
 Scarcity of clothes. 
 
 The bed of a noble river, which had once wa- 
 tered a fertile plain, presented itself to the eyes 
 of Captain Spencer; how long it had ceased to 
 flow he could not tell ; but he thought if in their 
 necessity they followed it towards its source, they 
 should find water, and be able to return to their 
 proper path ; for, in spite of his uncertainties, the 
 traveller tenaciously persisted in following the 
 compass towards the spot in which he imagined 
 Perth to be situated. They descended the table- 
 (104)
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 165 
 
 ;and, and perceived some women and children 
 seated in the channel of the stream, and with 
 hands and sticks scraping a hole, as if for the pur- 
 pose of procuring water. He watched them for 
 some time ; and seeing them kneel down, and put 
 their mouths to the hole which they had made, he 
 exclaimed, " Thank God, there is relief for us ;" 
 and with a lightened heart he proceeded towards 
 the spot. The river, when full, must have been 
 of considerable breadth; and had, perhaps, even 
 within a few months, overflowed much of the luxu- 
 riant valley through which it ran ; for there were 
 many signs of former torrents ; such as fallen 
 trees, which had been brought from a distance, 
 (nothing like them existing in the neighbourhood,) 
 masses of soil, &c. " How I should like," said 
 he traveller, " to follow the track of this river, 
 and see the forest whence that noble timber came, 
 so much larger than any I have yet encountered ! 
 In spite of my thankfulness for having hitherto 
 found enough to subsist upon, I get weary of oc- 
 cupying my whole existence in procuring the 
 wherewithal to eat and drink, and thinking each 
 day of the appetite of the morrow." 
 
 On arriving at the shining Avhite sand of the 
 water-course, some little distance from the natives, 
 tie began to dig with his shovel, and was not a lit- 
 tle surprised to see some beautiful little birds* fly 
 
 * Diamond Birds, or Amaudina.
 
 166 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 in numbers aroimd him, and even perch upon his 
 spade, as if thej knew what he was seeking, and 
 were determined to have the first drink. He could 
 not bear to take any of them for food, when they 
 placed such confidence in him ; and when the wa- 
 ter rose in the hole, which it soon did, he sufi'ered 
 them to satisfy themselves ; but Tiger, who seemed 
 to smell the liquid, without waiting to be unloaded, 
 rushed to the spot, and kneeling down, put them 
 to flight, and himself luxuriated in a long draught. 
 Gipsy followed his example, with whom Captain 
 Spencer was a sharer ; and then the little crea- 
 tures again assembled, only to be again dispersed 
 by Charlie, who dashed in among them, screaming 
 out, " Rogues ! scoundrels !" as he always did to 
 his feathered brethren, and helping himself, 
 screeched and flapped his wings, as if he were the 
 tyrant king of plumed creatures. 
 
 Having been hitherto so unsuccessful with the 
 men of the native tribes, Captain Spencer thought 
 this would be an excellent opportunity of tryint^ 
 to conciliate the women ; but as soon as he di- 
 rected his steps towards them, they all uttered a 
 clamorous cry and ran away. In their haste they 
 abandoned some yams which they had with them, 
 and he took some of them for himself. By way 
 of payment, however, he laid one of Tiger's old 
 -hoes in their place He then retired to a dis 
 36, and with his glass watched their movements.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 167 
 
 /^fter some time they cautiously returned to the 
 Bpot they had left, turned the horse-shoe over and 
 over again with a stick, then they struck it, and at 
 last, as if convinced that it was harmless, one of 
 them took it up, examined it, and looked through 
 the holes where the nails had been. The others 
 imitated her, and seemed to think it incompre- 
 hensible. At last, running back to a man who 
 now advanced towards them, and who walked as 
 if he were lame, they, with many energetic ges- 
 tures, appeared to relate all their adventures to 
 him. He gravely inspected the horse-shoe, looked 
 also through tlic holes, and then, one of the wo- 
 men giving him a piece of cord out of a bag which 
 slie carried upon her back, he, by means of it, 
 fastened it round his neck, and then they all dis- 
 appeared, probably to their dwelling-place. It 
 was for some little time a subject of debate with 
 the traveller, whether he should go after them, 
 and try to improve any good impression which he 
 might have made, or pursue his way. At last, the 
 uncertainty of being successful, deterred him from 
 straying in that direction ; and filling his cans, &c., 
 he in tlie evening departed. He passed over many 
 low hills, which were fatiguing from their rugged 
 nature, but at the foot of which he was still able 
 to find water by digging. 
 
 licaving the hills behind them, they the next 
 naorninfT entered a Hakea scrub, which Hakea is
 
 168 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 a Proteaceous bush, much matted together, and 
 Laving large prickly leaves. There Gipsy killed 
 and dragged to her master an animal which was 
 much too large for her to carry, and which proved 
 to be a smaller kind of kangaroo than he had yet 
 seen. She laid her game at her master's feet, sat 
 down, wagged her tail, looked in his face, and 
 seemed so earnestly to implore him to cook it, that 
 he halted a little sooner than usual ; and making 
 a rude imitation of a native oven, contrived to 
 bake it, for he could not afford water for the pre- 
 paration of his food. He always made a quantity 
 of cakes whenever he filled his cans, not knowing 
 when he should be able to mix the meal again. 
 He cut the Kangaroo in pieces after skinning it, 
 and wrapped it in some of the young twigs of the 
 scrub, covered it well with clods of earth and 
 bushes, and was tolerably successful, finding this 
 a much more nutritious method than boiling. 
 There were probably numbers of the same animal 
 in that part of the country ; for at night the native 
 dogs kept up such a screeching and howling, " such 
 a row," as Charlie grumbled to himself, that Cap- 
 tain Spencer could only compare the noise to the 
 yel lings of infernal spirits, congregated there to 
 forbid him to advance. The next morning he, 
 without any compunction, shot one of them which 
 he saw crossing the scrub, and carrying it with 
 him, cooked it as he had done the Kangaroo. To 
 
 %.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 169 
 
 his taste it was very good eating, but Gipsy would 
 not touch what perhaps she thought was one of 
 her own kind. 
 
 Holes with dirty water, evidently dug by the 
 natives, were occasionally met with, but no signs 
 of streams saluted the thirsty mouths of the travel- 
 lers, and even these holes appeared to have been 
 filled with tlic drainings of the surrounding soil. 
 Gipsy and Tiger did not hesitate to drink from 
 them, but it was sometime before their master could 
 prevail on himself to follow their example. He 
 saw Gipsy slip into one ; and as she kicked and 
 struggled, he thought she must be choking, and 
 went to lier relief. He pulled her out by the hind 
 legs, and could not help laughing at her appear- 
 ance. Half her body was covered with thick mud ; 
 she sneezed, tried to get it off with her paws, but 
 they were also encased in mud ; and she then ran 
 into the scrub, and by dint of rubbing and rolling, 
 managed to get rid of the greater portion. Her 
 master hoped, by enlarging the hole, to make the 
 water run more freely into it, but nothing came 
 except mud ; and therefore taking two handker- 
 chiefs, he 611ed them with it, and placing each on 
 the top of a can, he filtered enough for Tiger and 
 himself ; Charlie, by dipping his bill into the hole, 
 procured enough for his moderate desires. Cap- 
 tain Spencer found an unexpected advantage in 
 the hole ; for as soon as he left it. Pigeons, a beau* 
 15
 
 170 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 tiful Falco hjpoleucus, very like the Gyr Falcon 
 of Europe, some of the S^yallow tribe, Finches, 
 Honey-eaters, and others which were new to him, 
 flocked round it to drink, and were afterwards 
 driven away by the hasty arrival of Parrots and 
 Cockatoos, which made Gipsy growl, and Charlie 
 utter his usual abuse ; among all of which he, how- 
 ever, secured a whole bagful of birds for future 
 provision. 
 
 Green, juicy grass Avas no longer to be found, 
 except in small patches, and these were very rare ; 
 but Tiger wisely accommodated himself to circum- 
 stances, and grazing upon tiie young shoots of 
 scrub, apparently had wisdom enough to be quite 
 satisfied with them. It was almost with reluctance 
 that his master left even the muddy hole, so uncer- 
 tain was he now of finding water ; but filtering as 
 much as his cans and skins would hold, he again 
 continued his journey. The nights were now so 
 much Avarmer, and there was such a total absence 
 of dew, that the party no longer huddled together 
 under the tarpauling ; but Captain Spencer, wrap- 
 ping himself up in his cloak, generally laid his 
 head upon the saddle instead of upon Tiger ; it 
 was with a shudder tliat he heard a s^ght rustling 
 as he was about to fall asleep, and instantly start- 
 ing up, he lifted his pillow, and saw a snake coiled 
 up, svhicli had crept under for shelter. He beat 
 she s(?rub well all round him, and sat down, intend'
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 171 
 
 ing to sleep in that posture ; but slumber had fled : 
 and as he sat in the bright moonlight, which tinged 
 a large extent of country with its bright and sil- 
 very hues, he thought he heard a wailing voice at 
 a distance. Gipsy at that same instant put up her 
 head and barked, and in a moment both master 
 and dog were on their feet in order to find the 
 person from whom the cry of distress proceeded. 
 Gip led the way, and not far ofi" lay a young Aus- 
 tralian, who now and then uttered a plaintive cry 
 Captain Spencer knelt beside him, found that his 
 pulse still beat strongly, although he appeared to 
 be very helpless, and he imagined that the sufferer 
 had met with some accident which had disabled him 
 from walking. He therefore began to examine the 
 legs ; one of them was very hot, and as he ap- 
 proached the foot he found it was very much swol- 
 len ; a sudden start and groan from the man, as 
 he gently passed his fingers over one part, con- 
 vinced him that a thorn was in it, and nothing 
 could be done but to wait till the morning, in order 
 to try and extract it. How to procure temporary 
 relief was the great difficulty, for he scarcely dared 
 waste his scanty portion of water in bathing the 
 part affected, and rubbing would make it worse. 
 While trying to invent some means of cooling it, 
 the poor creature exclaimed, "Yampee, yampee !" 
 Then opening his eyes, he fixed them on the white 
 man. as if not perfectly conscious of what wa.«
 
 172 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 passing. What these words meant CaptaiH Spen- 
 cer could not guess ; but the swollen tongue and 
 lips, the heat of the skin, and inflamed foot, all 
 betokened thirst, and he congratulated himself 
 that he had still water to give him without abso- 
 lutely depriving his horse and dog of it. He im- 
 mediately poured some into his shell ; and lifting 
 the native's head so as to lean against his shoulder, 
 he gave him some to drink, and with pleasure saw 
 the relief which it evidently aff"orded. He laid the 
 man down again, and formed a pillow for him with 
 his cloak ; and raising his foot on to the saddle, so 
 that it should not touch anything, he moved all his 
 baggage to the spot, and told Tiger and Charlie to 
 come and lie down there. He then chopped oif a 
 piece of the thickest scrub he could find, and 
 fanned his patient with it till he fell asleep. He 
 ventured himself to doze a little as he sat by him ; 
 once or twice he gave him water during the night, 
 and at leno;th sufficient lio-ht came to enable him 
 to examine the foot more thoroughly. The man 
 still slept, and he took his knife, and sharpening it 
 upon the leathern belt which he wore round his 
 waist, he firmly but gently grasped the leg with 
 one hand, and with the other quickly drew the 
 knife across the swelling. The thorn was instantly 
 discovered ; and he drew a pair of small forceps 
 from the handle of the said knife, and extracted a 
 long, sharp spine of Acacia. The native gave a yell
 
 ii/fl (if . 
 
 CArXAIX Sl'ENCER HEALS THE NATIVE'S EOOT. 
 
 I P:ige IT3. I
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 173 
 
 of pain, and to soothe him Captain Spencer held up 
 the thorn for him to look at. The poor creature 
 nodded his head, and, sick and exhausted, fell back 
 igam and slept His doctor bruised some of the 
 lender leaves of a plant which looked very much 
 like a Mallow, and bound the foot up in them ; and 
 as his patient lay, he watched by him, and pleased 
 himself with the hope, that not only had he re- 
 lieved a suffering fellow-creature, but that perhaps 
 through him he might obtain the good-will of somiv 
 of his countrymen ; a still more comforting sug- 
 gestion arose, which was, that as these people 
 knew every nook and corner of their country, this 
 man might take him to Perth, and perhaps for the 
 present point out the possibility of procuring wa- 
 ter. Of provisions there was an ample supply for 
 a few days, and he was in no hurry. If he had 
 been, it would have made no difference ; for no- 
 thing would have induced him to leave any one in 
 so helpless a condition as that of the Australian. 
 
 When the young man awoke, the word " Yam- 
 pee" again issued from his lips ; and half raising 
 himself, he pointed to the water-can. Captain 
 Spencer supplied him, but at the same time point- 
 ing to himself and Gipsy, who was close by, he 
 made signs that he must leave some for them. 
 The man nodded, and fixed his eyes on the En- 
 glishman with a look full of gratitude, which sud- 
 denly changed to surprise, and he exclaimed, " Ho ! 
 15*
 
 174 AUSTRALIAN AVANDERERS. 
 
 110 V " Ho ao GO be sure, said Charlie, and s 
 look of alarm pervaded the features of the native. 
 
 who remained silent for a minute or two ; he then 
 rapidly uttered a long speech, not one word of 
 which was comprehensible to his benefactor, but 
 among the numerous signs which he made, he 
 pointed to a distance, and then to his arm. and 
 Captain Spencer looking at him attoi velj, 
 thought that his face was familiar to him. Then 
 the adventure of the broken arm recurred to his 
 memory, and in his present patient he recognised 
 the person for whom he had in the north officiated 
 as surgeon. He also remembered that the party 
 had spoken Malay ; and as he also could eonverse 
 in it, a mode of communication with the young 
 man was opened. He immediately addressed him 
 in that language ; the face of the native brightened 
 as he comprehended what was said, and in reply, 
 told the Englishman that he belonged to one of 
 the northern tribes, and just after seeing him he 
 had come towards the south in search of nuts and 
 yams, and to catch fish in the rivers ; that he and 
 his people had had a quarrel with some of those 
 among whom they had come, and that they had 
 fought. His father and brother had been killed, 
 and several of the other people ; in consequence 
 of which he had been kept to supply the place of 
 the dead, and ever since lived in the south. He 
 had been travelling with a party from place to
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS !•.'> 
 
 place, as they all did wnen water una provision, 
 were scarce, and had run this thorn into his foot. 
 His companions had tried to get it out for him, bux 
 had only broken and pushed it in still further ; and 
 as he could no longer walk with them, they had 
 left him there to die. Captain Spencer asked if 
 they had g-iven him anything to eat or drink when 
 they went away ; to which he replied that they 
 themselves had very little, that each was obliged 
 to provide for himself, and that in times of scarcity old 
 and sick persons were often left behind, and died for 
 want of nourishment. He added that he had seen 
 Captain Spencer more than once in liis journeys, 
 and frequently, when his people were going to 
 attack him, he told them what the good white man 
 had done for him, and then they left him un- 
 molested. 
 
 There was something so cheering even in the 
 society of this savage, that Captain Spencer's 
 spirits, which had never entirely recovered after 
 the depression occasioned by the bite of the ser- 
 pent, insensibly rose, and he became as hopeful as 
 ever for his eventual safety. He, however, looked 
 forward with pain to the time when he and his hu- 
 man companion must separate. He asked him if 
 there were any water in the neighbourhood, and 
 the native directed him to a hollow at some dis- 
 tance, where he said his people had dug a well, 
 and left it full wJicu they pa.-^cd, Loping to find
 
 l<r- AUSTRALIAN. WANDERERS. 
 
 some remaining on their return. Calling Tiger to 
 him, the horse neighed, at which the countenance 
 of the Australian betrayed the utmost alarm, and 
 he screamed and -hid his face in his hands as the 
 ttnimai trotted up to his master, and laid its nose 
 upon his sliouldei Captain Spencer tried u> \\- 
 concile him to the docile creature, who would have 
 made friends with him most willingly, but the man 
 shuddered, and said it was a "big, big, dag," and 
 then lowering his voice, added that he was a boyl 
 ya. The repetition of this word struck the En- 
 glishman, but he was in a hurry to be off for water; 
 so he put the saddle on the horse's back, laid all his 
 things together, except the cans and skins, under 
 the tarpauling, made the native understand that 
 he was to take care of them till his return, and 
 springing into the saddle, was off in a moment, 
 Tiger occasionally jumping into the air over patches 
 of scrub, and Gipsy also, who emulated hia frolics, 
 and Charlie exclaiming, "What a row ! hurrah !" 
 Some limestone ridges were passed, the well wa? 
 found covered up with stones, the cans and skins, 
 were filled. Tiger had an excellent meal off the 
 green grass which surrounded it, he and Gipsy 
 rolled together, and Charlie laughed ; all drank 
 with pleasure, for the water was still tolerably 
 good, and all returned more soberly than they went ; 
 the weight of the filled vessels convincing Tiger that 
 his time for play was over They found that the
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDEREKS. 177 
 
 native had crawled to the tarpauling, and laid his 
 head upon it ; and as a small kangaroo had been 
 shot, there was every prospect of the necessaries 
 of life for at least a few days. The native shud- 
 dered and crouched as Tiger approached ; but dis- 
 mounting, his master again let him loose, and 
 showed the kangaroo to the man, who instantly 
 exclaimed, " Wallabie !" and said he would cook it. 
 Captain Spencer gave it up to him, and although 
 he did not take off the skin, or cut it up, he suf- 
 fered him to go on in his own way. The native, 
 who called himself Kin chela, singed off the hair with 
 pieces of burning stick, and constructed an oven 
 with clods of earth much more artistically than the 
 Englishman had done, who supplied him with the 
 materials as he asked for them, and watched him 
 with interest. He heated the oven in the same 
 way, but left the ashes in ; he wrapped the kanga- 
 roo in the dry herbage which grew . close by, 
 covered it carefully with more clods of earth, and 
 then excluded the air entirely with boughs of scrub. 
 When the time came for the meal to be. ready the 
 gravy was in it, and the superiority of native cook- 
 ery was evident. " How associating Avitli om 
 fellow-men takes the conceit out of us !" said Cap 
 tain Spencer. " I have been fancying myself, of 
 late at least, equal to that Soycr of whom I have 
 read in ths; English papers, and now the first sa- 
 vage with whom I meet far out-docs my best
 
 efforts." He was, however, somewhat consoled 
 when he saw with what avidity the savage devoured 
 the yam cakes laade English fashion, and was sur- 
 prised when the man shared the entrails with 
 Gij);y, which he seemed to prefer to the other parts 
 of the kangaroo. Some tops of Grass-trees, which 
 had grown in tlie hollov,-, were also cooked in the 
 oven ; but beiVu-e he put them in, Kinchela ex- 
 amined all the ] eaves separately, and picked some- 
 thing out of thorn which he put into his mouth. 
 Can he be eating raw insects? thought Captain 
 Spencer. A .bag of dried Unios was still left, 
 which when offered to the native he rejected with 
 horror, saying " the boyl-yas would eat him when 
 he was asleep if he took them, and he must sleep 
 to get well." 
 
 The repast being finished, and Kinchela appear- 
 ing to be free from pain, Captain Spencer asked 
 him Avhat he meant by a boyl-ya ; on which he 
 shook his head mysteriously, and it was long be- 
 fore he could be prevailed on to answer. At last 
 he said that a boyl-ya was a sorcerer, and turning 
 towards the unconscious Tiger with a look of ap- 
 prehension, he was again silent. Captain Spencer 
 could not for])ear a smile, but not wishing to hurt 
 the man's feelings, he concealed it, and begged to 
 know wliy the people had called him a sorcerer. 
 Lowering his voice, Kinchela, with some hesitation, 
 ?iaid, ''that \!1 his people believed him to be one
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 179 
 
 For many reasons : that he travelled alone, which 
 I- wtute iiiai. ha-n -vei tone betbrt jii>; ht iooko!" 
 li. sumethuig wbicL h^ aeid in nit- 'laua. nn.l r.htM 
 seemed to know which way to go ; tnat he nad a 
 little black dog, not at all like their dingoes (dogs), 
 which made an odd noise, and was also a boyl-ya, 
 for he knew everything its master said ; and that 
 he had also a big dog, not like a dog at all, that 
 was a still bigger boyl-ya, that was very fierce, 
 upon which he sometimes flew away in the midst 
 of noise and smoke ; that he himself killed every 
 thing by fire, and sometimes pulled the fire out of 
 his body (alluding to the pistols which Captain 
 Spencer carried in his belt) ; and that when he 
 wanted to cut down grass he only touched it with 
 his big knife, and then it fell. Kinchela spoke of 
 the death of the tall man as known every where, and 
 all supposed he had been killed because he defied 
 the boyl-ya, and wished to destroy him. He said 
 that it vras understood in various places that a 
 boyl-ya was going through the country, which some 
 tliought would be a blessing and others a curse, 
 and therefore the latter were determined to do 
 him all the mischief they could." 
 
 Captain Spencer was highly amused at the cha- 
 racter under which he had passed among these 
 people, and also at the scaring influence of Tiger's 
 mane :i)\d tail, which, added to his capers, had 
 doubtless confirmed the idea of his flying. He
 
 180 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 was, however, surprised at the intimate knowledge 
 which was possessed of all his actions, proving 
 aow incessantly he must have been watched. On 
 mentioning liis stay by ttie side_ ot ttie take, Km 
 chela told him that " ttie natives avoided iiim b^ 
 living on the other side, but that they peeped 
 at him over the tops of the hills, or from the 
 trees in which they hid themselves ; that they 
 thought the large tarpauling was a cloud which 
 made him and his attendant spirits invisible, for 
 never before did birds sleep with dogs and man, 
 and talk as Charlie did, which proved what clever 
 sorcerers all of these were, and that the white 
 man's visit and escape from the caves where so 
 many sorcerers lived, had raised their idea of his 
 influence, and showed that he exceeded all others 
 in power." 
 
 The foot was healing fast, the water was again 
 loAV in quantity, and wishing to fetch some more, 
 and yet not leave the Australian, Captain Spencer, 
 hoping that he had convinced the poor man of the 
 harmlessness of himself and companions, proposed 
 that he should ride on Tiger's back and go with 
 him ; by which means the recovery of ' the foot 
 would not be impeded by exercise ; but Kinchela's 
 horror was so great at the idea, that it Avas in vain 
 to try and persuade him ; the Englishman there- 
 fort- returned to the well alone, and procured the 
 proper sujiply. During his absence Kinchela tried
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. ^81 
 
 to walk a little way, and had readied some little 
 distance from the place where they hud bivouacked. 
 It was then that Captain Spencer thought of sew- 
 ing the lame foot up in a piece of his most pliant 
 leather; and if with that he could bat get him to 
 the place where the well was, he might leave him 
 with every prospect of being able to secure food ; 
 he had been going to the north, or they could have 
 travelled together for a short time. He asked 
 him the way to Perth ; but the name ■w^s wholly 
 unknown to Kinchela, as well as that of Swan 
 River ; and it was impossible by any allusion to it, 
 to bring it to his mind ; he said lie , knew there 
 were places where a great many white men lived 
 together, and inade a ''big smoke;" but he had 
 never been to any of them. The reaching Perth 
 was now entirely abandoned by the traveller; and 
 he inquired if the man knew where the big water 
 was, where the ships lived. Kinchela replied in 
 the affirmative, and pointed towards it, in a direc- 
 tion which was very different to that which the 
 Englishman would have taken, and which perfectly 
 bewildered him. He said that " plenty of white 
 people lived a great way off," and pointed to the 
 east ; but he had never seen them ; and then Cap- 
 tain Spencer decided on making the sea his prin- 
 cipal object ; for he could ascertain nothing re- 
 specting any other object : every where, the native 
 told him. there was but little water for drinking
 
 18^ AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 Captain Spencer made all preparations for start- 
 ing ; and when he asked Kiuchela if he thought 
 he should soon overtake his own tribe, the poor 
 man seemed perfectly astonished, and said he was 
 going with the white man ; the white man, how- 
 ever, shook his head ; and then Kinchela fell upon 
 his knees, bowed himself to the ground, and clasp- 
 ing his hands together, said, "he would find water 
 fvr him, catch food for him, do anything for him, 
 and nev^ go away from him ; that his father and 
 brother were all dead ; he had not any wife, (gin 
 as he called her) ; and that the white man was like 
 his brother come back to him ; and that now he 
 would never go any where but with him." Cap- 
 tain Spencer did not then know the strange ideas 
 which many of the Australians entertain of the 
 reappearance of their dead relations in the form 
 of Avhite men, and therefore could not comprehend 
 the force of the latter part of Kinchela's speech ; 
 but he could not treat his solicitations lightly. At 
 the same time he could not bear to drag this poor 
 creature all over the continent, and then leave him 
 among strangers. He tried to explain to him that 
 he lived in the land of the Malays ; and after he 
 had seen the white men a great way off, he should 
 go back there across the big water, and never re- 
 turn to Australia ; that he had plenty of servants 
 in the Malay's country ; and that he might per- 
 haps even go away for ever from them, and live
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDER );RS. 180 
 
 among white men entirely. It was useless to make 
 these representations ; Kinchela implored, gesti- 
 culated, promised everytliing lie cx)uld think of 
 likely to make his presence desirable ; but half of 
 ?rhat he said was unintelligible, both from its vehe 
 mence, and from being partly in his native lan- 
 guage ; however, the tears which rolled down his 
 cheeks, his sorrow, his supplications could not be 
 mistaken, and Captain Spencer yielded ; on which 
 the poor fellow laid his hands upon the white 
 man's shoulders, and put his head upon his breast. 
 Now it would be necessary to secure a double 
 stock of provisions ; and while thinking of this, it 
 •■.arted into Captain Spencer's mind, that perhaps 
 in a moment of frantic hunger, the man might eat 
 his poor Gip ; he, however, could not but be pleased 
 on the whole to have a companion which would re- 
 lieve the dreadful solitude he had often found so 
 oppressive ; and he determined, as long as he could, 
 to keep up some sort of mysterious influence, botli 
 about the horse and dog, wdiich might render them 
 more secure ; and he thought that if he at length 
 reached a settlement, he might easily find some 
 one who would be glad to engage a faithful ser- 
 vant, and so take him off" his hands. He told him 
 that he must obey him in all things, which the man 
 seemed perfectly to comprehend ; and, although he 
 thought it might be useless, he tried to convince
 
 ) 84 AliTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 him that Tiger, Gip, and Charlie, were to be as 
 much respected as himself. 
 
 Now came the consideration of food ; and the 
 wisest thing appeared to be a final visit to the well 
 to increase the supplies ; and when Captain Spen- 
 cer announced his intention, Kinchela said he \r.y 
 quite able to walk, and if he did not do all thr.t 
 was right by the white man, the dogs and the, bird, 
 and other boyl-yas, he knew would torment, if not 
 eat him. His master made over to him the two 
 spears which he had secured ,in his encounter with 
 the natives, and which he had never used. The 
 man seemed to be delighted with the present ; ex- 
 amined them, poised them in his hand, and said he 
 would make a throwing-stick when he came to a 
 tree. 
 
 The whole party moved to the well, Kinchela 
 limping a little ; but he leaned on one of the 
 spears, and his master had patience. A hut of 
 boughs supported by a stick, w^as erected, the ma- 
 terials for which Captain Spencer chopped down 
 with his hatchet ; and as there were some fiiie Gum- 
 trees of a hard wood near by, he taught Kinchela 
 the use of both that and his knife, for making the 
 throwing-stick and a club ; and with the facility 
 thus afforded, the native was delighted. The 
 Grass-trees attracted his attention ; but instead of 
 choosing the best-1 coking, he went to those which 
 -SI peared to be dy-._ ^ and giving one a kick, it
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 185 
 
 shook ; ho then qtiite knocked it over ; and taking 
 a piece of bark from a Gura-tree, he sat down 
 upon the ground, and picked from it more than a 
 hundred caterpillars ; he ate one or two as he pro- 
 ceeded ; and offered some to his master, who de- 
 clined them with a feeling of disgust. Kinchela, 
 however, persevered, and wrapping them in the 
 piece of bark, when the oven, which they made on 
 their arrival, was heated, he baked them ; and so 
 earnestly entreated Cajjtain Spencer to taste them, 
 that he could not refuse. To his surprise he found 
 that they tasted like nuts ; and having once con- 
 quered his repugnance, he became as fond of them 
 as the Australian seemed to be. Gripsy also ac- 
 quired the taste ; and Charlie, who had always 
 been extremely busy among the Grass-tress, and 
 never came to one but he sat on the top, screeched, 
 and flapped his wings before he began to eat ; 
 seemed to have quite as much pleasure in eating 
 cooked as well as raw caterpillars : saying, as he 
 strutted about, "Very good, very good." 
 
 Frogs were caught by the native, and cooked in 
 the same manner ; and of these Captain Spencer 
 immediately partook, the Australian having taken 
 out the intestines ; he however confined himself 
 solely to the parts which are eaten in France. 
 Cockatoos were shot, and the whole cookery was 
 entirely resigned to the native, who plucked the 
 
 featheis off, folded cL.e jnlrails in a piece cf 1. .• :: 
 IG*
 
 186 AUSTRALIAN WANL>Bi^£BS, 
 
 by themselves, "nd baked them ecparateiy, reserv- 
 ing them for himself, being now, as well as after- 
 wards, perfectly contented vrith them for his share, 
 pro-^ided they were of suilicient size. His master 
 saw that new sources of food would be opened to 
 him, provided he could conquer preconceived opin- 
 ioud, and take that which the country afforded, and 
 reasoning with himself, he made a determination 
 from that moment, to eat whatever Kinchela pro- 
 vided for him, if the taste were not disagreeable. 
 
 The next day, as they sat together after their 
 meal, Kinchela received his first lesson in English, 
 which his master determined to teach him as 
 quickly as possible. Charlie was rather a hind- 
 rance, for he also repeated the words, till his mas- 
 ter scolaed him, and then he repeated the scolding 
 in so ludicrous a manner, that it was impossible to 
 help laughing, and he at length fiew away, saying, 
 " Charlie, you rascal, hold your tongue — Ha ! ha ! 
 ha !" The native was as quick as Charlie, and 
 Captain Spencer was surprised at his daily pro- 
 gress. At night, the bird, before he Avent to sleep, 
 repeated everything he had learned in the day, and 
 completed the astonishment of the Australian by 
 saying in a sort of patronising tone, "Kinchela, 
 that's right," and Kinchela turned his eyes towards 
 him with fear and astonishment. " Good," thought 
 the Enfi-lishman ; " he will think Charlie the great-
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 187 
 
 est sorcerer of the four ; this shall be encouraged 
 for the poor bird's safety." 
 
 Clothes were mended; the two pair of cloth 
 trousers were dwindled into one, and these were 
 much patched ; the thread was very low, the shirts 
 had quite disappeared, but the beard, aa well as 
 moustaches having been suffered to grow, it hid the 
 deficiency. One cloth jacket alone survived in a 
 serviceable state, and those of linen were in the 
 utmost state of delapidation ; stockings had long 
 been gone, but thanks to the moccasins, the shoes 
 which they covered, were still in being. " What 
 shall I do," said Captain Spencer, "if I do not 
 get to some habitable place before long ? I may 
 emulate my friend Kinchela in his eating, but cer- 
 tainly not in the absence of his wardrobe ; I must 
 kill some more kangaroos, and make a dress of 
 their skins ; but how insufferably hot they will be ! 
 Well, patience !" 
 
 And now the time of starting was arrived, Cap- 
 tain Spencer, as usual, took his knapsack on his 
 back, which was much too light for his comfort or 
 convenience ; he also carried his fire arms, his 
 hatchet, and his sword ; Kinchela took the speana, 
 and two additional bags which his master had con- 
 trived to make from his old clothes, to hold the in- 
 creased stock of provisions, some pieces of baik 
 and a lighted stick, which he said was much better 
 than for white man to make fire each time ; an \
 
 188 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 Tiger had his usual burden. They at first pro- 
 ceeded by very short journeys, on account of Kin- 
 chela's foot being still tender ; but before many 
 days were over he walked perfectly well ; neverthe- 
 less he was always much less able to bear a long 
 laarch than Captain Spencer.
 
 CHAPTER \^li 
 
 Kinchela still afraid of Tiger — Zamia trees — Kinehela's first lesson 
 in honesty — Bed c f a small lake — Improved cuisine — AuL'tralians 
 cannot boil — Fire-stick — Wild fowl— Birds — Kangaroo caught in 
 Kinehela's fashion — Kinchela greedy — Reflections of Captain 
 Spencer — Gums — Manna — Floss Silk — Bee — Kinehela's memory 
 of words — Cold rain — Kinchela catches Opossums — Kinchela 
 makes a cloak — Burnt grass— Catch animals by burning scrub — 
 Kinchela mends spear — Kinchela talks of bad black men — Ma- 
 gellanic clouds — Higher hills — Wallabies — Talperos— Emu— Emu 
 oil — Cross the mountains — Flies — Iguana — Kinehela's fear of a 
 telescope — Beautiful scenery — Flowers — ^Lake — Ipomea — Ever- 
 lastings — Nest of Leipoa — Banksias^Finches — Stork — Dragon- 
 fly — Beetle — ^Fly — Grubs — Captain Spencer carries Gipsy every- 
 where on his knnpsa.ck — Native dogs — Wombat — Snake— Kiugia 
 — Grevillia — Inga — Eugenia, Ac. — Birds and insects — Buteo — 
 Birds — Scenery — Pieces of crystal and agate— Flowers — Mack- 
 intosh given to Kinchela — Fungus — Natives frightened away by 
 gun — Python — Arrive at the Ocean. 
 
 The cheerfulness of the travelling party was 
 much increased by the addition of Kinchela, for 
 there was frequent conversation between him and 
 his master ; an i animals are always cheered by 
 the soimd of the human voice. Both Gip and Ti- 
 ger were accustomed to dark complexions, and 
 were therefore strongly inclined to be familiar 
 with their new companion ; more so tlum he liked, 
 egpecially as concerhcd tlm horse, towards which 
 
 LU9)
 
 190 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 ae 8tii' tell an andefinabio dread Even in thf 
 midsL OL cooking ji calkmg, if Tiger whisked bu 
 tail, he stopped short and looked at him with ter- 
 ror. The usual practice of Captain Spencer — 
 that of bivouacking in the middle of the day, and 
 marching during the morning and evening hours 
 — was adhered to, unless any unforeseen event oc- 
 curred to make an alteration of plan desirable. 
 The first morning thev were all thus travellino: to- 
 gcther, they reached some Zamia trees, from which 
 Kincliela was about to gather the clustered cones, 
 but his master stopped him, at the same time say- 
 ing they were poisonous, because they had made 
 him very ill when he eat them. • They made 
 white man ill," rejoined Kinchda, 'because lie 
 not know, and he eats them wet;" lie addc:! that 
 he and his party had passed that spoi, ami buiied 
 some in the ground, which wouM now bo fit tu cut, 
 and he would take them up. lie so'iii fi>und the 
 spot, and with the sluirp point of a stick turned 
 them out of the holes. Captain Spencer exam- 
 ined, and felt that they were perfectly dry ; and 
 seeing Kinchela eat them freely, ventured to follow 
 his example. They were very superior in fiavour 
 to those which had been recently gathered, and he • 
 did not experience any ill effects from them. Ti- 
 ger and Charlie had their share, with whom they 
 also agreed ; and he could only account for this 
 by supposing that the oil which thej originally
 
 -. I'^'TBAL^^y WANDERERS, IHl 
 
 contained nau aiHineu ironi ..xicii. >vniic :ne v vvef ■ 
 in the ground. For every one which he had taken 
 from the holes, he made Kinchela substitute a 
 fresh nut, saying, that unless he replaced them, it 
 would be robbing those who had made the deposit. 
 Such reasoning surprised Kinchela, and Avas his 
 first lesson in the eighth commandment. This 
 seemed to be the southern limit of these trees, 
 some of which were sixteen feet high ; and they 
 did not meet with them again. 
 
 After some days' journey, with a miserable sup- 
 ply of water, the party reached what once had 
 been a small lake, surrounded by a number uf 
 rounded hills, the banks of which were muddy, and 
 the <lry bed of whirli was full of Lirge and deep 
 cracks. The hitberro successful diriging was h )r'j 
 again tried, and water was reached at a depth of 
 eight feet from the surface. Kinchela, who- hod 
 hitherto used only his hands on such occasion^-, 
 was delighted with the shovel, and seemed to think 
 that it would always produce water. The liquid 
 was at first of the most disagreeable flavour ; but 
 all except Captain Spencer drank it without dis- 
 gust. He not only waited till a larger quantity 
 had risen into the hole, but, to the astonishment 
 of the native, lie boiled it ; indeed, the process of 
 boiling always seemed to be a matter of surprise 
 to him; for as tlsc Australians have iio vessels 
 which will stand the fire, they cannot effect thi?
 
 192 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS, 
 
 method of heating food ; and Kin chela often took 
 up the hot can and looked at it, in doing which he 
 more than once burnt his fingers. 
 
 According to Captain Spencer's expectation, he 
 was now introduced to a multitude of novelties for 
 his cuisine, and among others was the root of u 
 fern, which he had often seen before, and which, 
 when baked and poAvdcred into meal, was excellent. 
 No more yams were found, but the tubers of rushes, 
 and of a plant something like a reed,* yielded a 
 good supply of farinaceous substance ; and Kin- 
 chela soon learnt from his master hoAV to make it 
 into cakes, similar to those of oatmeal. 
 
 By degrees the Australian became accustomed 
 to the sound of the gun and pistols, but never 
 evinced the least desire to touch them ; and his 
 master thought it well that he should continue to 
 feel this repugnance. He always carried the fire- 
 stick, the lighted end of which was wrapped in 
 grass or bark, so that it remained in a smouldering' 
 state, and was a most acceptable saving of the 
 powder hitherto used in lighting the fires, or the 
 more laborious process of friction with two pieces 
 of wood. As usual, when water was procured by 
 digging, birds flocked round in an incredibly short 
 space of time, and ample food was thus supplied ; 
 several sorts of wild fowlf issued from the reeds ; 
 an Eagle also made its appearance, but did not 
 
 * Potamogeton. + Teal and Anseranus melanoleuca.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 193 
 
 alight, unless it had descended early in the morn- 
 ing, when it was seen at a distance, flying away as 
 if satisfied. The incessant Cockatoos, always an- 
 nounced by Gip's growls, brought some of their 
 young ones, just able to fly, and making a noise 
 like young frogs, to the increase of Gip's anger, 
 and which Charlie provokingly imitated ; then 
 came Parrots, Parrakeets, and Pigeons, a bird 
 which made a glucking sound, some Honey- eaters, 
 with cheerful notes and gaily coloured plumage, 
 and another bird, which, after uttering a long, clear 
 whistle, ended with a cry like the smart crack of 
 a postilion's whip ; Fly-catchers and a Platycercua 
 added to the number, the latter having a sea-green 
 body and yellow shoulders ; and Kinchela's hands 
 were full with catching them in all sorts of ways. 
 He was very skilful in setting snares ; and one of 
 his traps was composed of two rods, placed among 
 the grass, and meeting at the top, from which part 
 hung a noose made of twisted fibres of bark, so 
 that the birds, as they ran along, thrust their 
 heads into the loop, which immediately closed round 
 their throats and choked them. 
 
 An enormous Kangaroo was started, and Kin- 
 chela, anxious to show his powers, entreated Cap- 
 tain Spencer to keep Gip away, and let him kill it 
 without assistance ; so to gratify him his master 
 held the dog in his arms to ensure her forbearance. 
 The native then gathered a large bough, which 
 17
 
 194 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 effectually concealed his person, and holding it 
 before him, he crxutiously and stealthily advanced 
 towards his victim. The bough, however, rustled 
 a little against the bushes, as he passed some a 
 little higher than the rest, and then the Kangaroo 
 raised its head and looked round. Kinchela stood 
 perfectly motionless till the animal's suspicions 
 were quieted, and thus drew near his prey. He 
 had concealed his spear also behind the bough, apd 
 now, taking good aim, plunged it into the poor 
 beast just under its shoulder. It did not fall im- 
 mediately, but took an enormous leap with the 
 spear sticking in it, which, hovrever, broke as the 
 game reached the ground. Kinchela ran to the 
 spot ; but the Kangaroo kicked so violently that 
 he could not come very close, but creeping round, 
 out of reach of the feet, the long toe on which 
 had an enormous nail which might have killed 
 him, he made a sudden dart upon the tail and held 
 it with all his strength ; this reduced the energy 
 of the Kangaroo, and it gradually became weak- 
 ened by loss of blood. It was no sooner dead 
 than Captain Spencer came up to the Australian, 
 and praised him for his skill and courage, at the 
 same time saying, that he should like to have the 
 skin taken off and added to his stock of leather, 
 for Tiger's and his own socks were almost ex- 
 hausted. 
 
 Kinchela was quite excited ; but taking up a
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 195 
 
 sharp piece of stone, •vvliich he used much more 
 dexterously than he woukl have handled a knife, 
 made an incision, by means of which he proceeded 
 to strip the skin from the body, occasionally push- 
 ing it with his feet, and often stuffing a piece of 
 flesh into his mouth, warm and quivering as it 
 was. An oven was constructed and heated by 
 Captain Spencer, and as this was going on, and 
 the entrails were removed, they were put into it ; 
 but the rapacity with which the native snatched 
 at them, and seemed |,.o grudge Gipsy her share, 
 80 completely disgusted his master, that he began 
 to repent the companionship which had at first 
 given him pleasure. He told the native that as 
 they had plenty of other provisions, he would have 
 the flesh of the Kangaroo dried ; but Kinchela 
 did not comprehend this, and was evidently disap- 
 pointed at not eating it directly ; his master was 
 therefore obliged to set to work himself, but the 
 Australian quickly comprehended the process : the 
 meat was cut into strips, and hung round the oven 
 on wooden skewers, and when it was sufficiently 
 cooked, it was exposed to the sun for a day, and 
 then stowed away in a bag. The bones were 
 Btewed with some of the root-flour, and then Kin- 
 chela was satisfied with the supply for the present. 
 He with the stone cut ofi" all the coarser parts of 
 the skin, stretched it on the ground, beat it for a
 
 196 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 long time, and renewed the process morning and 
 evening till it was quite soft as well as dry. 
 
 As Kincliela slept after his ample meal and 
 great exertions, Captain Spencer tried to reason 
 himself out of the disgust which he felt, by consi- 
 dering that this poor wild man was, in his uncivil- 
 ised condition, scarcely to be called a reasonable 
 being ; that his gratitude to himself showed ht 
 possessed some of the best feelings of human na- 
 ture, and he could only expect his savage propen- 
 sities to be overcome by j^ucation, and contact 
 with those of his own species who were superior 
 to himself. "We are all too apt," said he, "to 
 judge of untutored men according to our wishes, 
 and by books, which generally conceal that which 
 would disgust. Even my good Indians would 
 shock polite Europeans, if placed in their drawing- 
 rooms without preparation ; but they are refined 
 beings Avhen compared with Kinchela. Their reli- 
 gion too, though repugnant to us, has its softening 
 influence ; but neither in Kinchela, nor in any 
 part of the country where I have been, has any 
 trace of religion met my eyes, unless the caves 
 were temples ; and even these are relics of times 
 and people passed away : — witchcraft alone sup- 
 plies its place. But I must do my best with Kin- 
 chela, and when I feel annoyed at his gross habits, 
 must steadily look to the future, and forbear." 
 
 The progress of the travelling partj was slower
 
 AUbTRALIAN WANDERERS. 197 
 
 than it had been when Captain Spencer had no 
 human companion, for Kinchela pecured so many 
 kinds of food, before unknown to the Englishman, 
 that they seldom started very early in the morn- 
 ing ; besides which, the former appeared to be 
 wholly unable to make forced marches. A great 
 article of their consumption was a variety of gums, 
 gathered from different trees, especially that of a 
 bright amber colour proceeding from the Acacias, 
 which was very sweet and good, and which Tiger 
 also delighted to pull oif the stems. There were 
 also some not edible, and which Kinchela told his 
 master were used for fastening spear-heads, &c., 
 such as an elastic substance something like Indian- 
 rubber, and others of a more resinous nature ; 
 also what very much resembled Gum Tragacanth, 
 from a tree of the Capparis kind. Besides these 
 ^ums was a substance which both Gipsy and Tiger 
 licked up with great avidity, as well as Kinchela, 
 who complained of their taking possession of it, 
 but who in reality dared not drive the horse away 
 when he saw him devouring it. It was a white, 
 mucilaginous substance, like flakes of snow, lying 
 upon the trunks, and on the ground under the 
 Gum-trees, and which appeared to come from un- 
 der their outer bark. Captain Spencer could only 
 compare it to Manna, and Kinchela told him that 
 an insect made holes in the bark and let it out, so 
 that it fell to the ground ; he was quite greedy 
 
 17*
 
 198 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 after it ; but it was of too sickly a taste for liis 
 master, who much more enjoyed the sweet drink 
 made for him by the native from the red or yellow 
 flowering cones of the Banksias. They were so 
 full of honey, that they had only to be shaken in 
 water to impart to it their sweet syrup ; and other 
 flowers also produced the same, although not in 
 equal abundance. One of these was an Asclepias, 
 with flowers like those of the Hoya, whose pods 
 were full of a substance like white floss silk. 
 
 One day, as the party were eating their morning 
 meal previous to their march. Captain Spencer was 
 surprised to see Kinchela suddenly starting up, 
 saying in Malay, " Ah, you fellow ! you show me 
 where you live," and he instantly covered a Con- 
 volvulus flower with his hand, the trailing stems of 
 which crept along the scrub. He then pulled 
 some of the down from the Asclepias pod which 
 stood near the spot, and wetting a piece of gum 
 in his mouth, he with it fastened the white sub- 
 stance upon a Bee which he had secured. As soon 
 as the insect was released from captivity, it flew 
 away ; and Kinchela keeping his eye upon it, fol- 
 lowed its course, getting several tumbles on his 
 way from his headlong haste, and attended by Gip, 
 who ran and barked at she knew not what, but 
 thought if there were a hunt, it was her duty to 
 take a part. At last the bee went into a hole in 
 the trunk of a tree, and Kinchela called to his'
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 193 
 
 master for the hatchet, with which he chopped 
 away the wood till he exposed the whole nest. 
 The queen issued from it, and consequently all the 
 inhabitants of the hive deserted it, so that the 
 contents became an easy spoil to the wayfarers. 
 They poured the rich, well-flavoured honey into 
 some pieces of bark, aud managed to secure it 
 from running out by binding these round with 
 grass, so that it afforded a treat for some days. 
 Gip had suddenly disappeared ; but a whine of 
 distress was heard by her master and Kinchela, 
 who sought her in the direction whence the sound 
 proceeded. It proved to be the neighbourhood of 
 a dried-up spring, and the poor thing had fallen 
 in^o a deep hole, which, being covered with bushes 
 and sticks, had been unperceived by her. It was 
 so deep that she was with difficulty extracted from 
 it by means of a string, which she held with her 
 teeth, and so was pulled up. Kinchela told his 
 master that the pit had been dug by some natives 
 to catch the Kangaroos when they came to drink 
 at the spring, and was one of the many modes by 
 which they entrapped these animals. Something 
 was daily learned from Kinchela with regard to 
 the important article^ of food ; and he in his turn 
 received daily information from the Englishman in 
 the English langunge, of which he soon learned 
 not only vrords, but sentences, to which he gave 
 their proper application. It was, however, curioua
 
 200 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 to observe how he retained certain words in his 
 memory and not others, and corrupted the phrases. 
 The latter probably arose from the nature of his 
 own language, for of course it was perfectly origi- 
 nal ; and from the same source he always called 
 Captain Spencer, Boccolo, which in his own tongue 
 meant chief. There was an endeavour to make 
 him substitute the Sahib of the Indians for it ; but 
 he frequently combined the two, and often ad 
 dressed his master as "Boccolo Sahib." 
 
 The season of heat advanced in a manner which 
 surprised Captain Spencer, considering the latitude 
 in which he supposed they were ; but in the midst 
 of the dryness, some heavy clouds gathered over 
 head, and there seemed to be every prospect of a 
 heavy shower ; it was, however, slight, but the 
 drops which did fall upon his face and hands made 
 him start in consequence of their icy coldness. 
 Kinchela seized upon the skin of the Kangaroo, 
 which still remained unappropriated, and covering 
 his shoulders with it, crouched down in the scrub, 
 refusing to stir till the rain was over. " Boccolo 
 Sahib," said he, coming after his master, who had 
 slowly proceeded, " we stop when we come to big 
 tree, make cloak for Kinchela." How he was to 
 make a cloak out of a gum-tree, which he sup- 
 posed was meant by big tree, the Boccolo could 
 not imagine, unless it were from the bark ; he, 
 Uowever, yielded to his wishes, and arriving at a
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 201 
 
 line of thom, he agreed to stop, and more willingly 
 as close by the trees -was one of those depressions 
 in which water had lodged and drained from the 
 scrub, and although it was not good, there was 
 enough for all. 
 
 Instead of going to sleep at night as usual, 
 Kinchela remained in a listening posture, and 
 hearing a slight rustling among the leaves, he 
 pointed to them. Captain Spencer then saw some 
 small animals which he supposed to be Flying 
 Opossums,* for they flew from the higher to the 
 lower branches ; but Kinchela said he did not want 
 them ; there were others which were bigger. It 
 was bright moonlight, and sitting perfectly still, 
 with Gip in his arms to keep her quiet, the Eng- 
 lishman saw several of a larger size on the ground, 
 eating the grass. They were about the size of a 
 good-sized cat, had whiskers, and pretty innocent 
 faces, not unlike mice ; their eyes were very bril- 
 liant, and their ears soft and pretty ; their legs 
 were comparatively short, and their claws appar- 
 ently sharp, with which they were evidently able 
 to grasp small objects ; their tails were out of pro- 
 portion long, seeming to measure from eighteen to 
 twenty inches, and had no hair underneath ; their 
 bodies were covered all over with a thick fur of 
 diiferent colours, dark gray, and shades of brown 
 with a golden tinge, and lighter underneath ; they 
 
 * Phalangista,
 
 202 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 twisted their tails round branches of the neigh- 
 bouring scrub, and called and answered each other 
 with a sort of hoarse chuckle. " To-morrow I 
 . catch you," said Kinchela, and quietly settled him- 
 self to sleep. 
 
 Kinchela* set to work the next morning, borrow- 
 ing his master's hatchet, and sharpening a stout 
 stick ; he then examined the trunks of the trees, 
 and stopped only at those on which he saw the 
 prints of claws. He blew upon these marks, to 
 see if the sand still stuck upon them where the 
 feet had left it, in which case the opossums must 
 have ascended very recently, and be within the 
 tree, but if it blew away, he went on to another 
 tree. When convinced that an opossum was with- 
 in the trunk, he cut rather a deep notch, into 
 which he stuck the great toe of his right foot, flung 
 his left arm round the tree, stuck the sharp point 
 of his stick into the bark above him, and lifted 
 himself up ; he then cut a notch for his left foot, 
 dragged himself up to that, and thus arrived at 
 the hole, which was a considerable distance from 
 the ground. He routed the opossum* out with his 
 stick ; and when it appeared at the mouth of the 
 hole, he caught hold of it in such a manner that it 
 could not bite him with its sharp teeth ; and when 
 it Wiis fairly out of the hole he seized it by the tail 
 and dashed it to the ground. He caught a great 
 
 * DidelpLis.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 203 
 
 many, but not all with the same ease ; for some 
 ran swiftly up tlie tree directly he began to climb 
 it, and took refuge in the boughs ; but he went 
 after them, and shook or knocked them down ; 
 others retreated into their holes so far that the 
 stick would not reach them, in which case he de- 
 scended the tree, and mounted again with some 
 lighted leaves or grass, which he put into the hole, 
 and the smoke soon dislodged the opossum. 
 
 More than forty opossums were secured, and 
 they were just suiEcient for the cloak. Kinchela 
 performed his office with great dexterity ; but as 
 he removed the skins, he stuffed so many pieces of 
 the entrails into his mouth, that Captain Spencer 
 thought he would not be able to eat anything more 
 that day ; but it made no difference with the even- 
 ing meal, and as yet his master perceived he had 
 no adequate idea of the capacity of an Austra- 
 lian's stomach. 
 
 The excellent flesh of the opossums was dried, 
 and the making of the cloak employed Kinchela 
 for several days, for he was obliged to beat them 
 a o-reat deal to make them soft : he made thread 
 by twisting fibres of bark together, or by a rude 
 imitation of spinning the fur of the opossum. For 
 a needle he used the shin-bone of a kangaroo 
 ground to a point upon a stone, with which he 
 pierced holes, and then put the thread through, in 
 order to join tl -• skins together. The cloak
 
 204 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 reached nearly to his knees when it was finished^ 
 and he fastened it upon his right shoulder with a 
 wooden skewer ; he also made a belt of opossum 
 skin, into which he stuck pieces of sharp stone, a 
 tomahawk of the same material, which had been 
 left with him when he was abandoned, and what- 
 ever treasures he thought fit to accumulate. 
 
 The individual of the travelling-party who fared 
 the worst was Tiger ; for they frequently came 
 upon large tracts where the grass and scrub had 
 been burnt, and no rain had caused the former to 
 spring up again ; but the good horse bore his pri- 
 vations patiently and good-humouredly, and the 
 meal and gum which were given to him were very 
 nourishing substances. Still Captain Spencer 
 watched him with anxiety, dreading to see him get 
 out of condition, and was surprised to find with 
 how small a quantity of water, and that of bad 
 quality, they were all in such strong health. He 
 asked Kinchela why these patches were burnt; 
 and he replied, for two reasons, one of which was 
 that it did the grass good, and made it grow well 
 after rain had come upon it ; and the other, that 
 when they set the scrub on fire the small animals 
 ran out of it ; and he would show him how it was 
 done the next time they wanted to renew their 
 stock of food. 
 
 No sooner was the dried meat getting low than 
 Kinchela reminded his master that the burning
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 205 
 
 time was now arrived ; and having settled Tiger in 
 a distant spot, they procured some large thick 
 boughs, and going to a distance from the station 
 which they had chosen for the night, they selected 
 a piece of scrub, and stamped and trampled a cir- 
 cle round it, into a still closer and more intricate 
 mass. They then set fire to that which was in the 
 middle, and all three — for Gipsy played her part 
 bravely— contrived to secure Wallabies,* Opos- 
 sums,t Mice, Rats and Frogs, Lizards and Snakes, 
 which rushed out, and whose escape was impeded 
 by the broken scrub. Gipsy, however, who was 
 very eager in the sport, invariably shrank from 
 the snakes, and was not quite sure that she ought 
 to have anything to do with the lizards. When 
 the flames touched the bruised mass, the two men 
 vigorously beat and extinguished them with their 
 boughs. It was a very fatiguing mode of hunting 
 when only two persons were engaged in it, but very 
 exciting. 
 
 The broken spear had never been mended ; and 
 now reaching some Grass-trees, which had not long 
 • ceased flowering, they saw the tall shafts of hard 
 smooth wood rise from the middle ; Kinchela soon 
 secured one of them, and before he slept he fas- 
 tened the head of the old one on to it with fresh 
 gum. The scarcity of water increased so much, 
 and was such a source of apprehension to Captain 
 
 * Halmaturus agilia. f HypsiprymnuB. 
 
 18
 
 206 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 Spencer, that he proposed to the native to return 
 northwards to one of the permanent rivers, think- 
 ing, that with Kinchela's directions, he might reach 
 it more speedily than if alone, and remain there 
 till the season of drought was over. The man 
 looked very serious, and shook his head, and on 
 being pressed to speak, he said, " No ! no ! Boc- 
 colo Sahib ; those very bad fellows ; they not think 
 you boyl-ya, and then they eat you up," The Boc- 
 colo at first thought Kinchela was trying to frighten 
 him ; but on being pressed to speak seriously, Cap- 
 tain Spencer found that there were really some 
 tribes who eat human flesh occasionally, and that 
 Kinchela truly apprehended some such catastrophe. 
 He added that he knew them, but that he would 
 take him to " the big water, where there was good 
 country, good white men, and plenty to eat and 
 drink;" he then pointed, as ho I'.mI always done, 
 in a southerly direction. His master, who had 
 long abandoned all hope of Swan River, now fan- 
 cied that King George's Sound must be the point 
 to which his man alluded, and cheerfully acquiesced 
 when that prospect presented itself to him, for he 
 thought that even there he might meet with a ves- 
 sel which would take him to a port whence he 
 might embark for India. 
 
 One evening, as the wanderers sat by their fire, 
 Captain Spencer watched the southern stars, which 
 80 plainly tell the distance of Europeans from
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDEIMKS. 207 
 
 tneir home, and Kinchela, who saw the diiccfion in 
 which his eyes were bent, said, "Boccolo, you look 
 at smoke \iip there ?" " What smoke ?" asked the 
 Boccolo in his turn. Kinchela pointed to those 
 white specks ir. the heavens known as the Magel- 
 lanic cloud? -a: i then gravely assnred his master 
 that a black fellow, very well known, had made a 
 fire, and a boyl-ya had taken the smoke up there, 
 where it would always stay. Kinchela " knew it 
 was true." Captain Spencer did not attempt to 
 contradict him, but was much amused at this novel 
 explanation of the phenomenon. He then ques- 
 tioned him, both in Malay and English, concerning 
 the existence of a large sea in the interior of Aus- 
 tralia. He replied that he knew of one big sea, 
 and going round that a man would die, and a boy 
 be very old before he had finished ; but whether 
 this meant the large sea with which some say the 
 immense and unknown district of the interior is 
 occupied, or whether he alluded to the ocean itself, 
 Captain Spencer could by no means discover. 
 
 The travellers were now fast approaching a 
 much higher line of hills than those which they 
 had left far ofi" to their right, and which showed 
 signs of basaltic formation, with here and there a 
 base of granite ; the former rising two and three 
 hundred feet, and alternating with sandstone. 
 Little Talperos, as Kinchela called them, the size 
 of a rabbit, but longer in shape, as well as Eock
 
 208 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 Wallabies, which were bolder, stronger, and more 
 active than those of the bush, resembling hares in 
 appearance, ran about the rocky soil, which he 
 said lived for months without water ; and near 
 whose haunts were many vestiges of native en- 
 campments. "Kinchela," said Captain Spencer, 
 " do you see that black fellow stalking about alone 
 there, at the foot of the hills through the high 
 bushes?" "He not black fellow," replied Kin- 
 chela, laughing, in which he was loudly echoed by 
 Charlie ; and then added, " Gip, Kinchela, and 
 Boccolo catch him." " To him, Gip !" said Cap- 
 tain Spencer, and all started in the pursuit; for 
 he now saw that it was the bird he had so long 
 desired to come in contact with, the Emu. Gip 
 made directly for the game ; and her master and 
 Kinchela separated, in order to intercept the Emu 
 in every direction which it might take. Still, with 
 its extraordinary swiftness, it was getting ahead 
 of them, when calling Tiger, Captain Spencer 
 jumped on his back, and galloping round the bird, 
 came before it, having directed Tiger by woids 
 and his naine. This proceeding rather checked 
 the native's ardour, for he was still frightened 
 when his master mounted the horse ; but the poor 
 bird was at last run down, and lay kicking with its 
 strong feet upon the ground. Gipsy kept barking 
 at a short distance ; but Kinchela dashed up be- 
 hind, and broke its wings, for fear it should rise
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 20'J 
 
 and try to make its escape. Captain Spencer then 
 fired, and put an end to its existence. Kinchela 
 would have dragged it to the place where they had 
 made their fire ; but to his infinite satisfaction his 
 master threw it across Tiger's shoulder, and trotted 
 back to their station. All this time Charlie had 
 been a most attentive spectator, and flew about as 
 if he had been mad, flapping his wings, and laugh- 
 ing, and crying " Ho ! ho !" like the natives ; 
 but he was much too cautious to approach so large 
 a bird. As soon, however, as it was dead,, he 
 perched himself behind his master, on Tiger's 
 back, saying, " Well done, boys ! Well done, 
 Boccolo ! Well done, Ned Spencer ! Ha ! ha !" 
 Water issued from the soil where they bivou- 
 acked, and which had been chosen from a suspi- 
 cion that it was the bed of a former torrent ; the 
 small supply was pure and well-flavoured ; and 
 that night witnessed the baking of the Emu. 
 There was no moon ; and Kinchela set fire to the 
 tops of two grass-trees near by, which burnt with 
 a bright flame and delicious perfume, from the 
 fragrance of the resin which they contained. A 
 spacious oven was artistically built ; the bird was 
 plucked and skinned; the legs, neck, and head 
 chopped ofi"; the entrails taken out, folded up 
 separately in grass, as well as the head and neck, 
 and placed with the body in the heated circle , 
 and while they were cooking, a fire was made on 
 18*
 
 210 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 the ground, tlie feet were steamed, and were as 
 good as calf's feet. When they were taken from 
 the fire, a tray of bark was set upon stones amidst 
 the ashes, and the skin suspended over it. Oil 
 dripped plentifully into it from the skin, which 
 gave great satisfaction to Kinchela, who rubbed 
 himself all over with it ; and wished his master to 
 do so likewise, Avho of course refused ; he also 
 wished to rub Gipsy, but was prevented. When 
 Captain Spencer asked him why he did this, he 
 answered that it was good for the pains in his legs 
 and arms ; but of these pains he never yet had 
 complained ; and he cast a wistful look at Tiger, 
 as if he would have operated on him. if he had 
 dared. Captain Spencer thought it would be an 
 excellent remedy to have by him, if he could pos- 
 sibly carry it ; and when he suggested this to Kin- 
 chela, the young man made a sort of bag of the 
 skin, and wrapping it in grass and bark, it travelled 
 safely. The Emu's feathers were not lost ; and 
 forming a fillet of grass, Kinchela bound it round 
 his temples, and stuck a bunch of them in front 
 of his head ; which, as he was tall and well-made, 
 and had on his opossum cloak, produced a very 
 picturesque effect. His master still wore his 
 plumes, now formed of cockatoo feathers, and re- 
 newed them as often as they were dirty, by killing 
 other cockatoos, and mingling the black, the sul- 
 phur colour, and scarlet of the different species.
 
 AUSTRALIA iN WANDERERS. 211 
 
 It was now necessary to cross the mountains ; 
 and having examined the range with his glass, 
 Captain Spencer chose the lowest and most acces- 
 sible part, in order to save Tiger as much as pos- 
 sible from fatigue. As they ascended, which they 
 did very slowly. Tiger was tired ; and Gip so 
 earnestly entreated to be carried, that her master 
 lifted her up on to his knapsack, very much to the 
 amusement of Kinchela, who looked at the horse, 
 and said, " If big dog wanted to be carried. Kin- 
 chela not could carry him." The flies here were 
 again troublesome ; and Captain Spencer again 
 had recourse to the handkerchiefs for himself and 
 Tiger ; and also put on the ear-cases of the latter. 
 Upon this Kinchela begged to be accommodated 
 in the same manner, to his master's infinite enter- 
 tainment ; and he fastened a red and white hand- 
 kerchief over him ; which was the more ludicrous, 
 as, being too hot to wear his cloak, he had no 
 other clothing than the head-dress and opossum 
 belt ; he also asked for coverings for his ears ; and 
 was not quite satisfied when he was told that they 
 were only intended for horses. In spite of this, 
 he, however, returned to his old habit of throwing 
 up his chin, and half closing his eyes. Another 
 Bort of fly, of a brown colour, was also encountered, 
 and which was extremely troublesome. Captain 
 Spencer thought it indicative of the vicinity of 
 Kangaroos, as he had often seen it on those ani-
 
 212 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 mals ; nor was he mistaken, for there were manj 
 on the other side of the heights. 
 
 All day did the party clamber, only resting for 
 a short time ; and at length, still far from the sum- 
 mit, they stopped upon a ledge, at the back of 
 which was a shallow cave ; large enough, however, 
 to hold them all comfortably for the night. Before 
 they settled themselves, they routed from it a large 
 Iguana, with a bluish tint over the head and neck. 
 It was singularly ugly ; as, indeed, almost all the 
 Australian lizards are ; but Kinchela said it was 
 very good to eat, killed and roasted it ; and the 
 supper which it afforded was like the most delicate 
 chicken. On the morrow they again started, and 
 before mid-day stood upon the summit of the 
 range ; which seemed to stretch to the north and 
 south, as far as the eye, or even the glass, could 
 carry the sight. On this occasion Captain Spen- 
 cer tried to reconcile Kinchela to the use of the 
 telescope, which he had hitherto regarded with 
 superstitious horror. He with difEculty persuaded 
 him to look through it at some Kangaroos feeding 
 in the plain below ; but as soon as he brought 
 them, as Kinchela thought, close to his eye, the 
 man all but dropped the telescope, and fell flat 
 upon the ground, with his face downwards, to avoid 
 the enchantment ; nor could he ever be persuaded 
 to touch it again. His master tried to overcome 
 his feai'S by pretending lo make Gip, Tiger, and
 
 AUSTEAL IAN "WANDERERS. 213 
 
 even Charlie look tlirough it ; but lie with tears 
 implored that he might not be exposed to such a 
 piece of sorcery. 
 
 It seemed as if all the natural riches of south- 
 western Australia were concentrated in the beauti- 
 ful spot before tin m ; large districts of wood closed 
 the horizon to the east, formed of lofty timber ; 
 the Acacia scrub had many open patches in it ; 
 and over its surface the most exquisite plants had 
 frequently spread their trailing stalks, while their 
 scarlet, yellow, crimson, or orange blossoms glowed 
 vividly in the sun ; clumps of trees, or single 
 giants, stood in various spots ; and a lake of opalic- 
 looking water, with a bed of clay, caused such fer- 
 tility, that even at the present time, when the 
 herbage was in general brown andwifhered, there 
 was green grass in its vicinity. It w^as evidently 
 of much greater extent in the winter ; but the 
 basin was probably never dry, for even now the 
 soil was wet and muddy, where water had been. 
 Captain Spencer's first feelings of thankfulness 
 were expressed in fervent ejaculations, and then 
 followed great joy for Tiger's sake. " Dear old 
 fellow !" said he, affectionately caressing him ; 
 " there is plenty of water, and some good grass for 
 you, and we will stay here till your coat shines 
 again, and you shall drink and be merry." At 
 these words Charlie rose from the horse's back, 
 saying, " Drink and be merry ! hurrah ! dear old
 
 214 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 fellow ! Ned Spencer ! Boccolo Sahib ! Good bye ! 
 ha! ha! ha!" 
 
 The party occupied much less time in descend- 
 ing than they had done in climbing the heights ; 
 they passed beautiful trailing plants ; a broad- 
 leaved Capparis, bearing a pear-shaped fruit with 
 prominent lines ; Convolvuli ; Ipomeae, with yel- 
 low blossoms, and also with large pink flowers, 
 from the seeds of which came a caustic juice, pro- 
 ducing blisters on the skin. It surprised Captain 
 Spencer that there were no natives in this beauti- 
 ful place ; but Kinchela said they lived there 
 sometimes, for he saw several huts, and they were 
 probably gone to the big water, as they did every 
 year at this time, to catch fish. As they proceeded 
 to a verdant spot, near to which Kinchela said 
 Kangaroo-grass was growing, they passed some 
 very pretty white and yellow everlasting flowers ;* 
 and soon came upon one of those mounds of earth 
 which Captain Spencer had before seen, and taken 
 for a native grave. To his great surprise, how- 
 ever, Kinchela gave a cry of pleasure, and imme- 
 diately began to scrape away the earth from the 
 centre with his hands. It was five feet high, and 
 forty-five in circumference ; and when Kinchela 
 had penetrated a little way into the heap, perhaps 
 about two feet, he with triumph showed two fragile 
 and delicately-coloured pink eggs, which had rested 
 
 * Gnapholium.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 215 
 
 im their smallest end, and were of a large size. 
 They and two others were roasted for supper, and 
 although so large, had not the least coarseness of 
 flavour. Close to this, and several other mounds, 
 grew some dwarf Gum-trees, only thirty feet high, 
 which Kinchela said made capital spears, digging 
 and throwing-sticks. 
 
 As they ate their roasted eggs. Captain Spencer 
 questioned Kinchela about the manner in which 
 these curious nests were formed ; and he told him 
 that the birds scratch the soil up with their feet, 
 and with it a great deal of vegetable matter, which, 
 when it gets rotten, makes the whole heap quite 
 warm ; but that the birds, just before the female 
 lays the eggs, turn out the inside to dry ; she then 
 deposits the eggs, at the rate of two in one day, 
 and when all are placed, she covers them up, and 
 leaves them to be hatched with the heat of the 
 sun. It was always known when eggs were inside, 
 because then the top of the mounds was round 
 and smooth ; and if there were none, there was a 
 deep sinking in the middle. He added, that other 
 birds in other parts of Australia laid their eggs in 
 the same manvicr, but distributed them in different 
 parts of the heap, whereas these laid them in a 
 email circle round the centre. Captain Spencer 
 found the shells very heavy, weighing, as he 
 thought, eight ounces, and asked what occasioned 
 some marks Avhich he found on some of them.
 
 216 ATT3TIIALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 The man answered that the white Ants penetiatecl 
 into the mounds, and formed their galleries all round 
 the eggs, so that the young birds found food ready 
 for them immediately on coming out of the shell. 
 A sort of skin covered the latter, which was of a 
 brown colour. When Captain Spencer expressed 
 a wish to see the birds, Kinchela said they -must 
 sit quite still and watch, for they were soon fright- 
 ened ; and the next day the native and his master 
 stationed themselves among the mounds, concealing 
 themselves in the bushes. Captain Spencer brought 
 his gun, as well as his pistols, to fire at them, if 
 they should attempt to fly away. At sunset one 
 of the birds came to the mound, and was shot ; it 
 was a very heavy, compact bird, as large as a 
 Turkey ;* spotted brown and white, with a tuft 
 upon the head, the bare parts of which were of a 
 bright blue ; its legs Avere short, and yet it ran 
 very fast. Kinchela said it roosted on trees, and 
 could live a long time without water. When the 
 young have left the mound, the female, he added, 
 walks about with from eight to ten young ones ; 
 they issue two at a time, and directly she hears 
 their cry she runs to take care of them. There 
 is only one pair for each nest ; both together accu- 
 mulate the heap of soil, and the hen lays an egg 
 every morning just before sunrise. When the 
 nest is robbed, she will lay again in the same nest, 
 
 * Leipoa ocellata.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 217 
 
 but only twice the proper number of eggs in one 
 year ; the young birds scratch their way without 
 help, and are then fully fledged, and all have a 
 very strong gizzard. 
 
 " We will stay here some time, Kinchela," said 
 Captain Spencer, " and rest ourselves, for there is 
 plenty to see and to do here.'' " Very good, Boc- 
 colo!" was the reply; "then Kinchela make you 
 new cloak," pointing to the mackintosh, the lower 
 edge of which was hanging in riljands ; and he 
 started in search of more Opossums. Numbers of 
 Banksias studded the plain with their honeyed 
 blossoms, and bees were as plentiful as flies, but 
 they did not sting. The pretty Finches also 
 abounded in the same shrubs, made their nests, 
 and Avarbled their cheerful notes. Near to the 
 more barren parts of the mountains, but among 
 the trees, a curious noise was heard in the evening, 
 which lasted far into the night. Kinchela said it 
 was not a Cadli, or wild Dog, but a big dog of an- 
 other kind, which ate trees, and did not leave one 
 branch till all the leaves were gone, and then it 
 went to another. He and his master captured 
 one, and it proved to be what the latter had seen 
 described under the name of Koala, or Sloth, and 
 had a sharp nose and coarse fur. Kinchela thought 
 it would be good eating ; but with plenty of food 
 of other kinds about him, his master did not fancy 
 its appearance ; he, however, made use of its skii^ 
 19
 
 218 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 as he had done of the kangaroo's, and continued 
 to collect skins v/liile in this place. He caught 
 many animals, and more especially the rock Kan- 
 garoos, which always sit with their tail between 
 their legs. He was more anxious to secure them 
 at this period, on account of the quantity of bark, 
 which was yielded by numerous Acacias, for tanning 
 their skins. 
 
 Charlie feasted on the abundance of insects ; 
 and the good bird, because Captain Spencer had 
 frequently called to him to bring various speci- 
 mens for examination, now of his own accord con- 
 stantly flew to him with some of his prey in his 
 beak. Among them was one of the Dragon-fly 
 species,* the lower wings of which were very ex- 
 traordinary-looking, like a long thread with two 
 enlargements at the end ; then he brought a Thyn- 
 nus, looking like a wasp ; another which Kinchela 
 called a Barde,t and a Phoracanthus, with very 
 long, spinous, and remarkable antennse, which 
 hovered about the gum-trees. To his annoyance 
 the Englishman himself caught a beetle, J with a St. 
 Andrew's cross on its wing-cases, which, when he 
 touched it, sent forth a filthy odour. One or two 
 others had the same property, but he abstained 
 from again touching any of that form, except with 
 ft twig. A fly, with a sharp head and golden eyes,§ 
 
 • Neuroptera Hattei. f Bardistus. 
 
 J Mictis profanea. g Clioerocoris paganoa.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 219 
 
 made fierce attacks upon them ; and a smali cater- 
 pillar, with sharp spines, strong enough to run 
 into the finger, attracted the traveller's notice. A 
 Smaragdina had a gorgeous red thorax ; and yel- 
 low and brown Locusts seemed to be particularly 
 acceptable to Charlie. 
 
 Kinchela one morning was busy preparing some 
 slender twigs, from eight to ten feet long, which 
 he bent into a hook at one end, and with which he 
 proceeded to the gum-trees. There his master 
 saw him insert these twigs into holes in the ground, 
 and after a little manoeuvring drag up what he 
 called Laabkas, which proved to be fine fat grubs ; 
 and as Captain Spencer had eaten those of the 
 grass-trees, he did not hesitate to partake of them, 
 and found them of excellent flavour. Kinchela 
 said they were the first part of some curious moths, 
 which the Boccolo would see by and by. 
 
 Gipsy enjoyed the stay by the lake less than 
 any of the party, on account of the presence of 
 many snakes ; for she had never forgotten her ad- 
 venture in the other plain, and also of the number 
 of native dogs, which would have snapped her up in 
 a minute. She could not be left with the baggage 
 on account of the latter, and dared not run on the 
 ground for fear of the former ; Captain Spencer, 
 therefore, always put her on his knapsack when 
 he went on his excursions, and Gip thus accom- 
 panied him every where on his back. The dogs
 
 220 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 howled horribly at night ; and the Englishman 
 asked Kinchela, who was always timid after night- 
 fall, if he did not think they were boyl-yas ; the 
 man shook his head, and whispered that these were 
 not boyl-yas, for they were in the trees, where he 
 could at that moment hear them, alludino; to the 
 creaking of the boughs. Kinchela ran doAvn some 
 of the dogs, finishing their fate by throwing a 
 stick at them. He brought the first to the bivouac 
 to cook, and had it all to himself, for his master 
 refused any share in the feast ; he took out the 
 entrails, filled the inside with grass, fastened the 
 aperture together with wooden skewers, and put it 
 into the oven. Nothing annoyed him more than 
 to be obliged to cook any animal without its skin, 
 the hair of Avhich was always singed ofi". He said 
 tliiit when black fellows caught puppies, they took 
 one or two to tame and live with them, but always 
 ate a great many. The dogs, however, had two 
 still more powerful causes of destruction — the 
 snakes and themselves ; for they ate each other in 
 times when other food was scanty. 
 
 The Wombat* was an inhabitant of this plain, 
 with its short nose and thick body ; and Kinchela 
 drove these animals to their holes in the sides of 
 the mountains, closed the mouths with stones, 
 lighted a fire, and suffocated them ; causing Cap« 
 tain Spencer to think what a fierce warfare man, 
 
 * t aasoolomys.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 221 
 
 who does not till the ground, carries oi. with other 
 animated parts of creation. The nati re treated 
 the elegant little Jerboas in a very summary man- 
 ner ; for he merely broke away the under jaw, bit 
 ofiF the tail, and then making a hole in the sand, 
 which he heated, he put the animal into it, and 
 when it was cooked he ate it as it was, fur, skin, 
 entrails, and bones. Captain Spencer longed to 
 teach Charlie to call him a greedy fellow, but was 
 very cautious in this respect ; for as Kinchela now 
 understood a great deal of English, he was afraid 
 of creating some enmity between them, if Charlie 
 told disagreeable truths. 
 
 Kinchela called one of the snakes Tookyte,* 
 and told his master if it bit him he would lie down 
 for three days, and then get well, and it was very 
 good to eat. He also showed him a Death Adder, 
 which he said made people die in a few minutes, 
 without their knowing that they had been bitten. 
 
 Some of the Grass-trees seen by the travellers 
 had been seventeen feet high ; but in this spot was 
 another kind, even larger in stature,! and which 
 looked like a palm with simple leaves ; it had the 
 rough, cylindrical bark of the Xanthorrhea, but 
 its leaves were narrower. A large Hakea, of a 
 different species to that which formed the scrub, 
 had- drooping leaves a foot and a half long, ana 
 was twenty-five feet high. A Grevillea was de^ 
 
 * Riija. t Kingia. 
 
 19*
 
 222 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 veloped into a small tree, with very long, riband- 
 like leaves of a silvery grey ; and one of the same 
 genus had beautiful red blossoms, and two flat 
 seeds, surrounded by a narrow, transparent mem- 
 brane. A large Fig-tree, sixty feet high, with 
 rich foliage, had bunches of fruit of small size and 
 excellent flavour ; but it was almost impossible to 
 eat them, because they were so full of flies and 
 ants, the two great pests of the country. The 
 Inga moniliformis, with its articulated pods, yielded 
 a rich perfume, which fragrance was somewhat of 
 a rarity among the flowers of Australia ; and a 
 noble Eugenia, with large, white blossoms, wide, 
 leathery, shining leaves, green bark, and a hard 
 trunk, stood forty feet high. Its scarlet and ribbed 
 fruit was on the tree at the same time, a constant 
 occurrence in such climates, and was six inches in 
 circumference. If suffered to hang till it dropped, 
 it was good to eat ; but if gathered, was pungent, 
 though always aromatic. The wind whistled 
 through the articulated branches of the drooping 
 Casuarinas on the borders of the lake, like the 
 tones of an Eolian harp, and their blossoms looked 
 like crimson frin^re. One of the Hibiscus tribe 
 afforded some strina; to Kinchela ; and a Protea- 
 ceous tree, with silvery leaves, l-.ad seeds sur- 
 rounded by a broad, tvunsparent membrane. 
 
 Black Swans, witli their bright led beaks, floated 
 UDon the lake ; some beautiful Falcons took theij
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 223 
 
 share of the smaller and exquisite birds which fre- 
 quented this lovely place. One of them* had iiv^y 
 plumage, yellow legs, and very brilliant eyes ; an- 
 other was sooty black,t of exquisite shape, and 
 rapid flight ; and a Kingfisher,! seemed to livvO on 
 lizards, beetles, and grasshoppers. One of the 
 Honey eaters, when opened for cooking, had its 
 crop full of the remains of beetles ; and its head 
 was covered with a yellow pollen, proceeding from 
 a flower very like a Mallow, which was a great re- 
 sort of those insects in the heat of the day, when 
 the petals closed over them. 
 
 The Australian told Captain Spencer a curious 
 history of a Buteo,§ which he caught ; saying that 
 it was so bold, it Vv-ould drive an Emu from her 
 nest when sitting, and would take a stone between 
 its feet, drop it on the eggs, and then eat the con- 
 tents of the broken shells. It had great powers 
 of vision ; and Captain Spencer having left a dead 
 Wallabie in a grass-tree as he passed, intending to 
 take it up as he returned from a distance, found 
 that the bird had devoured every part except the 
 fikin, and saw it fly away as ]:e approached. One 
 of the Shallow family was killed, which the tra- 
 veller had once seen in England ;|| some Gymnor- 
 rhise fed on fruits and insects, and sang in nume- 
 rous choral notes. Tlie Falcunculus built its neat 
 
 * Falco hy;iiiloi!c!-,s. , i''. subuiger. 
 
 J Halcyon sanctus. § Buteo melanostomoii. 
 
 jj Acanthylis caudacuta.
 
 224 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 on the branches of gum-trees, which were at least 
 fifty feet high ; it was the shape of a cup, was 
 made of bark, lined with grass, and contained 
 from four to five shining white eggs speckled with 
 olive. Here also did the Bower-birds again form 
 their pi ay -grounds ; and their cup-shaped nests 
 were made of sticks, lined with grass and feathers. 
 The Calyptorhynchi were rivals to Kinchela in 
 cheir fondness for grubs ; and they went about in 
 small flocks, with a heavy flight, and a low, crying 
 note, very difi"erent from that of their noisy breth- 
 ren of the parrot tribe. Some ducks' nests were 
 discovered in the trees ; and there seemed to be 
 no end to the natural wealth of this favoured 
 region. It was, however, time to depart from it, 
 and move to the south, before the greater drought 
 slii ;dd distress them still more in their after-pro- 
 grcso. 
 
 On the last evening of his stay. Captain Spencer 
 placed himself a little way up the mountain-range, 
 from whence the ground gradually sloped away to 
 the fruitful plain ; the thick woods, the stillness 
 of which was only interrupted by the rustling of 
 the Opossums, as they ran up and doAvn the trees ; 
 the moon shining brightly on the lake, the waters 
 of which reflected a soft opalescent light ; the clear 
 and well-defined outline of the immense distance, 
 in that dry climate ; the large occasional flocks of 
 wild-fowl which passed over his head, and splashed
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 225 
 
 into the lake, making tiny and glittering waves 
 around them ; the foreground darkened by the 
 shadow of the mountains, lighted up in one spot 
 by two brilliant natural torches, which had been 
 kindled by Kinchela, who was seated on the 
 ground enjoying the most peaceful repose — formed 
 a scene which was never forgotten by the wanderer 
 in any of the fair or busy scenes of his after-exist- 
 ence. 
 
 The travellers made active preparations for 
 starting: Tiger and Gipsy resumed their sober 
 habits ; Charlie confined his flights to their imme- 
 diate vicinity ; as much water as could be carried 
 was secured; and Kinchela had loaded himself 
 with pieces of crystal and agate, which he had 
 found on the mountains, together with all sorts of 
 fancied treasures. He endeavoured to stuff them 
 all into the opossum -belt round his waist ; but one 
 after another dropped out agaki, till he bit his 
 beard with impatience. " Why do you not make 
 a bag for those things ?" asked his master ; " there 
 is plenty of skin, and you had better do so to- 
 night, then you can carry them with all con- 
 venience." Kinchela gave rather an indignant 
 toss of the head, and replied, "Black fellow not 
 carry bag with stones ; Gin carry bag ;" by which 
 Captain Spencer understood that his dignity was 
 offended by the suggestion ; but as he did not 
 choose to burden Tiger unnecessarily, he did not
 
 226 AUSTRALIAN W A N D E B E K S . 
 
 tell him to add these valued possessions to his load: 
 At length, taking off his belt, the native folded 
 them up in it, and seemed to think little of the 
 additional weight. They passed on amidst beau- 
 tiful flowers, among which various Papilionacese, 
 the Bossieua virigata, with its yellow and crimson 
 blossoms ; the Kcnnedia Maryatta, like a large 
 coral tree ; the Eriostemon, with pannicles of pink 
 r.nd white, five-rayed stars ; and the splendid 
 Choryzema, were the most conspicuous; and never 
 did beautiful Australia look more beautiful than 
 when they bade farewell to the lake and plain. 
 Scrub, fatiguing, obstinate, tearing, pricking, pro- 
 voking scrub succeeded, and the bivouac the next 
 night took place in a very different scene to that 
 of the preceding. 
 
 On the completion of the opossum-cloak, Cap- 
 tain Spencer had bestowed his old mackintosh on 
 Kinchela, who then folded up his own, and in imi- 
 tation of his master carried it on his back, when 
 throwing the mackintosh outside he caused him- 
 self to look infinitely ridiculous, as he was evidently 
 oppressed by the additional covering. Day after 
 day passed, during which time, a lai'ge, misshapen, 
 brownish mass, issuing from some gum-trees, had 
 delighted the native ; for he gathered as much of 
 it as he could stuff into the bags whence food had 
 been taken, and at night he roasted it over the 
 fire. It was a fungus, and excellent to the taste,
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 227 
 
 witliout producing any ill effects. " Plenty black 
 fellows come here," said Kincliela; "some coming 
 now;" and Captain Spencer turned his head to 
 look. " Are they good fellows ?" asked he. " No, 
 Boccolo," was the answer ; " they come to take 
 away; make them afraid, seem as if you sleep." 
 The travellers pretended to be ignorant of tha 
 approach of the two men, who were evidently a 
 detachment from a larger party, sent to discover 
 the proceedings of the strangers. When, how- 
 ever, they were close by. Captain Spencer let 
 Gipsy out of his arms, and shouted to her and 
 Tiger, " Up, boys, after them !" The two animals 
 rushed upon them, which made them retreat with 
 the most grotesque haste, and then Captain Spen- 
 cer fired over their heads. Such vigorous pro- 
 ceedings prevented any further molestation ; but 
 Kinchcla said he knew there had been a large 
 party, for he heard the sounds of their feet ; and 
 he laughed and chuckled with intense delight at 
 the alarm which had been produced. In this his 
 master could detect the feeling of superiority 
 which association with civilized man constantly 
 produces in a savage, and leads him to triumph 
 when the inferiority of the latter is manifested. 
 
 On coming to a rocky district, Gip uttered a 
 cry, which her master well knew betokened some 
 danger; and rushing back to him, she leaped at 
 once into his arms, which were always ready to
 
 228 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 receive her ; and Kinchela immediately after ex 
 claimed, "• Wakeh !" and pointed to a huge Python, 
 at least twelve feet long, of a beautiful greenish- 
 brown, with yellowish-white spots, sluggishly un- 
 coiling itself, and making for a tree which stood 
 near by. Before it could reach its hiding-place, 
 however, Kinchela sprang forward, seized it behind 
 the head, and in one moment wrung its neck; h? 
 then flung it across his shoulders, much to the hor 
 ror of Gip, who did not look up or leave her mas- 
 ter till the Python had been skinned, cut up like 
 an eel, and roasted, thereby yielding an excellent 
 supper. A certain degree of dampness seemed to 
 fall upon the party that night, which betokened 
 their vicinity to the sea, and which chilled Kin- 
 chela (who wrapped himself in his mackintosh with 
 the air of a general officer at least). The next day, 
 before the sun was high, they stood on the edge 
 of a lofty cliff, which overlooked the great Ant- 
 arctic Oeean.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Captain Spencer makes a signal to a vessel— Boat oomes ashore— 
 Captain of the vessel comes in the boat — Offers assistance — Cap« 
 tain Spencer and his companions go on board the French whaling 
 ship, the Jlarie — Life on board the M.irie — Xative feast off a 
 stranded whale — Natives pay a visit to the Marie — Kinchela 
 spoiled — Charlie learns French — Ciiptain Spencer leaves the 
 Marie — Scrub — Tiger very happy — Cranberry — -Kangaroo — Kin- 
 chela has a fit of gluttony — Cliffs — Return to the sea-shore — 
 Fishes— Musical Teredo — Salsolse — Eryngium — Fruit — Plants, 
 Ac. — Reptiles— Birds — Crabs — Kinchela ill-humoured. 
 
 There was something most exhilarating in the 
 prospect of the broad and dancing waves spread 
 out before the travellers, and the feeling of home 
 which they ever bring to the minds of Englishmen 
 who have wandered over their surface, §ven in 
 spite of the sorrow or suffering which may be as- 
 sociated with the recollection. After gazing be- 
 fore him for some time. Captain Spencer thought 
 he should now only have to coast along the shore 
 till he reached Adelaide, which he knew must lie 
 to the east of his present position. It wag evident 
 that l>oth Perth and King George's Sound muat 
 20 ( 229 )
 
 230 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 have been missed ; and as he looked right and left 
 of him, he felt convinced that hfe was in the Bight 
 of Australia. That look presented him with a 
 sight even more grateful than the sparkling ocean, 
 for white brethren were near. A large vessel rode 
 it anchor at some distance from the shore, but as 
 she h^i i no ensign up, he could not tell to what na- 
 tion she belonged. He took a spear from Kin- 
 :ncla, tied a handkerchief on the top of it, hoisted 
 it as high as he oould, and immediately after fired 
 nis gun. Anxiously did he await the answer to his 
 signal ; the fire was returned from the ship, and in 
 a few moments a boat was despatched from her to 
 the shore. As she came near, Captain Spencer 
 and his party descended the clifi" by a winding 
 path, to await her approach ; he forgetting the ex- 
 traordinary appearance which he must make with 
 his grass hat, cockatoo plume, bronzed complexion, 
 long hair and beard, and patched garments. The 
 boat lay-to when within speaking distance, and one 
 of the crew hailed the travellers in broken Eng- 
 lish, an air of surprise pervading the whole party. 
 Captain Spencer advanced to the brink of the 
 waves, saying that he was an officer in the East 
 India Company's service, who had been wrecked 
 on the northern coast, with his horse and dog, and 
 had found his way through the country to the 
 place where he then was, which he concluded was 
 Lhe southern shore, and had picked up the native
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 231 
 
 on his way. The boat after this ran upon the 
 beach, and a fine young man, evidently superior in 
 rank to the others, jumped out of her, and, touch- 
 ing his cap, said he was Alexis Royer, commander 
 of the Marie, the whaling ship now lying in the 
 offing ; and although he could not speak English 
 well, he had understood what the officer had said, 
 and begged to assure him that all the assistance 
 which he could afford was perfectly at his service. 
 Captain Spencer, who spoke French fluently, gave 
 him a rapid outline of his adventures ; and the 
 Frenchman entreated of him to come on board the 
 whaler with him, assuring him she was his own 
 property, and what she contained should be de- 
 voted to his accommodation. He added, that they 
 were some distance from King George's Sound ; 
 for he entirely avoided entering any English ports, 
 because, while touching at Bahia on his way, there 
 was so strong a rumour of war being declared be- 
 tween France and England, that he feared, if not 
 a capture, a vexatious detention. This, however, 
 need not make him a personal enemy to Captain 
 Spencer ; and he begged for the honour of a visit 
 from him in the only residence which he could 
 offer for his accommodation. The EnsHshman 
 looked at Kinchela and Tiger; and, reading his 
 thoughts. Captain Royer then assured him there 
 was plenty of room for his horse and servant, and 
 from the stores of the vessel he would be able to
 
 232 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 replenish himself in all the necessaries for the re- 
 mainder of his journey. The offer was very 
 tempting ; it must be sincere, for compliments do 
 not often pass on such occasions, and in such 
 places ; and the wanderer yielded to the prospect 
 of enjoyment which it afforded. He frankly ac- 
 cepted the proposal, and told Kinchela they were 
 all going on the sea. The man seemed at first to 
 shrink from it ; but, after a moment's hesitation, 
 he said, " Boccolo go, Kinchela go," Just as they 
 were about to step into the boat, Captain Spencer 
 said, "I have yet another companion, whom I 
 must not leave behind ; but as he will not take 
 much room, I hope you will allow me to bring him 
 also." " Certainly," said Captain Royer, wonder- 
 ing if it were a pet kangaroo. The Englishman 
 then called " Charlie ! Charlie!" and uttered the 
 peculiar whistle to which he had accustomed the 
 bird ; and in a minute he flew rapidly from the 
 cliff, and perched on his master's shoulder, saying, 
 " I'm coming ; here's Charlie !" " I should have 
 been sorry," said the Frenchman, smiling, "to 
 have left out such an interesting portion of your 
 company;" and they entered the boat, Tiger cre- 
 iiting much astonishment by the dexterous manner 
 in which he not only stepped on board, but con- 
 tentedly resigned himself to the hoisting up by the 
 Bide of the vessel. As to Kinchela, the sea was 
 smooth, and he was delighted ; much more so,
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 23S 
 
 however, when he was invited to partake of a good 
 dinner. 
 
 The conversation of the French captain and his 
 chief oflBcer, the accommodations of the Marie, the 
 knowledge of time, and the civilized occupations 
 of those about him, made a happy break in the 
 hard-faring, rude life of the soldier ; and he was 
 surprised to find how short a period had been con- 
 sumed in coming from the scene of his misfortune, 
 for it seemed to him an age since he had begun to 
 traverse the continent ; and he was also surprised 
 at having made so much more easting than could 
 have entered his calculations. He now found, 
 that in about another month, according to the ideas 
 of one accustomed to the regularity of Indian 
 seasons, the rain would come, and then he- might 
 not be able to travel. Captain Royer, in his un- 
 certainty as to the relative position of their two 
 countries, could not take him to iVdelaide, had he 
 been so inclined, and therefore he determined to 
 start again after a week of indulgence ; besides 
 ^\llich, he felt that it would be dangerous to linger 
 among those decencies of life, which a well-ordered 
 vessel of any nation presents, and that the longer 
 !:(» staid in agi'ceable society, the less should he be 
 iticlined to launch again into the wilderness. His 
 kind host insisted on his accepting a new suit of 
 rilothes from his own wardrobe ; and being tall and 
 tlight, they fitted well enough to be perfectly com- 
 20*
 
 r Q 
 
 M AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 lortable. There was no spare flesli on Captain 
 Spencer's bones, but muscles were hardened and 
 developed, so that he well filled the loose garments 
 of the sailor ; the delight of wearing shirts was 
 inconceivable ; the luxury of soap, for which he 
 had so long been obliged to substitute sand, was 
 indescribable ; and well-trimmed hair, and a por- 
 tion of the beard properly taken away, instead of 
 being cut with a knife, made him feel, as well as 
 look, quite another man ; the more particularly as 
 the carefully-reserved cap was taken from the 
 knapsack, and worn instead of the grass hat. 
 When Kinchela saw his master thus equipped, he 
 seemed lost in astonishment, and burst into loud 
 exclamations. Gip jumped with delight ; but 
 Charlie was very grave, as if he did not quite un- 
 derstand the metamorphosis, and seemed particu- 
 larlvglad when the voice reassured him that it was 
 indeed his master. Tiger took everything most 
 philosophically ; he munched the hay which was 
 given him from the diiferent packages on board, 
 drank sparingly of water, occasionally gave Gip a 
 shake, and received the visits of Charlie, who often 
 sat upon his back, with apparent pleasure, to the 
 infinite amusement of the sailors, wlio said all tho 
 beasts were charming, even the Capituine. 
 
 The next day Captoin Spencer was taken to 
 land to see the garden which had been formed 
 under the brow of one of the cliffs, by the side of
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 235 
 
 a small stream of fresh water, which proceeded 
 fnom a fissure in the rock. It was a rich piece of 
 sloping ground, as if the good soil from the top 
 of the cliif had been washed on to it, and it was 
 planted with a variety of European vegetables, 
 which were calculated not only to give enjoyment, 
 but to contribute to health during the many weeks 
 the Marie was likely to continue in that spot. 
 When they heard of all the animals which were to 
 be killed inland, many evinced a desire to procure 
 fresh meat ; but Captain Spencer could not help 
 observing; how much better the French vessel was 
 found in what are called preserved meats, than 
 those of his own country, by which means the 
 whole crew were fed with fresh rations once in 
 every week. It was during this excursion to the 
 shore, that Captain Spencer saw the remarkable 
 appearance ^ network on the face of the cliffs, 
 which has been reported by many navigators, and 
 which he at first supposed had arisen from the in- 
 terlacing of fossilized branches, or roots of trees, 
 but which, on examination, he now found to arise 
 from some peculiar cause in the formation of the 
 sand and lime of which they were composed, and 
 connected with the washing of rains. Beautifully 
 coloured shells lay upon the shore, which he ga- 
 thered for the collection of Captain Royer. 
 
 It was proposed to the Englishman to take away 
 with him a few of the Madagascar sheep from
 
 236 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 Captain Royer's stock, which would make a cer- 
 , tain store of provisions ; but he refused, thinking 
 that with only Kinchela to take care of them, they 
 might prove an incumbrance, and it was better to 
 depend on themselves for food. Some pieces of 
 beef and pork, however, were hung up to dry, that 
 they might have some sort of supply. As to Kin- 
 chela, he did not give one thought to the future ; 
 he could not understand a word which was said to 
 him by the Frenchman, but the abundance of the 
 present moment was a source of -sufficient happi- 
 ness ; and the men, finding him to be insatiable, 
 amused themselves by cramming him until he was 
 almost unable to attend in the cabin, where his 
 master requested he might be admitted at the 
 hours of repast, that he might form some notion 
 of knives, forks, spoons, and other et-ceteras. ' No 
 spirits were given, by the especial Srder of both 
 captains. 
 
 The whalers rose before dawn every morning, 
 and went out in the boats to a considerable dis- 
 tance, in order to look for whales, which one of the 
 men, who had been experienced in the northern 
 fisheries, said were of a different species to those 
 known in Europe ; the parties, however, were not 
 successful during the visit of the travellers, for the 
 season was but little advanced. They returned 
 very early one morning, and repoited that a large 
 whale had been cast ashore, probably killed by
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDKKERS. 237 
 
 some of its ocean brethren, and that a numerous 
 party of natives had gathered round it, and were 
 busy eating and devouring every morsel through 
 which they could get their teeth ; that the beacon- 
 fires which had been lighted above, they supposed 
 were signals, for they had seen several other par- 
 ties arrive, and they must have been at work all 
 night. It was on the other side of a promontory, 
 which hid them from the ship ; and as it was a 
 curious sight, they thought Captain Royer and the 
 English captain would like to witness it, and had 
 therefore returned. They could land on the near 
 side of the bluff, and ascending the heights, un- 
 known to the Australians, look down upon them 
 without their being conscious of the vicinity of 
 white men. 
 
 The two gentlemen armed themselves, and 
 started, and a small gun was put into the boat, 
 with which their retreat might b3 covered in case 
 of a hostile attack. Gip was reconciled to be left 
 behind, by ordering her to lie upon and guarl 
 some of her master's clothes; while Kincheh, 
 tossing his head, thought himself too well off t: 
 eat whale. 
 
 The party proceeded, and lying flat down on tht 
 cliffs, as Captain Spencer had done on a former 
 occasion, they beheld a very large body of natives 
 assembled Avitli their wives and children, most cf 
 them apparently in high spirits and good hum:^jL-
 
 238 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 Some were rubbing tbemselves, their wives and 
 children, all over with the blubber; others were 
 employed in dividing the huge morsels of flesh 
 severed from the bones into smaller pieces, and 
 handing these to the women to broil upon the large 
 fires which they had kindled around them, and who 
 crammed pieces into their mouths, and those of 
 their children, which they pinched off from the 
 quantity given by the men. The whale was already 
 becoming putrid ; but they seemed regardless of 
 this, and set aside large lumps to be carried away, 
 when they went inland. They had made their 
 entrance into the body, whence issued graceful 
 looking young girls reeking with oil, and reeling 
 from over-eating. A few were lying upon the 
 ground, quite overcome by their excesses ; and two 
 or three others, ill-tempered from indigestion, struck 
 their wives and quarrelled with their companions ; 
 and many started with loads to be carried to a dis- 
 tance, which left a train of bad odour as they 
 passed along. "It is as well to see such a sight," 
 said Captain Spencer, " as exemplifying the man- 
 ners of the people ; but I have no desire to behold 
 it a second time ; if you have seen enough, let us 
 go." Captain Royer gladly assented, saying, 
 •' Think what it must be to come near those people 
 for the next month." They returned, and the 
 Englishman tried to forget his disgust in the peru« 
 Bal of the newspapers brought out by the Marie,
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDEKERS. 239 
 
 and which led him back to European history. Some 
 of the natives afterwards paid a visit to the ship 
 on their rafts ; and their presence induced Captain 
 Spencer to prolong his stay for a few days, that 
 they might leave the neighbourhood before he ven- 
 tured into it ; they were surprised at seeing Kin- 
 chela, who understood what they said, and were 
 very curious to know why he was there, and where 
 he was going ; but he very prudently gave them 
 as little information as possible. Large quantities 
 of fat, or lard, were melted for these people by way 
 of a treat, and they drank some with avidity, and 
 rubbed themselves and children with the rest. 
 When they were going away, they said there was 
 no water, even in deep holes, except occasionally 
 on the coast ; but rain would come before long, 
 and fill the country again. They paddled ashore, 
 and in a very few days no traces of natives were 
 to be seen, except the ashes of their fires and the 
 skeleton of the whale. 
 
 Two woollen shirts were given to Kinchela, 
 Tiger's saddle was newly stufied and repaired, and 
 the blacksmith of the Marie offered to make him 
 new shoes ; but his master thought it better he 
 should go on without them, as extra sets would be 
 cumbersome to carry, and one set would probably 
 net last for the rest of the journey. The shattered 
 tarpauling was replaced by a large, new piece ; the 
 tin cans were well examined, and as they gave
 
 240 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 Bigns of wearing out, were exchanged for new 
 ones ; and everything that could be thought of, 
 as afforded by the vessel, was pressed upon the 
 traveller. Captain Spencer had several pieces of 
 gold, (Indian currency,) and these he offered in 
 payment for some gaily coloured handkerchiefs, 
 and knives, which he selected as presents for the 
 natives ; but Captain Royer said everything in 
 the ship was his own, and therefore Captain Spen- 
 cer need not hesitate in making use of them, or 
 anything else. A pair of scissors to cut the beard 
 and whiskers, completed the generous French- 
 man's thoughtful attentions. Kinchela's ambition 
 was further gratified by a leathern belt, which he 
 put outside his shirt, and in which he stuck the 
 knife which had been given to him ; but a difficulty 
 arose as to how he was to convey the other shirt, 
 and the valuable pieces of crystal ; the sailors 
 wanted to throw the latter away, but he looked in 
 such an agony when they took them up, that tliey 
 asked his master why he set so much store by them. 
 Captain Spencer repeated their question to Kin- 
 chela, on which he, in a solemn whisper, and with 
 a piteous look, requested him to tell them that they 
 were to keep off the boyl-yas. The shout with 
 which they received the explanation seemed to 
 frighten, more than create vexation. He settled 
 his difficulties by wrapping them in his spare shirt, 
 ar i tying them round his body next his skin. Cap-
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 241 
 
 tain Royer accepted the opossum-cloak in exchange 
 for one of his own, and his mate received that of 
 Kinchela ; the address of Captain Spencer's agent 
 in India, and that of the Frenchman in, his own 
 country, were carefully noted, that intelligence of 
 their mutual adventures might be given to each 
 other, and the parting hour arrived. Captain Royer 
 offered to exchange watches, because his guest's 
 had ceased to be of service ; but the latter declined 
 this accommodation, saying he had now so long 
 been without, that a time-keeper was not necessary. 
 The fire-arms were cleaned, the ammunition put 
 into new water-proof bags, and Gip, Tiger, and. 
 Charlie, received many farewell caresses from their 
 good friends. The Englishman shook hands with 
 all the men, in which he was gravely imitated by 
 Kinchela ; he thanked them for all their kindness, 
 and hoped they never would look upon him, though 
 an Englishman, as an enemy. The boat was ready, 
 and the travelling party entered it, Captain Royer 
 accompanying them. On the shore his feelings 
 overcame him, and although he knew it to be 
 wholly un-English, he with tears in his eyes put 
 his arms round his friend's neck, and kissed each 
 cheek without the power to say farewell. The 
 land travellers ascended the cliff, and the seamen 
 fired a gun, which sent a booming adieu across the 
 waters. 
 
 21
 
 242 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 Rocky land caused Captain Spencer to leave the 
 close vicinity of the sea, and he plunged into the 
 tua of scrub instead, the intricacies of which 
 rt'cmed only to deepen the regret he felt at quit- 
 iing his generous friend ; he noted the hour and 
 the day in a precious little almanac given to him 
 I 'J the Frenchman, and in his memory treasured 
 the last twelve days with ineiFaceahle gratitude. 
 A sandy country succeeded the scrub, thickly 
 virewn with a plant which Captain Spencer at first, 
 r;om its appearance, imagined to be heath, but it 
 <\as an Epacris, not quite so difficult to traverse as 
 the Atriplex, but still fatiguing to those who had 
 t)een so long at rest. Plenty of Grass-trees grew 
 amongst it, and it was amusing to see how Kin- 
 chela now disdained them. The only one of the 
 party in whose opinion the change was pleasant 
 was Tiger, to whom the absence of exercise had 
 been anything but enjoyment. No wonder then 
 that he frolicked, even with his load on his back ; 
 Tnd so frisky was he, that when unburdened at 
 night, he took it into his head to run after Kin- 
 chelj', which completely undid the little progress he 
 had made towards ftimiliarity on board ship, and 
 the mm again feared to trust himself in the vicinity 
 of so marvellous a creature. Charlie took, the 
 chan/'e as a matter of course; and ha\ang added 
 French to his accomplishments, said, as he flew
 
 AUSTRALIAN WAND 1! REUS. 243 
 
 away to get his supper, " Bon voyage, Monsieur 
 de Mallet."* 
 
 The next day the party came to a chain of pools, 
 at which they slaked their thirst, and disturbed 
 several Wallabies from the surrounding grass ; 
 they picked their way across the rocky bed, and 
 then arrived at a region of Gum-trees, Banksias, 
 and Kingias ; and following the course of the chan- 
 nel with the eye, they saw afar off some sloping 
 banks of moist herbage, towards which Tiger 
 rushed in rather an outrageous manner ; but after 
 taking a few mouthfuls of it, he trotted back to 
 his master, and thrusting his nose into his neck, 
 seemed to ask forgiveness for his frolic. The next 
 remarkable feature of the country was a salt-water 
 river, where oysters and cockles were so plentiful, 
 that they stopped there to collect some. Kinchela, 
 however, would not eat the former ; and when 
 asked why, he said it was " Kobong," and he must 
 not. He could not clearly explain this ; but his 
 master understood that it was some native law. 
 Kinchela said he never had eaten what was Ko- 
 bong but once, and that was the first Emu which 
 had been killed, because he was so very hungry ; 
 none but old men and old gins ought to eat it, and 
 be hoped the boyl-yas would not eat him in conse- 
 quence ; that was one reason why he M'as so care- 
 
 • Allutliug to !i. Frencli farce iu which is a traveller of that DamOi 
 Uld which supiilicd this cant phrase to the sailors.
 
 244 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 ful to keep his crystals. His master could not 
 help smiling, in spite of the melancholy reflectioc 
 that a whole nation of human beings had no other 
 religion, as far as he could understand, and in 
 place of it such puerile or absurd superstitions. 
 
 After passing a poor and unfertile district on 
 the other side of the salt river, the travellers found 
 themselves in a deep ravine, where there was a 
 fair portion of grass, but high, rocky cliffs were 
 on the further side, formed chiefly of mica slate, 
 about which hovered many beautiful Pigeons, mak- 
 ing a whirring noise. Here they came to the 
 pretty little plant called Drosera, and the large 
 Fishing Eagle flew over their heads, wending its 
 way to the sea. Some brackish water lay in this 
 ravine, and a huge grayish Horse-fly abounded 
 near them, with an immense proboscis, and not 
 only worried Tiger exceedingly, but penetrated 
 throu'rh the clothino; of the two men. A kind of 
 Cranberry* crept along the ground, the acid ber- 
 ries of which being quite ripe, were very agreeable 
 to eat. A beautiful Butterfly constantly flew past 
 them, covered with red and yellow spots.f The 
 brackish water became a lake further on in the ra- 
 vine, where Captain Spencer shot a Swan and two 
 Ducks ; he did not aim at the Pelicans ; and then 
 they came upon a gum scrub,J where there were 
 
 * Astro louia Bumifusum. f Aganippe. 
 
 '^ Eucal^'ptus dumosa.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 245 
 
 SO many fallen tvocs, that poor Tiger became 
 breathless in scrambling over them ; for it was im- 
 possible to leap with a load on his back. Night 
 fell bef6re they could get half through it; and 
 cutting down some bushes to make a fire, they 
 found a soft, short herbage underneath ; and, tired 
 as he was, Captain Spencer cleared a space suflS- 
 cient to yield a plentiful meal for Tiger. He was 
 turned into it, and supped while the others partook 
 of the game which had been killed. Kinchela 
 emulated his prowess on board the Marie, and was 
 sitting in a half sleeping state over the embers 
 of the fire, when by the bright moonlight he saw a 
 large kangaroo.* The animal seemed to be so per- 
 fectly unconscious of the presence of strangers, 
 that they easily crept softly behind a tree at some 
 little distance, and waited for its approach. Gip 
 was held, to keep her from it ; and as all were 
 tired, and ammunition was plentiful. Captain Spen- 
 cer said he would shoot it; and the discharge of 
 one barrel brought it to the ground. 
 
 Whether it arose from a longing for his native 
 food, or whether it was a fit of genuine gluttony, 
 awakened as this propensity had been of late, it 
 was impossible to say ; but Kinchela now said he 
 <vas very hungry and tired, and must eat a great 
 deal. His master, rather provoked by his greedi- 
 ness, repli(?d that he might eat the whole kangaroo 
 
 * Macropus halmaturus. 
 
 21*
 
 246 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 if he pleased, and laid himself down. The Aus- 
 tralian took out the inside of the kangaroo, and 
 cut oif the two hind legs ; he renewed the fire, 
 cooked them, and devoured them ; he then laid 
 himself down again. In about two hours his mas- 
 ter heard him fidgetting, and asked what was the 
 matter; he replied that he was hungry, and he 
 then ate the fore-legs and the tail. Captain Spen- 
 cer slept till morning ; and great was his aston- 
 ishment then to find that not a vestige of the kan- 
 garoo was left, except the bones ; Kinchela had 
 eaten the whole, including the skin, from which he 
 had singed the hair. When he was told to get up 
 and light a fire, he was cross ; said he was in pain, 
 that he walked too much, and had a burning 
 throat ; but he nevertheless swallowed a piece of 
 swan. Not doubting the cause of his illness, and 
 telling him to lie dow^n again and go to sleep. Cap- 
 tain Spencer quietly resigned himself to the delay 
 this occasioned ; for it was useless to attempt to 
 go on till Kinchela had recovered the eff'ects of 
 his excess. He rather blamed himself for giving 
 him leave to eat a whole kangaroo ; and made a 
 vow that he would never again ofier him any such 
 license. He cleared another space for Tiger, and 
 wandered about, when his attention was attracted 
 by the beautiful red blossom of the Clianthus for- 
 tnosa ; by a creeping plant like a large, bright 
 scarlet Vetch, with a purple centre; and Tiger
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 247 
 
 found a blue, succulent Geranium in an old water- 
 course, which he ate with avidity. A stunted tree, 
 with a small fruit, looking like a russet apple, 
 hanging in bunches at the end of the lesser 
 branches, aiforded, within the rough rind, a largo 
 stone surrounded by a pulpy substance ; and a 
 white fluid issued from the branches when they 
 were broken. A flight of birds like Land-raila 
 flew over his head, and were succeeded by hun- 
 dreds of Hawks, which sent Charlie back, calling 
 out, " Great rogues, Ned Spencer !" Pretty Ever- 
 lastings* grew in the driest places ; while the 
 fragrant Jasmine hung its festoons over the bushes. 
 
 At length Kinchela recovered ; and his master 
 tried to make him sensible of his fault by pointing 
 out the consequences ; but all he could get from 
 him was, that he had been very happy ; and they 
 again started, in order to mount the cliffs. On 
 crossing to them, they met with a softish white 
 substance, which Captain Spencer had often seen 
 before, and which Kinchela now told him was white 
 paint. On examining it he ascertained that it was 
 pipe-clay, which seemed to abound in every part 
 of the country. 
 
 On the level ground, at the top of the clifi"s, the 
 Boil was very sterile ; and the party again turned 
 to the sea, in the hope of finding water, which 
 trickled from the cliffs ; and after passing along 
 
 * Giiapbalium spiculiituoi-
 
 248 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 their high and precipitate edges, they found a path 
 used by the natives, at the end of which was a 
 well dug by them in the sand, with more than usual 
 skill ; instead of being a mere hole, it was quite 
 round, two feet in diameter, dug straight down, 
 and from fourteen to fifteen feet deep ; it had & 
 good supply of water, and was fed by drippings 
 from the rock; when they took the stones from 
 the mouth, however, the Englishman recoiled from 
 it with disgust, for a large brown Snake was living 
 in it. Kinchela, nevertheless, tossed it out, killed 
 it, and then drank with eagerness ; but his master 
 caught the rock-drippings for his own refreshment. 
 On the shore they found plenty of Periwinkles,* 
 which not being Kobong, were eaten by Kinchela, 
 who, with his spear, very cleverly managed to 
 catch several of the fishes which frequent those 
 seas ; Captain Spencer helped with his hook and 
 line ; and they remained there a day or two to 
 take advantage of the supply. The Barracoota, 
 and a Platycephalus, were speared by Kinchela ; 
 and his master caught a fish which resembled a 
 Whiting in appearance. f A spotted SoleJ was 
 secured by the native with his toes, as he walked in 
 a small, shallow bay, as well as the sluggish Jew- 
 fish ;§ but he abhorred the Ostracion, the Sting- 
 ray,!) and a sort of green Skate. ^ Besides these, 
 
 * Turbo. 
 
 1 Sillngo pnnetata. 
 
 J Platessa. 
 
 § Cheilodactyhis corponemu?. 
 
 II Urolophus. 
 
 ^ Platyrhina.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 249 
 
 was a very clear, delicate fish with transparent fins,* 
 which was good eating. There were two species of 
 Shark which the Englishman had not before seen ; 
 and Mackerel was so plentiful, that a store was 
 dried and carried away. Gip lived on fish as well 
 as her master ; but after this rest, during which 
 Tiger ate meal, the cans were 'filled, and they de- 
 parted along shore, till a bold headland forced 
 them to go up again. Just as they were about to 
 turn ofi", they were suddenly arrested by a sound 
 of soft, low music. They listened ; looked for the 
 person who produced it ; no one was to be seen. 
 It seemed to come from a large log of wood lying 
 on the shore ; and Captain Spencer, on examining 
 it, found it full of the boring worm called Teredo ; 
 and there could be no doubt that from it came the 
 vibration which produced the tones. They were 
 so pleasing, that the Englishman was unwilling to 
 leave them. 
 
 The cliiFs had presented sand and limestone, 
 with indications of iron in the former, and granite 
 in the latter ; in the first were some fossil shells, 
 of which Captain Spencer vainly endeavoured to 
 ascertain the genus. As they went on, they met 
 with salt pools ; and digging near them, found 
 brackish, but drinkable water ; and salsolaceous 
 plantsf began to appear. The pretty, pink-flow- 
 ered Mesembryanthemum existed in large patches, 
 
 * Cristiceps. -f Nitraria Australia.
 
 L50 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 and as the tips of the leaves were turning red, 
 Kinchela said the fruit was ripe ; and gathering a 
 quantity of it, they stopped a day to dry it in the 
 sun, that it might form a relish for future meals. 
 Tiger delighted in it, leaves as well as fruit. 
 
 Fires of native encampments were seen at a 
 distance ; but Kinchela said he did not know 
 "those fellows," and they had "mock ears and 
 wooden foreheads ; and it was better not to go 
 near them." Whole acres of fragrant Clematis 
 and brio;ht Grevillea fluno; themselves across the 
 scrub ; and in sandy places the Eryngium showed 
 itself. When they came to a swampy plain, a bul- 
 bous root, which Kinchela called Balillah, was 
 abundant ; and so good to eat, that they took some 
 on with them. A beautiful Fusanus, twelve feet 
 high, appeared again ; and surrounding the fruit 
 of it with flour-and-water paste, in the manner of 
 a turnover. Captain Spencer made so good an imi- 
 tation of a tart, that Kinchela was delighted. A 
 berry, called by the native Eutopko, grew on a 
 low, creeping, tap-rooted plant among the salsola- 
 ceous plains ; which were, no doubt, swamps in 
 wet weather, with bushes of Polygonum. Its 
 leaves were soft, like velvet ; and the berry of it 
 was so small, that Kinchela cut a tray of bark from 
 a stunted Gum-tree at a little distance, and lifting 
 the plant over it, shook the fruit off the stalks. 
 This being done, he next shook the tray, that the
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 251 
 
 dirt might fly off; and in this manner collected a 
 iiupply of it for days. Other berries, of an acid 
 flavour, were met with ; but some which looked 
 beautiful were bitter and nauseous. Large and 
 beautiful Correas appeared. There was a Cassia, 
 with pods a foot and a half long, and seeds sur- 
 rounded by a spongy tissue ; but Captain Spen- 
 cer knew the nature of Cassias too well to venture 
 to taste the seeds. Kinchela, however, swallowed 
 them with impunity. Then came a profusion of 
 Pitcher-plants ; the pitchers of which contained a 
 quantity of discoloured water, and drowned ants 
 and other insects, which Charlie ate with pleasure, 
 tearing off the lids or oporcula with his beak. 
 
 There were plenty of reptiles ; and one Snake 
 had swallowed a bird, which stuck out like a lump 
 in its body ; Kinchela said that it climbed trees 
 and robbed birds' nests. Some black Ants bit 
 them severely ; and then Captain Spencer advised 
 Kinchela to save the skin of the next kangaroo 
 which they killed, to make socks of ; but he was not 
 in the least abashed at the recollection of his glut- 
 tony. Of one of the Snakes the Australian had 
 an intense horror ; its head was a shining black, 
 the back was of a rich, deep brown and orange, 
 and he said a man must die if bitten by it ; if 
 Boccolo killed it, he could not eat it, but if he 
 killed it himself, it was very good for him ; he ac- 
 cordingly demolished it by smashing its skull with
 
 252 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 a stone, and his master was surprised that he ap- 
 peared to be ignorant of the Indian method of 
 disabling the reptile by crushing or severing the 
 tail. He examined the fangs, found that there "were 
 two on each side, and that they turned inwards. 
 
 Numbers of Wallabies lived among the Mesem- 
 bryanthemums ; Bitterns* and Cranes were heard 
 at night ; while the Mosquitoes kept them awake ; 
 Gulls flew round them ; and what Kinchela called 
 a Bidgerigung,f passed from the north in a straight 
 line, was of a bright yellow and black, and had 
 blue spots on each cheek ; with it was .the Parra- 
 keet,J which always keeps its crest erect, of gray, 
 white, and sulphur-coloured plumage, and in the 
 centre of a yellow patch on each cheek was a 
 scarlet spot. 
 
 Wombats, the size of Badgers, and tasting like 
 young pork, with the usual supply of animal food, 
 were to be had for the killing ; and they marched 
 on, Kinchela being narrowly watched for fear he 
 should again commit any excess. The opossum- 
 skins were never destroyed by cooking the animal 
 in them, but were left gradually to accumulate, 
 till enough were saved to replace the cloaks left on 
 board the Marie. 
 
 Whole districts of Melaleuca seemed to be a 
 favourite resort of the said Opossums ; and it was 
 
 * Ardetta flavicollis. f Melopsittacus undulatus. 
 
 ■'l Nymphicus.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 253 
 
 amusing to see how eagerly Gip mounted these 
 trees in pursuit of them, if they were in the least 
 out of the perpendicular, often preceding Kinchela ; 
 and how knowingly she looked at him when she 
 knew he alone could climb the upright trunk. 
 
 The travellers still descended occasionally to 
 the shore, where they caught crabs, which fought 
 vigorously with one claw, while Avith the others 
 they endeavoured to get away, and when the 
 ground permitted made a pirouette and disappeared. 
 Gip could not help pursuing them, but was much 
 afraid of her nose; and her frequent astonishment 
 at their sudden disappearance was quite laughable. 
 Charlie's favourite language was still French, 
 which made Kinchela very angry. 
 
 Here they saw Penguins and Seals, the latter 
 of which Kinchela wanted to kill and eat ; but his 
 master AVt»uld not sufier him to do so. They one 
 day came to so plentiful a supply of Rock Cod, 
 and water ran so freely from the rocks, that they 
 made a halt, and, as usual, Kinchela ate till he 
 could not move. Captain Spencer knew he would 
 have done so with the seals, and the quality of that 
 food would have made him perfectly unbearable. 
 When he had recovered a little, his master, while 
 he attended to drying the fish, despatched him And 
 Tiger to the land above ; the one to get animal, 
 and the other vegetable food. Kinchela went un- 
 willingly, however, and the horse returned first, 
 22
 
 254 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 trotting ap to his master, and neighing with fun 
 in a verj significant manner. Captain Spencer 
 did not quite understand this, but went on with 
 his occupation. In about an hour after, Kinchela 
 came back, looking very much out of humour ; and 
 when he saw Tiger, he muttered something to him- 
 self, and throwing a load of game upon the ground, 
 sank down by it in a fit of sulkiness. Captain 
 Spencer thought it better not to notice him, and 
 turning his back, went on with his occupation. In 
 about half an hour the native exclaimed, " Kin- 
 . chela bring plenty to eat, Boccolo Sahib not look." 
 This was quite a new feature in the man's charac- 
 ter, and showed how he had been spoiled by the 
 sailors ; so, turning to him, his master endeavoured 
 to reason with him ; but all the time he was speak- 
 ing, the native cast furtive glances at Tiger, and 
 he saw there was something passing in the man's 
 mind which he did not express. At last, on try- 
 ing to penetrate the mystery, he found that Kin- 
 chela had tried to make Tiger carry the load for 
 him ; but when he was going to place it on his 
 back, the animal started and ran away, and, added 
 the man, " he is a very bad dog." " This is some- 
 thing gained," thought Captain Spencer; "he no 
 longer thinks Tiger a sorcerer;" and then he 
 endeavoured to convince Kinchela that the horse 
 did not know he was to obey any body except his 
 master. " Gip does what Kinchela says," was the
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 255 
 
 reply ; " and Gip is a dog ; Tiger is a dog, why 
 not know as well as Gip ?" " He is getting on," 
 Baid the Englishman to himself; "he begins to 
 reason, and it is better not to attempt too much at 
 once ; I shall leave him to indulge in the belief 
 that Tiger is a dog." And he ended the dialogue 
 by ordering him to cook and prepare the animals 
 which he had speared, or knocked on the head. 
 
 It was with the greatest difficulty that Captain 
 Spencer prevented Kinchela from again eating too 
 much, and as it was he fell back and slept. " He 
 wants a little starvation," said his master to him- 
 self; "he behaved better in times of suffering; 
 but we know not how soon he may have to learn a 
 fresh lesson." They travelled on the next day, 
 ascending the cliffs, and descending to the shore, 
 where they were more likely to meet with native 
 wells. Here they found some beautiful shells, 
 Patellee and Phasianellae, and the cliffs were often 
 composed of gray granite. The changes of tem- 
 perature were frequent ; and in one hour there 
 would be a difference of several degrees. One 
 evening they were assailed by a heavy sea-fog, 
 which caused them to shiver and feel very uncom- 
 fortable. Captain Spencer covered them all and 
 himself with the cloaks and tarpauling, and Char- 
 lie, like all pretenders, misapplied his knowledge 
 sadly as h" —opt under the covering, and said, 
 " J'ai chaud, Ned Spencer." After this Kinchela
 
 256 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 seemed to be incessantly fatigued ; the horse and 
 dog no longer made excursions of their own, but 
 followed soberly in their master's tracks ; more- 
 over, Gip often asked to be carried. Captain 
 Spencer himself felt an indescribable languor 
 creeping over him ; and thinking that that damp 
 night, and the continued reflection of warm air 
 from the cliffs had engendered a certain portion of 
 fever, he deemed it advisable to leave the imme- 
 diate vicinity of the sea, and go more inland for 
 the sake of a dryer atmosphere. His compass, he 
 flattered himself, was regular in its movements, and 
 that there would be no difiiculty in keeping the 
 proper direction for Adelaide. He immediately 
 chose the first accessible part of the cliff, by which 
 Tiger mounted with his load ; and all things 
 secured, they started early in the morning, and 
 were saluted on their arrival above by the odour 
 of the Clematis, and a number of Gum-trees in the 
 distance-
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Bpinifex — Bark of Gum-tree — Excrescence on tree — Well — Rhago- 
 dia — Water scarce — AVater from Gum-trees — Hot wind — Dew — • 
 Salt lake — Salsola — Mirage — Gum-tree roots — Emigrating birds 
 — Cold wind and frost — Hakea — Curious stones — Absence of ani- 
 mal and vegetable life— Sand, quartz, iron — Scorching sun — No 
 water, no food — Distress of Captain Spencer — Dog and horse suf- 
 fer much — Tiger appears to die — Sorrow of Captain Spencer — 
 Kinchela lies down to die — Captain Spencer gives himself up for 
 lost, and becomes insensible — A shower in the night somewhat 
 revives him — A Pigeon shows the way to some water — Captain 
 Spencer rouses himself and reaches the place, drinks, and takes 
 some to his companions — All go to the well — Kinchela and Gipsy 
 eat Kangaroo skin and fall asleep — While sitting with his face 
 between his hands, Captain Spencer's hat is taken off — Sees Tiger 
 with it in his mouth — Joy — Rest three days — Mountains — Coun- 
 try improves — Copious rain — Old Man. 
 
 Poor Tiger was henceforth obliged to content 
 himself with dry and withered grass, for the 
 Xanthorrhoeoe and Kingii were getting very scarce ; 
 and nothing seemed to offer itself as a likely sub- 
 stitute. The young shoots of trees were occasion- 
 ally boiled for him when there was water ; but 
 those of the Gum-trees turned black on being so 
 treated ; and then his master feared to give them 
 22* (257^
 
 258 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 to him. Digging holes in the sand of dried beds 
 generally yielded some liquid ; but never, unless it 
 was a large pool, did Captain Spencer enjoy the 
 luxury of water ablution ; on one occasion, how- 
 ever, he was disappointed even of this ; for, just 
 as he had walked in up to the knees, he saw the 
 water full of small brown leeches ; so that he was 
 forced to make his escape as quickly as possible, 
 with bleeding legs. Sand-rubbing, in the Arab 
 fashion, was therefore resumed ; and dry enough it 
 was to scrub very hard ; and there was no moisture 
 in his skin to soften it, as is generally the case 
 when drought is coming on in this country. When 
 the diggings began to fail, he felt great alarm ; 
 and whole tracts of Spinifex increased poor Tiger's 
 difficulties. Gip profited much by the smaller ani- 
 mals in it ; and Kinchela, who was fast recovering 
 his former good temper and activity, still kept up 
 his spirits. He told his master that he could get 
 him plenty of meal ; and he gathered the seeds of 
 the withered grass,* which Avas almost too dry for 
 the horse, separated them from the husks and 
 pounded them ; or he took the bark of the Gum- 
 trees, and roasted and crushed that, which was a 
 little bitter, nevertheless palatable. " It will 
 make us strong," said Captain Spencer. "Yes," 
 replied the man, " black fellow eat nothing else 
 for long time." On the follovving day there waa 
 
 * Pauicuiu littvinode.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 259 
 
 no water to moisten the meal, and Kinchela found 
 a tree with large excrescences ; he tapped each, 
 and listened ; stuck his knife into one, and from it 
 issued a quantity of fluid, which answered the pur- 
 pose ; it was rather bitter ; nevertheless Tiger 
 drank it ; but he seemed to consider that that mas- 
 ter who had hitherto supplied all his wants, no 
 longer obeyed his request for drink. Two days 
 had passed without liquid of any sort ; but towards 
 evenincr a fli<z;ht of black Cockatoos and other birds 
 passed over their heads from the north, and de- 
 scended to the ground at a ];ittle distance. " Boc 
 colo, see those birds," said the native; "they al 
 ways go down and find water ; we find some too." 
 He and his master started with cans and skins ; 
 and on arriving where the Cockatoos had alighted 
 in numbers, they perceived a native well, carefully 
 covered over with stones. Gip was only too happy 
 to help frighten away the Cockatoos ; and Charlie 
 fought with two or three who were more bold than 
 the others ; so that they were all kept at bay, 
 while Captain Spencer removed the stones. The 
 water was green and muddy, but Tiger and Gip 
 were glad of it ; then came Kinchela 's turn to be 
 served, and but a cupfull reinained for their master. 
 Some of the bir'S were killed for eating, and the 
 rest took flight wni: loud screeches. The stones 
 were replaced ; and ir was hoped that water would 
 drain in before morning \ mere drop was ob-
 
 260 australiAkN wanderers. 
 
 tained, in which Charlie was allowed to dip his bill 
 once or twice ; the rest was bestowed on the four- 
 footed beasts. "All's right," said the good bird, 
 as the well was finally closed ; and Kinchela came 
 in for praise on the score of forbearance ; his mas- 
 ter being always particularly careful to do this 
 when he could ; and never excited the sensitive 
 jealousy, which he, in common with many other 
 savages, possessed ; not confining it to the human 
 race, but extending it to all objects of preference 
 or afiection. 
 
 The route was more and more difficult ; and the 
 travellers proceeded slowly through a monotonous 
 but hard sort of scrub, formed of Rhagodia, in 
 which they saw many Pigeons, which had crept 
 under the bushes, apparently in the course of their 
 migration from the north, and some of which they 
 secured. That night they all lay down to rest 
 without a drop of moisture for their parched 
 throats ; and Tiger crept close up to his master, 
 and laid his head upon his shoulder, as if he knew 
 the serious alarm which that master felt for his 
 dear horse, and wished to console him. In the 
 morning Kinchela begged him to take his glass and 
 mount a hill at some little distance, and " look for 
 much tree." Captain Spencer obeyed, and did see 
 a long range of Gum-trees, the news of which was 
 joyfully received by the native ; and he entreated 
 his master to let them all go there and look for
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 261 
 
 water. Tiger was stiff and languid ; but he roused 
 himself at words which he had seldom disobeyed, 
 and slowly followed to the trees. On arriving they 
 proved to be Eucalypti ; and asking for the spade, 
 Kinchela quickly ran from one to the other, as if 
 to select the best. He stopped at one that was 
 large and healthy, to all appearance ; he dug at a 
 few feet distance from the trunk, and came to some 
 of the lateral roots ; he laid them bare ; and break- 
 ing one on the side next the tree, he lifted up the 
 root, and his master helped him to take several 
 feet of it out of the soil ; he then divided it into 
 pieces from six to eight inbhes long ; shook one into 
 the can, and water came out of it, spreading like a 
 fan; the others he placed in the cans, and iae 
 liquid freely ran from them. The moment he sa,w 
 the drops issue, Captain Spencer seized one of the 
 pieces and held it in Tiger's mouth, every part of 
 which was moistened ; and he ended by munching 
 the root with great satisfaction. Gip had a piece 
 thrown to her with an order to eat it ; and she Avith 
 delight lay down on the ground with it between her 
 paws, and sucked out the refreshing fluid. In a 
 quarter of an hour a quart had exuded from the 
 different pieces of root, and then Tiger had a long 
 drink ; and as he enjoyed it, he turned his large 
 expressive eyes on his master with a look of affec- 
 tionate gratitude. "Boccolo take spade and stop 
 here," said Kinchela; "get plenty of water to go
 
 262 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 on ;" and this was not to spare himself, for he dug 
 at the same time with a sharp-poiuted stick. On 
 going to younger trees he took up some of their 
 roots, peeled oil' the bark, put them in hot ashes 
 till they were crisp, pounded them between two 
 stones, and made them into excellent meal, which 
 reminded the European of the taste of malt. Then 
 did he entirely rejoice in the presence of Kinchela, 
 which, when disgusted with his gluttony, he had 
 occasionally regretted ; for these resources must 
 have remained hidden from a stranger ; and .even 
 when Kinchela again trespassed beyond the bounds 
 of moderation, the recollection of the Gum-trees 
 procured his forgiveness. The discovery revived 
 his cheerful anticipations, and gaily did he start 
 again with full cans and skins ; for he hoped they 
 should be able to travel from one set of trees to 
 another, and never again know privation. 
 
 How fallacious the hopes of Captain Spencer 
 were, was proved by the increasing scarcity of the 
 Eucalypti ; the same sufferings recurred, and were 
 again endured with patience. Tiger was the chief 
 anxiety ; and there were times when the poor 
 beast laid himself down, that he scarcely seemed 
 to care whether he ever got up again. Now and 
 then Charlie also seemed to suffer, and appeared 
 exhaustei, as if he had flown far in search of wa- 
 ter, and had not found it ; then he would say, his 
 aiaster having once uttered the epithet on such an
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 263 
 
 occasion, " Here's Charlie, poor fellow ! Boccolo 
 Sahib, Ned Spencer, poor fellow ! poor fellow !" 
 He must, however, frequently have been able to 
 drink when they were destitute of the life-sup- 
 porting liquid. 
 
 In order to keep the wheaten flour brought from 
 the Marie in better condition, it had been made 
 into thin cakes, and not touched as long as any 
 other could be procured. One day, by way of ex- 
 periment, Captain Spencer gave a piece to Tiger, 
 and to his great pleasure the animal ate it with 
 avidity ; and as it engendered much less thirs*, 
 than the raw meal, and was much more nutritious, 
 it was solely reserved for the horse. This pre- 
 caution was of great service ; for it seemed to re- 
 cruit his strength, and was much lighter tlian the 
 heavy mashes with which he had hxtcly been fed ; 
 he walked much better ; and though he did not 
 recover his gaiety, he resumed much of his usual 
 action. 
 
 They came to a large open scrub, without a sign 
 of a hill or a tree ; and Captain Spencer looked 
 round him with a heavy foreboding. A hot with 
 ering' wind blew from the interior. " This cannot 
 have come across a sea," said lie to himself. The 
 ground was so scorchingly liot, that tho horse, 
 when l;e stood still, pawed the ground to find a 
 place under the surface wliicli would be cooler for 
 his feet. Timber had been there, but it was now
 
 264 AUSTRALIAN TVANDERER-S 
 
 fallen, and was dead ; the scrub was dry and brit« 
 cle, and sharp pieces of flint lav upon the soil. 
 Knowing that natives much frequented these 
 places, for the sake of the Wallabies, Opossums, 
 and small Kangaroos in them, when he had re- 
 signed his portion of water to the others, and 
 covered the baggage with tarpauling. Captain Spen- 
 cer determined that Gip should lie on the open 
 ground, that she might be alive to the least sound 
 which might foretel danger. All, however, was 
 perfectly quiet, and the party slept soundly till 
 about an hour before sunrise 5 then Kinchela 
 started up and awakened his master, exclaiming, 
 " Up, Boccolo, up, get water ! when sun comes, 
 all gone !" At this welcome sound, Captain Spen- 
 cer was on his feet in an instant ; and following 
 the instructions of Kinchela, he, with a wisp of 
 dried grass, swept large drops of dew from off the 
 bushes and long grass, into the cans, and was sur- 
 prised to see how rapidly it accumulated, and the 
 quantity which they collected. " Quick, Boccolo ! 
 quick I" said Kinchela, "sun coming:" and he 
 was right ; directly the sun shone above the hori- 
 zon, the dew disappeared as if by magic. This 
 discovery again seemed to take a load from the 
 Englishman's heart, and he cheerfully thought, 
 these are the secrets of the desert, and this is how 
 wild men are able to travel through these arid 
 regions, and pass over hundreds of miles without
 
 AUSTRALIAN W A N D 7^ Tl E II S . 265 
 
 finding a pool or a spring. He, however, soon 
 came to a still more desert region, and entirely 
 passed the limits of that belt of vegetation which 
 surrounds tlie barren waste in the interior of this 
 mysterious land, and which seemed to be very 
 narrow on the southern side. As he walked on 
 that day, Kinchela suddenly caught him by the 
 arm, and dragged him on one side ; for on the 
 spot where he would next have trod, lay an Adder, 
 more than two feet long, and beautifully marked. 
 It was quite quiet, and Gip had passed wide of it, 
 and so escaped alarm. Kinchela told him that it 
 was its way to be quiet ; but if he had touched it, 
 it would have sprung upon him, and if bitten, he 
 must have died immediately. 
 
 The dog and horse were renovated by the col- 
 lection of dew, and then came the consideration 
 whether they should or should not advance into 
 the sandy hills, which now lay before them, and 
 were most unpromising, rising like dead brick 
 walls in the field of the telescope. They appeared 
 to be of vast extent, and no dew was left ; would 
 it be better to traverse them at once, or wait the 
 chance of another dew, for these blessings were 
 not of nightly occurrence ? They decided on 
 going on ; and a second dew did come, where there 
 was neither grass nor bushes on which it could 
 rest ; and then it struck Captain Spencer that he 
 might ca*ch it by spreading out the tarpauling, 
 23
 
 263 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 and laying over it the handkerchiefs and linen, 
 which had been given to him by Captain Rojer ; 
 the latter of which he had not worn while travel- 
 ling. This Avas put in practice every night, and 
 they were more than once saturated with dew, were 
 TVTung into the cans, and afforded a mouthful or 
 two to those Avho most wanted drink. 
 
 The travellers were now encircled by a region 
 of sand-ridges, without a blade of grass, or a small 
 animal for Gip's dinner, and late at night they 
 sank down, overcome with thirst and fatio-ue. In 
 the night. Captain Spencer was restless and fever- 
 ish, and almost mechanically rose to examine the 
 linen outside .the tarpauling; he drew one of the 
 handkerchiefs to his mouth, sucked it, and was re- 
 freshed. An ample supply was afforded in the 
 morning, and they all started with tolerable com- 
 fort; it was, however, the last time that the bles- 
 sing was vouchsafed. They mounted a ridge of 
 sand, which lay before them, and to their great 
 surprise, a broad sheet of water, extending nearly 
 north and south, lay before them ; not fresh, how- 
 ever, for the deep indigo-bluc of its colour too 
 plainly indicated its saline nature. The telescope 
 told, that far to the north it inclined towards the 
 east. " Did it reach the sea on the south ?" asked 
 Captain Spencer of the native, — "was it a large 
 arm of the ocean, or a lake ?" Kinchela did not 
 know, but pointing to the north, said, "Ve7'y bad
 
 ^ U o T R A L I A N W A N D R U E R S . 267 
 
 poiTxtry up there ; nothing to eat, nothing to drink ; 
 Kincheha (for he generally put himself first), Boc- 
 colo, Gip, go back to find big-tree, make boat, and 
 go away far, far ; but big dog not can go in boat." 
 By this his master supposed he meant a canoe of 
 the Eucalyptus bark, and knew well that Tige", 
 with all his cleverness, could not cross in so fragile 
 a conveyance ; and he assured the native, that if 
 it were to save his life, he would not leave Tiger 
 behind ; but he might go if he pleased, Kinchela 
 shook his head, and said, "Not can go.' Fortu- 
 nately the lake was frequented by wild fowl of 
 various species, which aiforded a supply of food. 
 I^resh water was the difiiculty, and digging in the 
 neighbourhood only produced brine. It was for- 
 tunate that none of the party were aware at that 
 time that they had at least three hundred miles to go 
 before they could get rid of that lake, and a terrific 
 desert to cross on the way ; for although Kinchela 
 had some idea of it, he could not measure the ex- 
 tent of the evils which awaited them. With such 
 a certainty in prospect, Captain Spencer would 
 probably have turned back to the west, and once 
 more endeavoured to reach one of the settlements 
 of that coast. He now, however, was as anxious 
 to proceed rapidly as he had before been inclined 
 to take matters leisurely. Pie determined, from 
 that time, with Kinchela and Gip, to subsist en. 
 'irely on animal food, as the prospect of refilling
 
 268 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 their meal-bags was so distant, and Tiger must 
 hive all which was left. 
 
 Oilj when obliged to halt, in consequence of 
 the intense heat, did the travellers rest in the mid* 
 die of the day ; and now Captain Spencer thought 
 it right to proceed on the Sunday, for since he had 
 possessed the almanac, he had kept the Sabbath 
 as a day of rest. Whenever they came to a fresh 
 sand-ridge, if not obliged to cross it, he mounted 
 on to the top, glass in hand ; and on one occasion 
 far away to the west, he saw a belt of trees, the 
 sort easily recognized by their peculiar green. 
 The travellers gladly diverged from their route, 
 and proceeded towards it, where the water and 
 food afforded by the roots again saved the poor 
 horse. It was easy to trace their way back again 
 by the marks of their footsteps, so that they had 
 no unnecessary wandering in that dreadful region. 
 l"e soil of which was so impregnated with salt, that 
 it lay in shining crystals under their feet. The 
 only vegetation consisted of patches of a salsola- 
 ceous plant like samphire, which Tiger at first 
 eagerly cropped ; but the sensible animal finding 
 that it made him more thirsty, soon refused to touch 
 it, green and fresh as it looked. Occasionally a 
 stunted bush of Goodeniae was found among it, but 
 it was nearly withered. 
 
 Several days passed in this manner, and again 
 Captain Spencer thought he saw a row of tree?
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDEREKS. . 269 
 
 looking like the useful Eucalypti ; he rejoiced for 
 poor Tiger's sake ; but it was only a deceitful 
 mirage, and their situation could not be satis- 
 factorily ascertained ; they were possibly those 
 which they had last visited, and when the reflec- 
 tion of them appeared in the sky, all hope was 
 gone. Worn out and footsore, he could scarcely 
 unload the poor horse, who that night instantly 
 sank upon the ground. Alarmed at this exhaustion, 
 his master shook off his own fatigue, and called 
 Kinchela to help to rub the poor beast's legs. No 
 answer was made to the summons, and the man 
 was not to be seen. " What can have become of 
 him !" said Captain Spencer; "and Gip missing 
 too ! what has happened?" He called, he whist- 
 led, but only Charlie came with his usual cheerful 
 note, and information of his arrival; but this in- 
 duced his mastCx" to look for the others in the direc- 
 tion whence he flew. Then he saw them, like 
 small specks upon the sand, but evidently return- 
 ing Kinchela, more accustomed than he to the 
 appearance of Australian scenery, had succeeded 
 in finding the trees, and taking Gip with him, was 
 returning laden with roots, the broken ends of 
 which he had stopped from flowing by lumps of 
 sand. A piece was instantly put into the horse's 
 mouth, who munched that and others till he could 
 swallow them. Some of the liquid proceeding 
 Crom them was then poured into his mouth, ani he 
 23*
 
 270 AUSTRALIAN WAND'ERERS. 
 
 was refreslied. Gip now so perfectly understood 
 all which happened, that she had already helped 
 herself, and was as gay as ever. Kinchela, who 
 rose in energy, activity, and willingness in all 
 cases of emergency, proposed to his master to wait 
 where he was till he had heen two or three times 
 to the trees to ensure fresh supplies ; and con- 
 triving to raise the tarpauling upon the spears, and 
 pac a heap of sand at his back, he assented to the 
 plan. In addition to the water and roots, Kin- 
 chela procured some Acacia seeds from the scrub, 
 which were beaten into a meal, which he liked very 
 much, and ate Avhile his master devoured the 
 roots. 
 
 Again the travellers started, keeping rather 
 wide of the lake, for close to it the sand was so 
 heavy that the labour of walking was increased 
 threefold ; but they remained as much as possible 
 on the top of the high ridges which ran parallel to 
 irt. Countless numbers of migrating birds, all from 
 the north and north-west, replenished the provisicn- 
 bags, being evidently on their way to some more 
 fertile region ; for all the Psittaceous or Parrot 
 tribe are known to confine their habitations to rich 
 and well watered districts. Among them were the 
 Psittacus Novae Hollandios, or New Holland Par- 
 rot, ;jnd the Shell Pavrakeets, looking like fligiits 
 of Starlings. Occasional showers of sand, pro- 
 bably raised by a current of wind, annoyed an^
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. IIU 
 
 almost blinded the travellers. Several times small 
 whirlwinds raised smoke-like columns of sand, and 
 •frequentlj made the Englishman hope that native 
 fires were near, and that there he should find 
 water. 
 
 One night a cold wind surprised Captain Sp-n- 
 cer, also coming from the north, whence the hoi; 
 and withering sirocco had hitherto proceeded: it 
 was impossible to account for this, as well as other 
 sudden variations ; and to his astonishment, a more 
 remarkable phenomenon made its appearance in 
 the shape of a frost, as an accompaniment to the 
 cold breeze. For some little time, however, the 
 mornings and evenings had been much cooler, and 
 even opossum-cloaks had been acceptable during 
 the hours of slumber. These sudden changes of 
 temperature were, nevertheless, refreshing, and 
 enabled them to go through the additional fatigue 
 occasioned by deep fissures in the soil, ^vhi':-h 
 obliged them frequentlj to go round, for they wer 3 
 generally too wide and deep to leap over ; they, 
 however, showed that the basis of the country waa 
 sandstone, with a bed of clay, on which were 
 heaped the ridges of sand, and which to a certain 
 degree bound them together. Again did the heat 
 return as suddenly as it had left them, and clo'-j'^s 
 frequently gave hopes of a thunder-storm ; but th 
 heated air which rose from below dispersed th-j 
 clouds, and they were disappointed. At a distance
 
 /;"2 AFSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 lay iagoon?j which Kinchela was sent to inspect 5 
 but he invariably returned, saying they were salt ; 
 and some being dried up, left a glittering white 
 residue of this mineral. The mud which he now 
 and then brought back from the borders of the 
 pools, seemed also to contain gypsum. 
 
 At length the water of the lake gradually shrank 
 in its wide bed, which had now much more de- 
 cidedly taken an eastern direction ; then it lay in 
 pools, leaving a residue of sand and clay between 
 them, which was much too soft ,to bear their foot- 
 steps. A region of Hakea scrubs, interspersed 
 with Mimosa, Gum, and Melaleucas, offered some 
 resources, and they halted for a few additional 
 hours ; Captain Spencer anxiously watching the 
 frequently gathering clouds, all of which, however, 
 gave but deceitfal hopes. In this spot they came 
 upon a solitary pool of fresh water, when least 
 expected, which gladdened the eyes and throats 
 cf the suffering wanderers, and formed another of 
 tho?.o strange inconsistencies with which Australia 
 abeu>nds They slept by it, filled their vessels, and 
 V.;?t it to wade through a thick scrub of fatiguing 
 and prickly Spinifex, — during which Gip again 
 rode on the knapsack. It was interspersed with 
 cocasional patches of small stones, a little convex 
 en one side, looking like biscuits, in which Captain 
 !?!pencer detected lime mixed with the sand ; and 
 ohhers, in which lay round balls of ii'on and sand;
 
 A U S ITALIAN WANDERERS. 278 
 
 some like marbles, and others like cannon-balls 
 with rings round them ; some were clustered to- 
 gether like grape-shot ; and all were probablj? 
 formed by the action of water. This monotonous 
 region was in some degree relieved by the presence 
 of plants, such as Polygonum, Angophora, and 
 patches of dried-up grass, from which Tiger -vainly 
 endeavoured to derive nourishment. Th3n ap- 
 peared stunted Gum-trees, which were really use- 
 ful, though their roots were nearly dry ; then suc- 
 ceeded a plain, which became more intersected by 
 dry water-courses, seeming to tell that in the winter 
 the whole place was filled with torrents of water 
 Salsola bushes loo^ied tempting, but were a dan- 
 gerous indulgence, and Captain Spencer was 
 pleased to see that Tiger resisted them ; his own 
 life was one of continued forbearance, that he 
 might prolong that of others ; and he afterwards 
 thought that, to his extreme moderation in drink- 
 ing, he owed much of his power of sustaining 
 positive drought. 
 
 At the end of a long journey, continued with 
 but little intermission during the whole day. Cap- 
 tain Spencer remarked that no birds, no trees, no 
 living thing had been lately seen ; for even the 
 scrub had disappeared, and the horizon was bounded 
 by some sand-hills which appeared to lie directly 
 in their path. " Beyond these," said he, "is surely 
 the head of the lake, and there we shall find some-
 
 274 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 thing better." Arousing the party earlier than 
 usual, he having been too anxious to sleep, and 
 swallowing a mouthful from their now scanty stores, 
 he gave the dumb beasts — for Charlie now asked 
 for one or two dips of his bill — the last drop of 
 water ere they started ; Tiger stiff and sore-footed. 
 On they went, silently and slowly, and with diffi- 
 culty did the poor horse ascend the hill, his master 
 almost pushing him up the steepest parts. Kin- 
 chela was in advance, and when he reached the 
 summit, he suddenly stopped, and exclaimed ; 
 "Oh ! Boccolo, bad place !" and truly did the 
 prospect appal even the stout heart of the Eng- 
 lishman. Before them lay a Jarge tract as wide 
 as the eye could scan, the whole surface of which 
 was covered with large and small stones, on which 
 nothing grew, and near which nothing appeared 
 to live. These stones were chiefly composed of 
 quartz and sand ; and occasional undulations 
 showed that water might lodge there in the winter 
 season, but all had now evaporated. Also fre- 
 quent masses of almost pure iron made the com- 
 pass unsteady. The sun scorched this sandy plain, 
 and so heated the stones, that Tiger and Gipsy 
 were almost afraid to put their feet down upon 
 them, and frequently Captain Spencer could not 
 hold them. Tlie often-repeated question again 
 rose to his lips, of what was to be done ? the teles- 
 cope everywhere disclosed the same features : no
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 275 
 
 vrater, btit little food, no apparent termination to 
 the sterile ocean before, behind, and all around 
 them. To go back the traveller knew was a cer- 
 tainty of days without rehef ; to go forwards, he 
 feared would be the same ; and, leaning his head 
 upon Tiger's neck, the strong man was for a mo- 
 ment overcome. Kinchela looked wistfully and 
 sadly at the scene. Gip inquired most meaningly 
 by her cojintenance what was the matter; and 
 Tiger stood patiently with his head bent towards 
 the ground. But the faith and trust which had 
 hitherto supported the English soldier were not 
 wanting in this hour of extremity, and a silent 
 and fervent prayer was lifted to Heaven for fur- 
 ther succour. Then followed the consideration of 
 how human means could be made serviceable in 
 overcoming this fearful difficulty. Some strips of 
 dried meat were still left ; and making some of 
 the largest into balls, he pushed them down Tiger's 
 throat, gave one to Gipsy, another to Kinchela, 
 and then took one himself. " On we must go," 
 said he to the native, " and not stop till we fall." 
 He fastened the skin coverings on Tiger's hoofs; 
 iiis load, from the absence of provisions, could 
 scarcely be lighter, and, in fact, could not be" an 
 incumbrance to him. Kinchela drew his belt 
 tighter round him, and walked on with quiet resig- 
 nation ; his master kept by the horse's side tc 
 cheer him with kind words and caresses. Miles were
 
 276 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 passed over ; Tiger now and then, witli his thin 
 legs, stumbling over a larger stone than usual, and 
 giving his owner an additional fear that he would 
 fall and cut his knees. Then Gip came to a stand- 
 still, whined, and lifted up one of her fore-feet to 
 be looked at ; and when Captain Spencer examined 
 it, he found that it and all the others were blis- 
 tered and cut ; and she was of course lifted on to 
 his shoulders, for which she showed her gratitude 
 bj licking the back of his neck ; and he was 
 quite startled when he felt how hot her tongue 
 was, bringing to his mind hydrophobia and other 
 evils. 
 
 After hours of unremitting toil and suffering, 
 nature seemed as if she could do no more ; the 
 sun was sinking, the horse could with difficulty 
 dracr his limbs along, and Kinchela had several 
 times laid himself down, saying he could not go 
 any further ; on which, taking one of the spears, 
 Captain Spencer threatened to strike him with 
 it, if he did not proceed. Tiger's foot-cover- 
 ings were cut to pieces, and his hoofs almost 
 worn to the quick, so that he limped instead of 
 walked, and his master thought they must all lie 
 down and die. Charlie had altogether disappeared, 
 ind \t was hoped that his wings had enabled him 
 to soar high enough to descry relief. When night 
 ^ame, however, the stones were smaller, sand was 
 liiixed with them, then ridges of bright red sand
 
 AUSTRALIAN WAND K !l K ?. S . 277 
 
 came, and beyond them, ridges of the same sand 
 were seen in the distance. Captain Spencer made 
 ahnost superhuman efforts to reach them; he 
 went straight towards them, spoke incessantly to 
 Tiger with words of hn'c and approbation ; he 
 abnost lifted him up the sides, hoping to see some- 
 thing beyond which should impart hope ; but ridge 
 succeeded ridge, a dizziness came over the soldier's 
 eyes, his head became confused, and he fell with 
 Tiger by his side, loaded as he was, and the whole 
 party lay prostrate on the sand. 
 
 The cool breeze at night was refreshing, and 
 Captain Spencer thought it his duty, as he awak- 
 ened from a long sleep, to try and eat what re- 
 mained of the dried meat, if his swollen throat 
 would allow him to swallow ; he took the bags from 
 Tiger, and altogether unloaded him ; the bags w'ere 
 empty, for the Australian had appropriated the 
 last morsels. A flash of indignation at his selfish- 
 ness crimsoned the worn cheek of the soldier, but 
 he reflected on the pressing calls of hunger, and 
 forbore even to reproach. Then, indeed, his heart 
 completely failed, thick darkness seemed to come 
 over him, and he lay down, thinking he should rise 
 no more. After a while Tiger dragged himself 
 closer to his master, put his nose on his shoulder, 
 ts^avel a long sigh, a convulsive shudder ran 
 fcnrough his frame, and he lay motionless. " Dead, 
 Tiger, my dear faithful friend !" said his master, 
 24
 
 278 AUSTKALIAN WANDERERS. - 
 
 throwing his arm round him ; " this is almost too 
 much to bear. Gip, darling, are you gone too ?' 
 but Gip uncurled herself, walked round poor Tiger, 
 licked him, looked at her master, and again lay 
 down. 
 
 In the morning. Captain Spencer, following Kin- 
 chela's example, tightened his belt, and turning 
 round to call him, saw him devouring one of the 
 water-skins. " Come," said he, "we must carry 
 all we can." He slung the tins across his own 
 shoulders, and the skins also, for fear the man 
 should eat them, giving him the cloaks, spade, &c., 
 taking care, however, to make his own burden the 
 heaviest ; and Avith Gip in her usual place, he pre- 
 pared to start. He cast a look of agony on the 
 beautiful and motionless form of that faithful crea- 
 ture, who, in days of happiness, had borne him in 
 rhe race, in the hunt, and before the admiring 
 looks of rank and beauty ; who had travelled many 
 hundred, miles by his side, never rebelled, never 
 strayed, and had more than once been instrumen- 
 *al in saving his life. Tears coursed each other 
 down his cheeks as he turned away, feeling as if 
 he ought not to leave him, although his own ex- 
 istence, and that of the remaining party, depended 
 on his advance. 
 
 Tbey traversed ridge after ridge, till the Aus 
 tralian said: " Boccolo, Kinchela die!" Gips\ 
 was unable to raise her head, and then, her mas-
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 279 
 
 ter taking her in liis arms, lay down, saying, " We 
 must folloAV poor Tiger." He dosed, with visions 
 of waterfalls, streams, verdant plains, crowding 
 upon his sight and mind, and he became insensible, 
 with the sound of water trickling in his ears. He 
 did not know how long he lay in that unconscious 
 state, but it was morning when he opened his eyes, 
 and recollected all that had happened. He was 
 wet all over, everything about him was damp, and 
 he was sure that either a storm or heavy dew had 
 fallen; still he felt as if he could not raise his 
 head, and he lay still for some time, when one of 
 the beautiful pigeons of the country flew over his 
 head ; at some little distance she descended to the 
 ground behind a sand-hill, stayed for half a min- 
 ute, and then rose and continued her course. 
 "Bird of God," he exclaimed, "thou hast saved 
 us !" Hope gave him fresh energy ; he laid Gip 
 upon the ground, and crawled to the spot where 
 the pigeon had alighted. He there beheld a large 
 pool of water with green grass, and some stunted 
 Box-trees growing round it ; he seized a can, sup- 
 ported himself with one of the spears, dipped it 
 in, took a long draught, and felt a nev; man ; he 
 was then strong enough to return to liis compan- 
 ions ; he poured some water down each of their 
 throats, — Gip recovered the first, and shaking her- 
 self, licked her master's hands. Kinchela rose and 
 proceeded to the pool. CaptaiL. Spencer returneij
 
 280 AUSTRALIAN WANDEHEHS. 
 
 to it ; but in the m'dst of his thankfuhiess he 
 dashed the tears from his eyes bj passing the back 
 of his hand across them, and in spite of his deep 
 gratitude, exclaimed : " Too late for my poor 
 Tiger!" 
 
 The travellers sat down by the water, and a 
 piece of the kangaroo-skin being left, it was stewed 
 for Kinchela and Gipsy; and Captain Spencer 
 took the provision-bags, scraped them, turned out 
 the corners, and beat them, by which means he 
 accumulated a small heap of flour which he made 
 into a cake, and satisfied his hunger, which in fact 
 was not very great. The native then lay down, 
 and fell into a most refreshing slumber. His mas- 
 ter sat with his head leaning upon his knees, and 
 also slept ; but he was shortly after awakened by 
 his hat being suddenly lifted ofif Iiis head : he 
 started, saw Kinchela and Gip still fast asleep, 
 looked around, and beheld his beloved horse stand- 
 ing close beside him with his hat in his ludiith, and 
 Charlie on his back, who said, " All's right, Ned 
 Spencer !" He was for a moment struck with the 
 Idea that Lis senses were disturbed, and it was not 
 really Tiger who stood there ; but the next he 
 •lipped the can in the water, held it to the horse's 
 mouth, and the needful cordial was quickly im- 
 bibed. He rever could account for this resusci 
 tation ; but he believed that while they lay insen- 
 aible the night after Tiger appeared to die, there
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 281 
 
 had been a storm copiou.s enough to revive the 
 poor animal, who had afterwards risen and followed 
 his track. The warm embrace which followed, the 
 noisy delight of Gipsy, and the astonishment of 
 Kinchela, mingled with joy and dread, all told how 
 welcome the lost one was to the whole party ; and 
 as to Tiger himself, he had a great inclination to 
 dance upon his hind legs, but he was not yet quite 
 equal to such a performance. " If I am ever so 
 hungry," said Captain Spencer to himself, " I 
 never will destroy another pigeon," In the even- 
 ing, Gip and Kinchela started in search of food, 
 and brought back some Jerboas, Tiger revelled 
 in the grass, Charlie had plenty of insects, among 
 which were Ant-lions ;* and they all became 
 "giants refreshed." 
 
 After a rest of three days, the party again went 
 on their way, Captain Spencer hoping that his 
 worst trials were over ; he bent his stops to the 
 south-east ; Jerboas and two Crows in his bags, 
 two feeds of grass for Tiger, which he had with 
 great labour cut, some pounded bark for meal, and 
 as much water as they could carry, of v/hich Kin- 
 chela drank such a quantity before starting that 
 he could scarcely walk ; his master and dumb ser- 
 vants refreshed more Avisely and moderately. They 
 had not proceeded far when Captain Spencer again 
 perceived the blue waters of the lake at a great 
 
 * Myrmoleon. 
 
 24*
 
 i:82 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 distance, and bsyond them a range of lofty moun- 
 tains. A dark green plain also met his eye, which 
 told him that the ground there was covered with 
 Salsolse, and in it were dry lagoons of salt. As 
 they proceeded, some violent blasts of wind now 
 and +,hen assailed them, which were precursors of 
 rain, and which covered them with sand ; they, 
 however, stopped under a hill, turned their backs 
 to them, and waited till they were over. " I have 
 not seen a trace of the inland sea," said he to him- 
 self; "but I have been too much occupied by the 
 difficulties of my route, to take much notice of 
 anything which was unnecessary for our advance 
 or preserva;;ion. It is evident that there is a 
 great depression through which water has passed 
 from north-east to south-west. A well-equipped 
 party perhaps might penetrate the mystery, but 
 not without camels, I should think." 
 
 The country was evidently improving ; small 
 pools of water, either permanent, or filled with 
 surface-draining after recent rain, were met with ; 
 the liquid was not always good, but to them it w^as 
 acceptable. Atriplex and Acacias appeared, and 
 now and then a patch of newly springing grass. 
 They bivouacked by a small brackish lake, orna- 
 mented by Acacias, and in this they caught some 
 gilvery. Perch-like fishes, about six inches long, 
 which were greatly relished by Kinchela. While 
 here the clouds again gathered, and a heavy storm
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS, 283 
 
 approached ; Captain Spencer prepared to receive 
 it, protected his fire-arms, spread out the tarpaul- 
 ing, with its edges turned up, to catch the fresk 
 water, and Kinchela took off his shirt. This was 
 too good a plan to be despised, and Captain Spen- 
 cer adopted it, hiding his own clothing under the 
 tarpauling. Torrents of large drops fell, Tiger 
 and Gip held out their tongues, and even Charlie 
 hopped about and shook his wings, saying, " What 
 a row ! hurrah!" for he was gradually forgetting 
 his French. This copious shower both seemed to 
 infuse new vigour into all, and give fresh life to the 
 whole country, for the pools of water were more 
 frequent as they went on, and Kinchela said, 
 " Plenty rain come now, Boccolo." He was right ; 
 and now it became a matter of anxiety to get into 
 some place of shelter before they had too much 
 water — before the plains were turned into swamps, 
 rivers into floods, and they into aguish, shivering 
 travellers. 
 
 For the present, however, these bursts of rain 
 softened the ground for Tiger's feet, which being 
 again wrapped up in skin, the hoofs grew, and he 
 proceeded with great alacrity in the cooler atmos 
 phere. 
 
 Natives here began to appear ; and the first they 
 met was a solitary old man, who seemed to be very 
 much alarmed at the rencontre. He looked as if 
 h» too had been travelling across the stony desert,
 
 284 AUSTRALIAN WANDERiSRS. 
 
 he was so emaciated, and he would have run away 
 as they advanced; Captain Spencer, however, 
 stopped, and desired Kinchela to speak to him ; he 
 could not or would not understand, but he made 
 signs that he was very hungry ; they offered him 
 a bird, and this kindness inspired him with con- 
 fidence. He remained with them for two days, 
 during which time a Wombat was speared by Kin- 
 chela, for Captain Spencer would not use his fire- 
 arms for fear of frightening the old man away. 
 He had his share of that spoil, and when they 
 parted he had some given to him for his journev. 
 Captain Spencer tried to make him understand 
 that he might go on with them, but he pointed to 
 another direction. He was wholly without cloth- 
 ing, had only a spear and a stick in his hand ; he 
 had no means of carrying a store of provisions, 
 how then would he travel, how obtain sustenance ? 
 When his master imparted these thoughts to Kin 
 chela, the native laughed, and said, " Black fellow 
 not go far, Boccolo. He have gins not far off; 
 bs hide his gins from Boccolo, and gins get him 
 food. But perhaps old man a boyl-ya (here he 
 lowered his voicej, and boyl-yas can get every- 
 thiug ; but Kinchela not like to talk about boyl- 
 yas, for they make black fellow ill when he talks." 
 Captain Spencer smiled, for he had always found, 
 wAen Kinchela could not explain anything, be 
 made a convenient use of boyl-yas.
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Plenty of food — Yellow bean — Rough ground — Emus — Fishing- 
 Natives — Painted man — Birds — Man and his wife — Captain 
 Spencer rescues nets from flames — Rivers — Kinchela recognizes 
 the country — Finds a dead Kangaroo — Kinchela not allowed to 
 take it — Building rat — Cold — Encampment of natives — Kin- 
 chela's friends — Captain Spencer well received by them for his 
 sake — Captain Spencer consents to stay the winter with them 
 — The natives build him a house — Supply him with provisions — 
 Two men, Warrup and Ugat, superior to the rest — Opinion of 
 Tiger — Description of natives — A new tribe arrives — Their re- 
 ception — Captain Spencer taken for the ghost of a relation — Co- 
 robbery — Dance of hill tribe — Warrup and Ugat talk of native 
 customs to their guest — New sorts of food — Native manufactures. 
 
 To those who had been so long half-starved, the 
 increasing supplies of food created a lightness of 
 heart and strength which enabled them to travel 
 at good speed. The country assumed that park- 
 like appearance which is so refreshing, because it 
 is shady, yet sufficiently open to afford a circula- 
 tion of air. Oat-grass again presented itself, and 
 was eagerly taken advantage of by the travellers ; 
 also plenty of birds, especially Crows, varied their 
 animal fnvv. Dried up places, like old water- 
 
 { 285 )
 
 286 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 courses, still presented themselves, and Captain 
 Spencer could scarcely think that they were all 
 filled during the winter, unless, indeed, that talked 
 of mysterious sea occasionally poured its waters 
 over the land. Pieces and indications of different 
 ores and metals attracted attention ; but it was 
 impossible to stop and examine ihem minutely, on 
 account of the haste supposed to be necessary for 
 gaining shelter from the heavy rains which they 
 expected. Still this heavy rain kept off, and the 
 storms were local, for they met with surface-pools, 
 Avhen they themselves had not experienced any 
 fall of water. The Yellow Bean* reappeared in 
 quantities, which was a Avelcome change of diet 
 both to man and horse ; besides which some long 
 silky grassf was not only eaten by the latter, but 
 when he came to it he looked so earnestly in his 
 master's face, that he was unloaded, and permission 
 given to him to take a roll in it ; the more neces- 
 sary as his weary master had not of late been able 
 to give him his accustomed cleaning. Glimpses of 
 jaountains were occasionally seen, which looked 
 more lofty than any yet met with ; and in their 
 own path, they came upon hills of sandstone, 
 cemented with iron, from which so many lumps 
 md boulders had rolled down, that Tiger's socks 
 were in requisition. These boulders often dis- 
 closed gypsum, and opalised wood ; and the tops 
 
 * Dolichos. t Kangaroo grass, or A ntbistiria.
 
 A U « T }'v A L I A N WANDERERS. 287 
 
 of ^he hills looked as if they were of totally differ- 
 ent formation to that at their base, so that when 
 the latter rose, they had not disturbed the super- 
 incumbent strata. Fossil limestone now and then 
 cropped out, chiefly containing shells. Again did 
 they come across Emus ; but as Kincliela was uot 
 old enough to eat them, his master did not expend 
 time or strength in their capture. A Banhinia, 
 twenty feet high, had the fruit of two seasons still 
 hanging from the ends of its branches, and the 
 large flat seeds were roasted and eaten. 
 
 Rliagodia formed the scrub of large flat pi, i his, 
 wi! .'h refraction sometimes magnified into trees; 
 low sand-hills were ascended and descended, and 
 on the plain below were tall Gum-trees, the roots 
 of which were no longer necessary to their exist- 
 ence. 
 
 At length, after passing through many "a 
 tangled maze," the party halted close to a pond, 
 the Avaters of which were somewhat brackish, the 
 grass round it was coarse and wiry, but they had 
 with them a supply of a better kind for Tiger, and 
 Captain Spencer tried the experiment of fishing. 
 No sooner had he baited his hook and thrown it 
 in, than the same sort of shining white fish appeared 
 which he had before caught, and a numerous cap- 
 ture gave them ii feast ; others were split and 
 roasted, and Kinchela would have devoured them 
 all at once, but his master insisted on his forbear-
 
 5588 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 ance, and lie dried a number for the supply of 
 their future journey. 
 
 During the march of the ensuing day, the tra- 
 vellers fell in with some natives, who stood and 
 stared at them, as if paralyzed with astonishment, 
 and whether they did or did not understand Kin- 
 chela, they would not speak ; then they came upon 
 two huts made of boughs, in which were some 
 children at play, who ran and hid themselves at 
 their approach ; and after these a man came over 
 a hill who was highly painted with various colours, 
 and who, being equipped with spear, shield, and 
 club, looked as if • '■ were going to war. He did 
 not evince any surprise at the strangers, but 
 motioned to them to go away from the neighbour- 
 hood of their huts. Captain Spencer then offered 
 him some fishes, which he eagerly accepted, and 
 ate immediately. The wayfarers tlien passed on, 
 without further attempts at conciliation, supposing 
 some tribe to be near, and the Englishman had no 
 inclination for an encounter with superior numbers. 
 The man stood gazing after them for some time, 
 evidently watching the direction they took. They 
 made a longer march than usual to get beyond his 
 reach, and during the night kept watch alter- 
 nately. 
 
 The patli continued through open woods, and 
 then an impervious jungle obliged them to alter 
 their course. Beautiful birds of the parrot kind
 
 AUSTRALIAN Y^ N D E R E R S . 289 
 
 were again seen, and very small Parrakeets of ex- 
 quisite colours seemed permanently to inhabit 
 these forests. Among the numerous feathered 
 creatures were Hawks with signs of evil intentions, 
 and Charlie flew up to his protector with rapidity, 
 calling out, " Rogues and scoundrels !" and he was 
 so closely pursued by two of them, that Kinchela 
 knocked them down with his stick, and Captain 
 Spencer dispersed the rest by firing among them. 
 The noise of the gun was heard afar, and, as the 
 travellers turned round the foot of some low hills, 
 they saw a man and his wife, who were so fright- 
 ened that they threw down all they had with them, 
 such as stones for grinding grass-seeds, skin-bags, 
 containing roots, grass-baskets, some nets for 
 catching birds, made of bark fibres, and the usual 
 fire-stick. The latter set the grass on fire, and 
 the bags, nets, &c., would all have been consumed, 
 had not Captain Spencer rescued them from the 
 flames, which fortunately were driven by the wind 
 away from the spot where he was. He held them 
 up to the natives, but they would not take them, 
 and he therefore deposited them in a tree, and 
 went on, passing through a lovely country, where 
 flowers of great beauty, among which was a splen- 
 did yellow Ipomsea — showed that they had had 
 rain. Green grass was under their feet, and they 
 walked till evening, when they reached a beautiful 
 river, winding through a ravine of clifls, present- 
 25
 
 290 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 iug an appearance of fertility and freshness which 
 could only be produced by the existence of a per- 
 manent stream, and promising a much more hos- 
 pitable country, in every sense of the word, than 
 any they had seen since they left the Marie. 
 
 The cliffs of the river gradually became lower 
 as the party advanced ; they crossed the land 
 where the river took a large sweep, and by so 
 doing lessened their labour ; then they perceived 
 that they were standing on the border of one 
 stream which joined another ; the tributary was so 
 much overflown that large trees were considerably 
 immersed in it, and they were obliged to keep at 
 some distance as they proceeded, to avoid the 
 swamp, in some parts of which they sank till the 
 water was above their ankles. This was refresh- 
 ing enough for a time, but it was not good for a 
 long continuance, or for sleeping ; it however con- 
 vinced Captain Spencer of the locality of the rains, 
 or rather that rain was more tardy in visiting the 
 arid region which they had crossed, than this part 
 of the country ; and he now began to think he 
 should not reach Adelaide before the winter ar- 
 rived, for he was obliged to turn to the north, and 
 thus leave the settlement behind him. It became, 
 therefore, necessary to think where he should pass 
 the winter, for it would be impossible to gain the 
 southern settlements anywhere, and he mused on 
 the possibility of attaining eastern Aostraiia. " So
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 291 
 
 much the better if I do go there," said he to him. 
 self; " I shall be longer here, but I shall get back 
 to Bombay from Sydney sooner than elsewhere. 
 At all events, I shall now be obliged to stop, for 
 we can never travel through the floods ; and what 
 is more, I shall have jungle-fever worse than in 
 India, because more exposed." The faith and 
 trust of Captain Spencer, however, was now equal 
 to any diflBculty ; and He who protects those "who 
 travel by land or by water," and who had pre- 
 served this little party in almost a miraculous 
 manner, watched over them with His unceasing 
 beneficence. 
 
 The wanderers lost sight of trees, and a beauti 
 ful pasture district succeeded. Here Kinchela, 
 on looking around him, seemed to revive from the 
 subdued state into Avhich he had fallen since the 
 time of their great suiferings, and uttered a cry 
 of joy. " Kinchela knows this place, Boccolo !" 
 he exclaimed ; " he take you to see white men, far, 
 far away," and he started at a pace which looked 
 as if he intended to traverse the whole distance 
 that night. He drew himself up to his full height, 
 and his whip-cord sinews seemed all at once to 
 regain their full vigour. They came upon signs 
 of former encampments of natives, and Kinchela 
 examined them carefully, muttering several names 
 to himself, and then went on with continued con- 
 fidence. At last he stopped, as if a sudden thought
 
 292 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 had struck him, and said, " Boccolo, me take you 
 to good man, where you stop when it rains." His 
 master nodded assent, and felt that if he couhi 
 gain some native friendly tribe, he might be able 
 to find food and shelter for himself and his com- 
 panions as long as was necessary. 
 
 The water had been stopped by a large dam 
 thrown across it, which had probably caused the 
 flooding below ; they crossed it, and Kinchela 
 stepped, on as guide, with an air of confidence in 
 his own knowledge of their locality. They were 
 not delayed by the necessity of filling their skins 
 or cans, which now travelled empty on Tiger's 
 sides, and they had a store of eatables ; they 
 crossed scrubs of Fusanus, Hakea, Acacia, and 
 other plants, and trod upon a conglomerate soil, 
 mingled with metallic indications. The country 
 was here and there beautifully wooded, and ver- 
 dant hills were near ; they, however, kept in the 
 plains for miles, in which the Gum-tree alone 
 seemed to take up its abode ; but they were able 
 to push forward at an accelerated pace, on account 
 of the comparative coolness of the weather. At 
 last, one evening, as the sun was declining, they 
 reached what Captain Spencer concluded to be the 
 main river, of which they had crossed a tributary. 
 The whole scene was gilded by the glorious rays 
 of the departing luminary ; beautiful drooping 
 trees shaded its banks, young green reeds and
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 293 
 
 grass rejoiced Tiger, who, as soon as they stopped 
 for the night and was unloaded, plun^.«.d at once 
 into a rich pasture, of which the juicj Sow-thistle 
 and Mallows increased the value. Thv.y took their 
 station close to a hollow Gum-tree, l.ghted their 
 fire, and while they were busy with their prepara- 
 tions for a stew, the painted man came up, laid 
 opossums, flag-roots, and pounded gruss-seeds at 
 Captain Spencer's feet, and retired, but not with- 
 out casting a look of surprise at the tin can on the 
 fire. It appeared as if he had followed them on 
 purpose to give this supply, in return for saving 
 the nets from being burned. 
 
 The next morning the travellers proceeded along 
 by the side of the river, and found a kangaroo 
 which had just been killed, from which the hunters 
 nad probably fled at their approach. Kinchela 
 would have taken it up, but his master prevented 
 him, telling him, as on a former occasion, that it 
 did not belong to them ; and after they had left it 
 behind at some distance, he turned his head, and 
 perceived several of the natives assembled round 
 the kangaroo, now looking at it, then following 
 them with their eyes, and pointing at them with 
 much gesticulation, tossing about their arms like 
 the sails of a windmill. The soil now consisted of 
 a tenacious clay ; the river was sluggish, hardly 
 filling its bed ; and the only alteration in the fea- 
 tures of the country were several ridges, on which 
 25*
 
 294 AUSTRALIAN 'WANDERERS. 
 
 Pine-trees seemed to grow. The whole scene was 
 extremely picturesque ; beyond the flats were hills 
 beautifully wooded, and the ground was tossed up 
 into strange and confused outlines. Captain Spen- 
 cer lay down with the full expectation of much 
 greater beauty on the morrow ; but his rest was 
 early disturbed by a loud, rushing noise, and sud- 
 denly starting up, he perceived the lazy, insignifi- 
 cant stream converted into a foaming, impetuous 
 river, not as yet, however, reaching the level of its 
 banks. He did not know how soon, with this rapid 
 increase, it might pass even beyond them ; and 
 fearing they were too near, he awoke his com- 
 panions, collected all he had, and moved on. As 
 they left the river, the country was not equally 
 rich, and they met with Salsola, Atriplex, and other 
 sorts of scrub, only now and then seeing a scrub 
 of much beauty, which had not before made its 
 appearance. On a sudden Gip, who was before, 
 stopped short, looked at her master as she lifted 
 one of her paws, and then she went round a large 
 nest made of sticks, with her nose and eyes exam- 
 ining every part. She began to demolish it, which 
 caused its frightened inhabitants to rush out, to 
 whom of course she gave chase, and her master 
 went close up tc look at the structure. The sticks 
 varied in length from three inches to three feet, 
 and in thickness from a quill to that of a large fin- 
 ger. They were so systematically arranged, that
 
 AUSTRALIAN^- W A N !> E II E R S . 2&5 
 
 it was cliiTicuh to pull tliem asunder; the wliolo 
 uest was four f-'Ct in diameter at the base, and 
 three feet high, looking like a great bee-hive. It 
 had five entrances at the bottom, nearly equi-dis- 
 tant from each other, with passages from them, 
 leading to a central hole in the ground, in which 
 stores of food were kept. There were two beds 
 of grass in the centre, in which were some very 
 pretty and tiny young Rats ; and passages from 
 these interior nests ran diagonally to the ground, 
 or rather stick flooring of the principal nest, and 
 they communicated with each other. Gip brought 
 in one of tlie grown-up owners,* which measured 
 six inches from the tip of the nose to the tail ; its 
 fur was light brown in colour, of a fine, soft tex- 
 '•ure, and the hind feet were very large in propor- 
 tion to those in front. It quite grieved the Eng- 
 lishman to have disturbed so clever and pretty a 
 building, and, in his vexation, he suffered Kinchela 
 and Gip to cat the rat ; but he prevented the dog 
 from destroying any more of the skilful architects. 
 The weather had now become positively cold, 
 and Kinchela so far conquered his fear of Tiger as 
 to creep up clo.-c to liim at night ; and in the day 
 he appeared to be very alert, with a cont^tant ex- 
 pectation of something, the nature of which he 
 would not comniMP.ic;itc. The storms became more 
 frequent, and the ground was constantly wet to lie 
 
 * Bandicoot, or llus-conditof.
 
 C96 ACSTRALIAl*. WANDERERS. 
 
 upon, SO that Captain Spencer seriously thought, 
 if he did not speedily find some natural shelter, he 
 would dig a cave in one of the hills or banks of 
 the vicinity, where he could remain till the worst 
 of the winter was over ; but it was necessary to 
 be very careful in choosing a site where they should 
 meet with the principal necessaries of existence. 
 They came to a low range of heights covered with 
 grass, and near them was a belt of Gum-trees, 
 stretching across the country in an oblique direc- 
 tion, and he thought they might contrive a dwel- 
 ling there, which should be partially formed of 
 their boughs. He mounted these hills to recon- 
 noitre with his glass, and there he found that the 
 river lay beyond ; and between it and some banks, 
 which protected them from inundation, was a large 
 assemblage of huts, with their native owners. 
 
 The women shrieked at the appearance of the 
 travellers, and the men stood for a moment as if 
 paralyzed with astonishment ; they awoke from 
 this, apparently to consult with each other on the 
 reception which was to be given to the strangers. 
 Many raised their spears, but Captain Spencer 
 quickly cut a branch from a low bush close by, and 
 held it up as a token of peace, and tliis seemed to 
 induce them at least to pause. Kinchela stood 
 with his hand over his eyes, anxiously surveying 
 one of the groups, and, after a minute's hesitation, 
 he witi a cry of joy bounded down the hill, and
 
 A [] R T II A L r A K AV A N D R R E R S . 297 
 
 exclaiming in the language of these people, dashed 
 through the multitude. He was soon recognized, 
 and all was tumult and curiosity. Captain Spen- 
 cer quietly stood and awaited the issue, with Tiger, 
 Gip, and Charlie ; and then he saw those around 
 Kinchela make way for one of their number, who 
 came out of a hut ; he -^ind Kinchela sat down di- 
 rectly opposite to each other, laid their hands upon 
 each other's shoulders, leaned their heads upon 
 each other's breasts, and cried violently, while the 
 other natives stood by in silence. This continued 
 for a short time, then the two rose, and Kinchela 
 spoke for some time. His master gathered from 
 his gestures that he was telling the history of their 
 first and second meeting, for he pointed to his arm, 
 then to his foot, and acted the scene of finding him 
 almost dead from hunger and thirst ; then he 
 pointed towards the stony desert, discoursed about 
 Tiger, at whom they looked very solemn, nor did 
 he forget the dog and the bird, and then there was 
 a general consultation. As all this was going on, 
 some persons arrived from the wxst, whom Captain 
 Spencer recognized as those to whom the nets had 
 belonged, and also the painted native to whom he 
 had given the fishes. They took their part, ear- 
 nestly made a speech, and the result was a sort of 
 deputation from the tribe, preceded by Kinchela. 
 through whom, as interpreter, they asked him to 
 Btay among them during the bad weather. They
 
 298 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 added, that thov would build a house for him and 
 his companions ; then pointing to their wives, said 
 they should cook and provide for his support ; and 
 as he had taken so much care of their friend Kin- 
 chela, who had once lived a long time with them, 
 they would take care of him, till the rains and 
 storms were over ; after which they would tell him 
 "which was the shortest way to get back to " white 
 fellows." 
 
 There was but little time for consideration, and 
 making up his mind immediately, Captain Spencer 
 consented to the proposal, provided the house were 
 big enough for Tiger also, and that they would 
 take as much care of his companions as himself. 
 They readily assented, and his compliance put 
 them all in motion ; they begged him to rest where 
 he Avas for a time, they brought him some food aa 
 an earnest of their intentions, told him that as he 
 had not taken the kangaroo some of them had 
 killed, they would now give him some ; and then 
 thej> set to work upon his habitation. They re- 
 paired to the Gum-trees in the neighbourhood, cut 
 some branches from them with their stone toma- 
 hawks, chopped them into logs, piled the logs one 
 upon another with much skill, covered the pile with 
 grass, the grass with large pieces of bark, and so 
 rendered the hut impervious to rain. They said 
 they had not till now had rain for a very long time, 
 and they should have. plenty, which was tlie first
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 299 
 
 mtimation Captain Spencer had of the irregularity 
 of the seasons in that part of Australia ; for it ap- 
 peared to him, as far as he could understand from 
 Kinchela's interpretation, that they had not had 
 any of consequence for two years. 
 
 The house was round in shape, higher than any 
 of the others, so that even Tiger could stand up- 
 right in it, and the entrance was so proportioned 
 as to require but little stooping. The ground in- 
 side was perfectly smooth, all the stumps and 
 stones having been removed ; and in one corner 
 was a bed of dry leaves and grass, to which Tiger 
 thought he had as much right as his master, and 
 often contrived to push him off, and take posses- 
 sion during the night. Kinchela was to sleep at 
 the entrance, and Gip and Charlie in their usual 
 places. It was erected at some distance from all 
 the others ; and, when finished, at night the people 
 led him with songs to it, by the back of their own 
 encampment ; and Kinchela requested that he 
 would always go and return that way, and not pass 
 through the village. The people had not taken as 
 much pains with their own habitations, which pre- 
 sented a variety of forms, some being only semi- 
 circular, others large enough for two families, with 
 several entrances. Some of the single men had 
 joined together in making a hut for themselves, in 
 parties of eight ; they said plenty of people were 
 come, and many more would come, for tribes united
 
 300 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 when the river overflowed its banks, in order to 
 catch fish, and they would come back to their 
 old houses, which were made to last a long time. 
 When they wanted them for a little time, they 
 made them as the traveller had seen in other parts ; 
 and from what he now heard, he felt convinced that 
 he must have passed m^y encampments without 
 knowing of their existence, so artfully were they 
 concealed with bushes, grass, and boughs, and 
 which were deserted in consequence of his ap- 
 proach. 
 
 The evening meal over, Kinchela told his master 
 that " Boccolos wanted to see him." By the word 
 Boccolos, Captain Spencer supposed he meant the 
 chiefs of the tribe ; he afterwards learned that 
 they have no chiefs, but merely pay unusual re- 
 spect to those who have shown superiority in any 
 way ; even personal stature and strength securing 
 for the owners a sort of weight in matters of im- 
 portance, which did not amount to authority. The 
 two men came, father and son, who were of sedate 
 appearance, the latter being the painted man whom 
 tlie travellers had met, and who he now learned 
 had not equipped himself for war, but for fetching 
 a new wife ; for "black fellows liked to look hand- 
 some before their' gins." He had been to Ade- 
 laide, where he had picked up a few words of 
 English ; but Kinchela was noAV such an adept, 
 and Captain Spencer had learned so many words
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 801 
 
 of him, that between the interpretation of his ser- 
 vant, and his own knowledge, he contrived always 
 to understand these two men, who became his prin- 
 cipal friends and paid him frequent visits. On 
 this occasion they had come to say, that as the 
 rain would soon be here, when they could not so 
 well leave, they would now make a Corobbery for 
 his sake, and they must prepare for it ; they hoped 
 he would excuse their going out to hunt Emus 
 and Kangaroos for him, but the women should get 
 all that was necessary. The guest of course ac- 
 knowledged the honour in a becoming manner, and 
 the natives would have gone away, but he asked 
 them to stay and talk to him ; they complied, but 
 begged to be seated far from Tiger, for they owned 
 that they thought the big dog was a sorcerer, and 
 they hoped he would not work them any harm ; 
 they had some very great sorcerers in their tribe, 
 but they looked upon Tiger as still greater. 
 Captain Spencer gravely promised, that, as Tiger 
 always minded what he said, he would takfe care 
 that they should be safe from him. He could, by 
 the light of the fire outside the hut, near which 
 they sat, distinguish their countenances ; and he 
 could not but remark that they were like all others 
 whom he had seen, barring the trifling differences 
 which exist between man and man ; each had lost 
 two front teeth, but the front teeth which were left 
 and the eye-teeth were of the same shape. The 
 26
 
 302 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 old man, whose name was Warrup, had a fish bon& 
 through his nose ; their movements were graceful ; 
 their manners easy, almost polished ; and the son, 
 who was called Ugat, proud of his English, fre- 
 quently smiled and said, " Very good, very good;" 
 which, however, caught Charlie's ear, who repeated 
 it inside the hut, adding to it his heartiest " Ha! 
 ha ! ha !" This unexpected sound evidently made 
 both the men uncomfortable ; and Warrup asked 
 Kinchela in a low tone, if the white fellow had 
 another sorcerer with him, or whether it was the 
 big dog which had spoken. Captain Spencer com- 
 prehended the inquiry, and took that opportunity 
 of explaining the powers of his bird ; and told them 
 they possessed many in their country which might 
 be taught to speak in the same manner. They 
 seemed better satisfied after this, and added, 
 " that they knew birds already which would mock 
 everything they said ; and that one nearer to 
 where white man lived always laughed very 
 much."* 
 
 The heads of these men were well developed, 
 and the proportions of the brain apparently good ; 
 their thick necks betokened great strength ; their 
 feet and hands were small and well-made, and their 
 heels were like those of Europeans ; but the calves 
 of their legs were very small, as in all others, ex- 
 cept a very few instances. Their carriage was 
 
 * The laughing Jackass.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. SO'A 
 
 npriglit and dignified, and their chests wide, which, 
 with their backs," were covered with thick scars. 
 Captain Spencer asked them how they procured 
 the paint with which they decorated themselves ; and 
 they replied that most of it was dug from the earth, 
 and used either raw or baked ; and that to pro- 
 duce a bright red, they mixed a yellow clay with 
 red ochre, both of which had passed through the 
 fire ; that they also collected yellow from flowers, 
 and a fungus ; that the black was finely-powdered 
 charcoal; the blue was extracted from a plant; 
 that the earths were not to be found everywhere, 
 but they bartered with other natives for it. Tho 
 white was always to be had, it being the pipe-clay 
 which Captain Spencer had so frequently seen 
 throughout the country. They added that the 
 ground on which the village stood was their own, 
 and had always been so since it was made, and 
 that each tribe in every part had its peculiar hunt- 
 ing-grounds, though disputes often arose about the 
 boundaries, and led to war. When white men, 
 however, appeared, they did not mind these boun- 
 daries, and took all, drove kangaroos away, and 
 by and by they should all starve. The conversa- 
 tion was ended by Kinchela falling fast asleep ; 
 and the men arose, saying, " that a friendly tribe 
 had sent them some long, narrow nets, made of 
 rushes, and had taken them away that morning; 
 therefore they supposed they would come to-mov
 
 801 AUSTRALIAN WANDEKERS. 
 
 row, and they hoped the Euglishman would witness 
 their arrivah" 
 
 The next morning Captain Spencer went with 
 Gip and Tiger to have a bathe in the river ; and 
 on his return, he left the latter to feed on the 
 delicious grass which had rapidly sprung up since 
 the first rains, and Avhich looked exactly like 
 bearded wheat. In a short time he saw men, 
 women, and children gathered round him, looking 
 at him with curiosity and awe. He was afraid 
 that he would undo any favourable impression he 
 might otherwise make, if he should take it into hia 
 head to dance on his hind legs into the midst of 
 them ; and he therefore called out to him, " Quiet, 
 good horse." .Tiger put up his pretty head and 
 neighed a reply, at the same time whisking his 
 long white tail. This, however, was enough ; they 
 instantly took to their heels, and many of them 
 with more haste than good speed ; so that they 
 tripped each other up, and rolled away like so 
 many barrels, which made Captain Spencer shout 
 with laughter. They were never completely re- 
 conciled to the big dog ; though some degree of 
 alarm subsided on further acquaintance. When 
 he himself galloped off on Tiger's back, they be- 
 lieved him to be a sorcerer of unlimited power. 
 
 The oldest and the principal men seated them- 
 selves cross-legged to receive their friends, who 
 had brought some strangers with them ; they were
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 305 
 
 shown, or, as would be said in civilized life, intro- 
 duced, with an account of their birth and country ; 
 after which all the males of the two tribes saluted 
 each other by putting their hands on each other's 
 shoulders, and bending their heads forwards, so as 
 to touch each other's breasts. When, however, as in 
 the case of Kiuchela, communication was made of 
 deaths which had occurred since they last met, 
 they wept violently, and sitting down, went 
 through the same forms as with him. The females 
 r;:>mained behind, laden with bags, baskets, fire- 
 sticks, mats, and children ; they were silent ; but 
 those of the river tribe came and led them away 
 to their huts, where there was plenty of talking, 
 both loud and fast, although their voices were soft. 
 Their gossiping continued the greater part of the 
 night ; and according to Kinchela's account, they 
 told all about one another ; and probably a little 
 scandal went forward. These people came from 
 the interior hills ; the men carried all their war- 
 like weapons, but they were feeble and diminutive. 
 To Captain Spencer's astonishment, while he was 
 standing at the door of his hut that same after- 
 noon, a procession of the females of the new tribe, 
 headed by two women, came towards him. Tears 
 were streaming down the cheeks of both ; and the 
 eldest, walking close up to him, said, " Yes, yes, 
 it is he;" for Kinchela was close within the hut, 
 and told him v,hat they meant; then she threw
 
 306 AUSTRALIAN W/NDERERS. 
 
 her arms round the Englislmian's body, and rested 
 her head upon his breast ; she was old, ugly, and 
 filthy ; and the other, nearly as dirty, knelt cry- 
 ing at his feet. The first proceeded to kiss him on 
 each cheek, wept again, and called him the ghost 
 of her son, who had been killed by the thrust of a 
 spear. Even with the aid of Kinchela's explana- 
 tions, Captain Spencer felt quite bewildered, and 
 would rather have encountered an attack of a host 
 of waddies ; then came a young woman, who de- 
 clared she was his sister ; and she was followed 
 by the whole number, who uttered exclamations 
 of delight ; father, brother, then encircled him 
 with their arms, put their right hand against 
 his right knee, and their breasts against his. 
 " A goodly tribe of relations !" thought he, as 
 he gravely bore this infliction ; the children 
 were then brought to him ; but tliey at first 
 kicked and screamed with fright at the white man ; 
 but when they saw that he received them kindly, 
 there was a strife between them who should reach 
 him first ; and two or three put their fingers in 
 their mouths, and then rubbed his skin with them, 
 to see if he were painted. After this ceremony 
 was ended, and the newly-claimed had promised to 
 stay a little tiu)e among his self-elected relatives, 
 he asked Kin chela for further explanation ; and 
 the man told him that black fellows believed the 
 spirits of their dead went into the bodies of white
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 307 
 
 men, and often returned to their own country, be- 
 cause they loved it so much ; and that they knew 
 them by the likeness which they always retained 
 to their former selves. " Very flattering," thought 
 Captain Spencer, who was by no means uncon- 
 scious of his large share of personal beauty. 
 " Then how is it," said he to his man, " that these 
 returned spirits do not also know their relations ?" 
 Kinchela said "he could not tell that, but this ignor- 
 ance always caused great surprise ;" he added, 
 that some believed all black fellows, when they 
 died, went up to the clouds, where they had plenty 
 to eat and drink ; in which state they were often 
 let down again by a rope ; and his own brother 
 had returned in that manner. 
 
 The whole of the next day the natives were 
 busy preparing for the Corobbery in the evening, 
 by making up numerous cockatoo and emu feathers, 
 and painting themselves with all their colours. 
 The women rolled up some kangaroo-skins as 
 tightly as possible, which they beat with their 
 hands, till they sounded like drums ; others beat 
 fiat sticks together ; in fact, all the music was per- 
 formed by them, and would have been insupport- 
 able had it not been for the admirable time which 
 they kept. They in a very few instances shared 
 the dances of the men ; but they had some among 
 themselves, from which the men were excluded. 
 
 The Corobbery began by imitations of the sounds
 
 308 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 and actions of different animals, especially the 
 kangaroo, which they pretended to chase ; they 
 then went through various evolutions with their 
 spears and shields, and emu feathers on their 
 heads ; then they performed a series of the most 
 intricate figures by way of dancing, holding their 
 waddies, or clubs, and boughs of trees. On this 
 occasion the women danced at the corners, changed 
 places often, by passing at the back of the large 
 group, and frequently uttering the most abomin- 
 able yells, which were most distressing to their 
 guest, after the long comparative solitude to which 
 he had of late been accustomed. Tiger peeped 
 out to see what was the matter ; Charlie said, 
 "What a row!" and returned into the hut to 
 sleep ; while Gipsy, although in her master's arms, 
 barked furiously. Even if quieted for a time, she 
 burst forth again ; and Captain Spencer assured 
 his entertainers this was a mark of her approba- 
 tion. The effect of this dance could never be for- 
 gotten, heightened as it ^vas by an immense fire, 
 which being constantly fed -with fresh boughs, sent 
 forth incessant flames. The logs of some were 
 covered with broad white stripes ; and they had a 
 peculiar method of shaking them, which made 
 them appear as if they were constantly turning 
 round ; others had boughs tied upon their legs ; 
 and, after dancing some time, suddenly stopped, 
 stamping their feet v.ith loud grunts, and rustling
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 309 
 
 Df the boughs ; then they would pause suddenly 
 with a deep guttural exclamation, and again start 
 off, or drop all at once from a standing to a squat- 
 ting posture, and hop away with outstretched arms 
 and legs. The full dress of the females was an 
 opossum-cloak, a band of white swan-down round 
 the head, and a bunch of cockatoo feathers in 
 front ; their movements were not always as decor- 
 ous as those of the men, and long before the Co- 
 robbery was ended, the person in whose honour it 
 was performed was heartily weary of the whole 
 scene ; and he heard with dismay that, on the en- 
 suing day, the recently-arrived tribe were anxious 
 to display their accomplishments to the stranger, 
 with whom they fancied themselves connected. It 
 was necessary to conceal his annoyance, hoAvever, 
 if he would not disturb the friendly feelings now 
 existing. 
 
 The hill-tribe were adorned much in the same 
 style as their friends ; but besides feathers on their 
 heads, they carried them in their hands, tied on to 
 the top of short sticks, and the women danced in 
 a line parallel to that of the men. After various 
 evolutions, they advanced with a man in the centre, 
 who bore a rude representation of a human figure 
 at the top 'of a pole, formed of grass and reeds, 
 covered with kangaroo-skins, painted all over with 
 small white circles, the head made of feathers, and 
 the arms represented by sticks. After dancing
 
 310 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 with this they reared, and again advanced, with 
 two standards, each composed of a pole, on which 
 nine branches were left. At the end of the branches 
 was a plume of hawk, owl, or emu feathers, tied 
 on with white swan-down, or white painted bark, 
 which was continued down the pole. These re- 
 treated, then many came forth with their spears, 
 danced for some time, came closer to their friends, 
 who sprang up to meet them, stuck two or three 
 in the shoulders, and the ceremonies were ended. 
 Tired and heated, Captain Spencer retired to his 
 hut, but not to sleep, for he was kept awake by 
 the songs which were sung around him ; and, in 
 fact, in honour of him, these people having impro- 
 visatory powers. The songs were continued far 
 into the night ; one was a very sad lament, and 
 Kinchela afterwards told him they were mourning 
 for the dead ; another, slow and wild, was concern- 
 ing a sorcerer ; and there were comic dialogues, 
 which created great laughter. 
 
 During the heavy rains which ensued, the prin- 
 cipal amusement of the traveller was the conver- 
 sation of Warrup or Ugat. They delighted in 
 speaking of themselves and their customs, did not 
 take any interest in descriptions of civilized com- 
 munities ; but when Captain Spencer told them 
 of his own black men in India, they were much 
 pleased. It was difficult to come to any conclusion 
 concerning their religious belief ; but, as far as he
 
 AlfSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 311 
 
 could understand, they were aware of the soul 
 being distinct from the body ; which souls, some 
 believed, lived in trees all day, came down at night 
 to eat caterpillars and animals, but not vegetable 
 food, and remained the size of a boy eight years 
 old. Their notions of creation were equally vague ; 
 they said that a father and three male children 
 lived in the clouds ; the father, very powerful, who 
 made the world, fixed names to everything, put 
 the tribes into their own districts, gave them their 
 languages, and brought them from some place in 
 the east, over the water, and that souls go to live 
 with these four. These natives thought that there 
 was a large serpent, which lived in high, rocky 
 mountains, and which made all things by one stroke 
 of its tail. They declared that every body believed 
 in an evil spirit, which haunts dark caverns, wells, 
 and gloomy plains ; that its name is Jinga, and 
 that they are afraid of him at night. 
 
 The gun of Captain Spencer was a constant 
 source of apprehension, and kept up the notion 
 of his being a sorcerer- Having been told by 
 Kinchela that he knelt and prayed every day to 
 the Great Spirit (which his master had said to 
 him), they thought he was then working his spells. 
 His relations trer^ted him with great deference, 
 and most particularly attended to all his require- 
 tnents ; generally speaking, however, he and Kin- 
 chela procured their own provisions. Gipsy would
 
 312 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 have led a happy life, if the dogs of the camp had 
 not persecuted her, either ^vith their enmity or 
 their friendship ; but at last her master invented 
 a collar of kangaroo-skin, into which he inserted 
 some of the strong thorns of the Acacia, and this, 
 with her furious barking and sharp bites, after a 
 while, kept them away, for they were great cow- 
 ards. Charlie was perfectly independent ; but he 
 would often electrify Kinchela as he flew over the 
 village, by saying, " I see you, Kinchela ;" and 
 the man began to believe that the bird was ac- 
 quainted with all his actions. 
 
 The new sorts of food brought to Captain Spen- 
 cer by his friends were different species of fungi, 
 and emu eggs, which, however, he could not eat, 
 as they, and those of the Leipoa, were stale ; the 
 natives themselves cared but little in what condi- 
 tion an egg might be, they ate it all the same. 
 They brought him an a])undance of small animals 
 not much larger than mice,* which burrow in the 
 sand, and which they say will go for months with- 
 out water. They had beautiful, full black eyes, 
 their long tail had a brush at the end, their fur 
 was light red in colour, and they generally hopped 
 on their hind legs, and carried their tail horizon- 
 tally. Gip most delighted in motlis, and grew 
 quite fat. Little or no hunting took place, be- 
 cause there was a general feeling that the rivei 
 
 * Hapulotus Mitcbellii.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. S13 
 
 vvould suddenly rise to a great height, and then 
 every one must be ready. Preparations, there- 
 fore, were constantly making for fishing and catch- 
 ing wild fowl, and Captain Spencer watched their 
 rude manufactures with interest. They did not, 
 however, show much ingenuity ; and the various 
 hard woods of the country were their best re- 
 sources in the way of tools. They made a cement 
 with resin, gum, and wax. In forming a canoe, 
 they choose a large Gum-tree which has a protu- 
 berance in the bark, open it with their tomahawks, 
 strip the bark oif very easily with a stone in large 
 pieces, bind it into the form of a canoe, and itop 
 up the ends with clay. This was their only boat, 
 and yet, fragile as it was, in it they contrived to 
 place a fire, and fish for hours. Their netting- 
 needles were only a pointed stick like a pencil, 
 round which the string was wound, and they did 
 not use any mesh. The strongest nets were made 
 of the tendons of animals, of opossum fur, spun 
 with or without fibrous plants ; mallows, grass, and 
 rushes, supplied materials for mats and baskets, 
 well-rubbed skins for bags ; and they had rude 
 wooden shovels ; they cut their food with flint 
 fastened into sticks, and their teeth and great toes 
 were serviceable to them in all operations. The 
 drinking-cups of some of the tribes were the skulla 
 of those whom they had best loved. 
 27
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 Rivor overflows— Different modes of fishipg— Cooking — Frcgs— 
 • Cray-fish— Tortoises— Birds— Wind— Hatchet missing, and re- 
 stored — Description of sorcerers — Sorcerers come to cure a boy 
 — Restrictions concerning food — Native laws and customs — Wo- 
 men — Quarrel and combat — Boomerang — Large Kangaroo hunt 
 — Tribe goes away and steals a young woman — Preparations for 
 war — War-song — Departure in pursuit of the enemy — Captain 
 Spencer follows — Encounter of the tribes— Captain Spencer fires, 
 frightens, and pursues the guilty tribe — The young woman found 
 bleeding to death— Taken homo to be eaten — Captain Spencer 
 goes awaj. 
 
 At length the important moment arrived : the 
 river was suddenly converted into a broad sheet 
 of water, evidently the consequence of a rush 
 from higher ground ; and the noise of its foaming 
 and tumbling was accompanied by the clamours of 
 the natives. Other tribes had joined them, and 
 all was bustle and turmoil. They suffered the first 
 violence to abate, then they formed weirs with 
 mats and nets across convenient places ; and tak- 
 ing a quantity of water in their mouths, before 
 they placed the weirs, they squirted it upon them 
 just before setting, to ensure luck. Some then 
 took small nets in their hands, and walking into 
 the inundated parts, dexterously placed them un- 
 der the fishes, thus securing their prey, and biting 
 (314)
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 815 
 
 the fish to kill it, threw it to their -wives. Some 
 of the latter, however, were also in the water, 
 groping and catcliing the fishes with their hands. 
 Captain Spencer joined the spearing party, for he 
 had practised much during his travels, and become 
 very expert with this weapon. All that he caught 
 he distributed among the children, which made 
 him extremely popular. 
 
 In a few days the water subsided, and then par- 
 ties of divers were formed, who, joining in a line 
 of thirty or forty, dipped down in succession ; but 
 the most interesting portion of the fishery was 
 carried on at night. A bed of. wet bark and mud 
 was placed in the bottom of a canoe, and sticks 
 of resinous wood, sometimes brought from a great 
 distance, taken on board. These were piled upon 
 the wet mud in the shape of a cone, and lighted 
 m the stern of the canoe, in which were two men, 
 the one to attend to the fire, and the other to guide 
 the canoe, and to fish with a spear. The latter 
 part requires great skill, as the canoe is so un- 
 steady. A fish rises, the spearman strikes it, 
 drags it to the side, leaps into the river and secures 
 his prize, which is thrown into the canoe, and he 
 follows, in order to make a fresh capture. Nothing 
 can be more picturesque than a fleet of these 
 canoes ; for the fires, which burn with a peculiarly 
 clear flame, light up the whole river, and disclose 
 the beautiful drooping trees on its banks, and the
 
 316 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 dark forms of the natives in graceful attitudes, 
 now throwing the spear, and now struggh'ng with 
 their prey in the water. The Avomen also dive 
 with great facility and strength, and go in large 
 parties. 
 
 Among the fishes which were caught there was 
 not much variety, being mostly of the perch or 
 carp kind.* One, however, had very large scales, 
 on each of which was a pink spot ; and another 
 was remarkable for some singular bones, placed 
 vertically in the fish, connecting the spines of the 
 back-fin to the back itself, and in shape resem- 
 bling small pieces of tobacco-pipe. Some were of 
 enormous size, which Captain Spencer felt certain 
 must have weighed more than sixty pounds. Every 
 other day Avas a day of feasting ; for then they ate 
 what they had caught, and Kinchela no longer 
 stood in the light of a solitary instance of gluttony. 
 They never seemed to think of laying by a store for 
 future support ; they said they always had plenty 
 on their grounds ; and their visitor then tried to 
 influence the last-arrived natives from the interior, 
 who looked weak, emaciated, and melancholy ; but 
 he did not meet with any success. He tried to 
 enforce his precepts by example, and attempted to 
 dry fish outside his hut for his future journey ; but 
 they were invariably stolen. Some of these fish 
 irere merely thrown upon hot ashes and broiled j 
 
 * Gristes.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 317 
 
 but when their captors desired to take pains, thev 
 wrapped them in a piece of bark, which was folded 
 like the paper used by civilized cooks for cutlets, 
 and fastened with grass ; they were then slowly 
 baked in the ashes, and served in the bark. Among 
 those so treated were some which resembled white- 
 bait, both in size and flavour. 
 
 Fishes were not the only edible animals caught 
 in or by the side of the river, for there were loads 
 of delicious Frogs and excellent Cray-fish ; which, 
 when the floods subsided, came out of holes in the 
 ground. The women waded for them in the swamps 
 in long, close rows, walking backwards, and grop- 
 ing Avith their hands. The moment they seized 
 hold of one of the Cray-fish, they tore off its large 
 claws, and put it into a bag, which was hung round 
 their necks; they called them Ukodko,* and cap- 
 tured thousands. The rats were also driven out 
 of their holes by the floods, and captured with 
 equal avidity, but were not equally acceptable to 
 the European. 
 
 One morning before he left his hut. Captain 
 Spencer heard a great deal of laughing outside, 
 and going to the entrance, he saw four young men, 
 who had brought him twenty-seven tortoises, and 
 laid them at his door to surprise him. One of the 
 tortoises weighed half a pound ; and he rewarded 
 
 * Astacas 
 
 27*
 
 318 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 the good-natured donors by such presents as he 
 could command. 
 
 At last Captain Spencer became tired with all 
 this fishing, and the cold and wet of the surround- 
 ing neighbourhood, and he was longing to start 
 again. The state of the country, however, was 
 an insurmountable obstacle ; and all the diversity 
 he could obtain was to ride to some distance from 
 the river, and to his surprise and pleasure he 
 ahvays found Kinchela ready to go with him ; for 
 he did not, even in the midst of temptation, com- 
 mit his former enormities. During these excur- 
 sions they saw very few birds which they had not 
 Been before, and these were chiefly wild fowl, which 
 came to feast upon the fish. On arriving near some 
 trees, Kinchela made a sign to his master to be 
 very cautious ; so he dismounted, and telling Tiger 
 and Gip to be quiet, the two men, by great ma- 
 noeuvring, came near enough to see an immense 
 number of those beautiful Cockatoos which have 
 rose-coloured tippets, and scarlet and yellow crests;* 
 they were evidently holding a council of some sort, 
 and had placed sentinels all round them on the 
 boughs, which constantly stood on tiptoes, as if to 
 watch against danger. Besides these was a brown- 
 headed Swallow,! which had built nesis of clay in 
 rows, one above another, in the shape of bottles. 
 A Pied Warbler| was very common, which sang 
 
 * Cacatua Leadbea terii. t Chelidon linel. + Acrocephalus Australia
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 819 
 
 the greater part of the night, and its tones re 
 minded the Englishman of those of the Nightin- 
 gale. A small, speckled Dove of great beauty, 
 with lilac plumage, white delicate spots, and a red 
 skin round its eyes, often excited his admiration ;* 
 and another species surprised him by the power 
 which it had of sending its voice to a distance, as 
 if' it were a large bird, singing far away.f Some 
 very pretty little creatures assembled in numbers, 
 and stood in a circle with their heads inAvards. 
 
 On returning to the village from one of his rides, 
 Captain Spencer heard a melancholy sort of chant 
 kept up by a number of persons ; and on asking 
 Kinchela what it meant, he was told that the peo- 
 ple were singing for the wind to jump up, that the 
 water might be rough, and better enable them to 
 catch the Wild Ducks, Widgeons, &c., which were 
 now so numerous. When the wind did "jump up," 
 the natives proceeded to the river, each ^having a 
 noose fastened to a long rod; with this in their 
 hands, they entered the water, a bunch of grass 
 or reeds on their heads, and slowly advancing with 
 a peculiar whistle they approached the birds, and 
 slipping the noose round their necks, pulled them 
 down without alarming the others. 
 
 Captain Spencer's hatchet was missing, and he 
 was convinced it liad been stolen, for he recollected 
 to have brought it home in safety on the previous) 
 
 • Geopelia curvata. t Geopelia triinquilla.
 
 3ii!0 AUSTRALIAN WANDEREIS. 
 
 day. The whole village appeared to be in a state 
 of stupefaction from the excesses of the previous 
 night ; but he determined to make an instant in- 
 quiry, and proceeded to the dwelling of his favourite 
 Ugat, whom he found quite as lively as usual, for 
 he was not one of the great eaters, and said he 
 never engaged in such feasts. He cheerfully 
 arose, went to his equally temperate father, and 
 by various kickings, questionings, and shakings, 
 the two succeeded in finding out what boys had 
 been seen about the hut while Tiger was feeding 
 away from it, for they were sure none would enter 
 while he was there. They then nodded their heads, 
 and went straight to one of the huts where parents 
 and all were asleep ; they had some difficulty in 
 rousing them, but when they were awake, Ugat 
 laid hands on a youth of about fifteen, and desired 
 him to give up the white man's hatchet. The boy 
 at first denied the theft; but on being told that it 
 was known he had slipped in unperceived and 
 taken it, and that it was useless to deny it, the 
 rogue cried, and Warrup walked into the hut and 
 discovered it, although concealed in a heap of rub- 
 bish at one corner. It was of course restored ; 
 and when their guest asked the natives how tliey 
 ascertained which was the culprit, they said that 
 when they knew who had been seen near his dwel- 
 ling, they singled him out, because lie had largo 
 eyes, which look every where, and are never still,
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 321 
 
 and it is not good to trust a black fellow like that 
 '.riie father requested Captain Spencer to name 
 the punishment ; and he ordered that the offender 
 should not be allowed to eat any fish or fowl for 
 three (hxys. 
 
 When Captain Spencer found that Warrup and 
 Ugat did not eat as the rest did, he invited them 
 to talk to him ; and he and Kinchela then started 
 for a walk, and with the restored hatchet cut a 
 quantity of honey from a tree, together with a 
 waxy substance, which tasted like gingerbread^ 
 some of both of which he gave to several children 
 on his return, purposely leaving out the thief, who 
 was also present. "What is the reason," said he 
 to Kinchela, as they sat under a tree together, 
 " that your people carry fire-sticks about at night, 
 when they do not want to make a fire?" "Be- 
 cause they try to keep away bad spirits," replied 
 the native ; " they always sitting up in the trees, 
 unless when they go about in canoe on the river ; 
 they have crooked legs, but they teach the people 
 to sing." " Tell me something about boyl-yas," 
 continued his master, " Ugh !" returned Kin- 
 chela ; " it makes me so ill ; they can do all things ; 
 one come to-morrow to cure poor boy. Boccolo 
 Bee him ; poor boy got bad legs." "Well," con- 
 tinued Captain Spencer, " that need not prevent 
 you from telling me about him now." "Let me 
 como close, then," resumed Kinchela: " boyl-ya
 
 322 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS^ 
 
 got bone in his leg, which dead man put there, and 
 he can kill with that. Ugh !" " He dare not kill you 
 when I and Tiger are so near ; besides which, you 
 know you have stones to keep him away." " Oh, 
 Boccolo ! boyl-ya sit down close, hear Kinchela — 
 be very angry. I shall not tell you any more ; 
 he come along in sky when you sleep. Ugh ! it 
 makes my head ache ; he kill us both ; eat us up 
 like fire." " Does boyl-ya then eat men ?" "Yes, 
 Boccolo ; all boyl-yas eat man once ; but he not 
 bites, not eat bones ; he sits on man's grave ; but 
 if black fellow be sick, he charm, charm, charm ! 
 He walk away there ! Ugh ! I shall not tell you 
 any more." 
 
 Warrup and Ugat that evening confirmed all 
 that Kinchela had said, and told Captain Spencer 
 that besides the common boyl-yas, there was one 
 which inhabits water only, and makes people die gra- 
 dually, especially women ; also one which gives the 
 nightmare, which the Englishman thought a very 
 natural disorder for them to have ; and that the 
 only way to get rid of him, was to jump up, twirl 
 a lighted stick round the head while they cursed 
 him, and then throw it at him, for he wants a light, 
 and when he gets it will go away. They added, 
 that shining stones were good things to keep away 
 spirits, but women must not see them; and when 
 they took their leave, they begged of Captain 
 Spencer to witness the power of the sorcerers the
 
 A U S T E A L I A N W A N D E il i^ K S . 32o 
 
 next day. The patient had erysipelas in the leg, 
 supposed to have been given him by the water spirit ; 
 and he was carried to a distance from the village, 
 put upon the ground, and his friends sat in two 
 rows looking on, but not near to him. Three sor- 
 cerers appeared, coming in the figure of a triangle, 
 with bunches of fresh reeds in their hands, which 
 they frequently shook as they galopaded up to the 
 boy, with the right foot foremost, singing a low 
 dirge, Avhicli w^as answered by the natives, who 
 thumped upon the ground. When they reached 
 the patient, the foremost fell on his knees and took 
 hold of the bad leg, while his two companions con- 
 tinued to sing and dance ; he then retired, and 
 each of the others took his place, and touched the 
 leg ; then they all three danced together, preserv- 
 ing the triangular figure, the boy in the middle. 
 After this they blew from their mouths, spat, made 
 all sorts of horrid noises, pressed the sore leg for 
 the spirit to give signs of going away, and after 
 carrying on this farce for some time, they pre- 
 tended to extract a sharp stone from the diseased 
 part, which was driven into the ground too deep 
 for any one to see. The friends of the boy then 
 took him away, and the sorcerers danced in a tri- 
 angle round the spot, and galopaded all the way 
 to the river, to drive the evil spirit into the water. 
 In further conversations with his friends, Cap- 
 tain Spencer learned the restrictions concerning
 
 824 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 food ; and found uianj of them to be confined to 
 certain ages, beginning at nine or ten years, and 
 taken oif when advanced in life. They told him 
 that a father has absolute power over his wives' 
 children, and that families always know where the 
 absent members may be, although dispersed, and 
 that messages are sent, or signal-fires made, to call 
 them back in cases of danger ; that matters of 
 dispute are discussed in a general assembly of the 
 tribe, when those who speak may go on till they 
 are exhausted ; that all are left to die when they 
 are helpless, even parents ; that children are often 
 killed to get rid of the trouble of rearing them, 
 that the first three or four are almost always de- 
 stroyed, and that the children of white fathers are 
 invariably murdered. That every family adopts 
 a kobong or tiend^, in the shape of some peculiar 
 animal ; and they dare not kill and eat it, unless 
 in the first instance they give it a chance of escape ; 
 that names are bestowed on account of peculiari- 
 ties, such as the Father of Seeing, for a man who 
 always looks about him ; that children are named 
 after their mother, and that no woman can marry 
 a nearer relation than her cousin, and even that 
 very seldom. That a man may have as many 
 wives as he pleases^ and treat them as he likes, 
 and that there is no marriage-ceremony. That 
 the bodies of old women are often tossed into trees, 
 becaude they are not worth the trouble of burial;
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 326 
 
 ind sand is put into the tattoo wounds, when first 
 raade, to render them hard, and the scars pro- 
 jecting. 
 
 The tattooing, they said, varied according to 
 the country and the tribe ; at twelve or fourteen, • 
 boys are partially tattooed ; and at about twenty, 
 the shoulders, arms, and chest, are cut with sharp 
 shells, which causes great suffering, and is often 
 resisted, although it is supposed to be a great 
 addition to beauty. Warrup had a mark like a 
 horse-shoe upon his shoulder. The modes of burial 
 differ even in the same family. There were other 
 ways of curing disease than sorcery, they said, for 
 they bled with a piece of crystal or bone ; which 
 bone, if burnt, will cause the death of enemies : 
 they use bandages for wounds, and bark splinters 
 for fractures. They suck the bites of snakes, if 
 plenty of water be near with which they can wash 
 the mouth. There are many natives deformed 
 and blind, the first .caused by eating charmed food; 
 but such persons are always respected. 
 
 In their intercourse with each other, as far as 
 he could see, the natives of the interior of Aus- 
 tralia appeared to be honest and trustful, generous 
 in dividing spoil, giving the largest share to old 
 persons ; but their good qualities were much di- 
 minished where women were concerned. This 
 portion of every community was in a painfully 
 degraded state. They were in all cases more 
 28
 
 326 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 diminutive tlian men, seldom attaining even five 
 feet ; their heads were not so well formed, but 
 their hands and feet were small, and delicately 
 shaped. They are made to work hard from earliest 
 childhood, while the other sex bask in indolence. 
 They are perfect slaves to their husbands, and 
 nevertheless possess a certain degree of influence 
 over them. If any privation is to be undergone, 
 it is they who are to bear it, even before the child- 
 ren, who are much indulged ; they collect and pre- 
 pare the food, dig, make huts, bring wood for fire, 
 and ca;rry all the burdens. The women's bag con- 
 tains all their useful implements ; while their hus- 
 bands sit by the fire, they are allowed to shiver in 
 the wet and cold, and in extreme heat they are to 
 be seen toiling with their loads, and their sole re- 
 lief a bunch of wet grass on the head. They 
 paint themselves with green and red, ornament 
 themselves with feathers, necklaces of kangaroo 
 teeth, and stems of plants, and are fond of de- 
 coration ; they are often promised in marriage 
 during early infancy ; when they become orphans 
 or widows, they belong to the nearest male rela- 
 tions ; and if a girl be unusually handsome, she 
 will be covered with scars of spear wounds, made 
 by those who have wished to have her for a wife, 
 or the marks of injuries done to her by her jeal- 
 ous companions. Both sexes, if you are without 
 protection, are willing to afford help, and will go
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS 327 
 
 miles out of their way to show you your proper 
 direction. 
 
 It is very rarely that any great meeting of tribes 
 takes place without a quarrel. They are generally 
 attacked by indigestion, in consequence of excess ; 
 and indigestion but too often engenders ill-humour. 
 They are at all times boastful ; and several dis- 
 putes arose during their assemblage by the river- 
 side, which Warrup allayed by his influence ; but 
 on one occasion two men of different tribes were 
 so determined to come to blows, that matters were 
 obliged to take their course. They agreed to at- 
 tack each other first with spears, and then with 
 waddies or clubs ; and a regular ring was to be 
 made for the combatants the next afternoon. Or>o 
 of them, however, lost his courage in the morning, 
 and was inclined to let the affair drop ; but the 
 women were mixed up with it, and his mother tried 
 to persuade him, for the honour of the tribe, to 
 meet his antagonist ; she made him a long speech, 
 which she ended by saying, that the eyes of all 
 the young women were upon him. Inconsistent 
 as it was with the subdued condition of ohe females, 
 this was conclusive, and the fight tc ..!- place. The 
 men were showily painted and decciated, and the 
 graceful attitudes into wiiich tbnv ti rew themselves 
 when they avoided each ot'^er's thrusts, was a fine 
 exhibition of the human for^. At length, amid 
 their wild cries they suddenly came to a stop, at '
 
 328 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 each oifered his leg to the other and received a 
 spear wound in the thigh. This ended the spear- 
 ing part, and then came the cluh combat ; each 
 stooped to the other alternately, and received his 
 blow ; and Captain Spencer found it difficult to 
 divest himself of the belief that there was some 
 trick in it ; the bloAvs were so tremendous that it 
 seemed impossible for anj skull to bear them, but 
 several were sustained, and then one fell insensible 
 to the ground, as the other staggered and also 
 fell. Both men were carried away, but were 
 walking about the next morning as if nothing had 
 happened. 
 
 Whenever Captain Spencer talked of going, 
 there was some reason urged on the part of War- 
 rup and Ugat for detaining him still longer. He 
 had not seen all their games, he had not seen a 
 large kangaroo-hunt ; but he soon became so seri- 
 ously determined, that they at last hurried their 
 sights on in quick succession ; they promised to 
 let him witness the throwing of the boomerang or 
 kiley ; and before they began they had a game 
 played with a bunch of emu's feathers tied to a 
 short stick, which was shaken in defiance, and the 
 sport consisted of efforts to take it from its pos- 
 sessor. It was interesting from the display of 
 swiftness, wrestling, lumping, and manoeuvring 
 
 iich it evinced Th- boomerang is a thin, curved 
 piece of wood, from two to three feet long, and
 
 AUSTE ALTAN WANDERERS. 329 
 
 two inches broad, one side of which is slightly 
 rounded, and the other flat. Those intended for 
 war are the largest, and are less curved, because 
 they are only intended to fly in a straight direc- 
 tion ; but they are dangerous weapons from the 
 unerring precision with which they are thrown. 
 Ugat, who was the most skilful in the tribe, stood 
 up to show his powers to the Englishman ; and he 
 sent his round so as to make a circumference of 
 two hundred and fifty yards from left to right, 
 when it fell at his feet. ■ For about fifty yards it 
 flew as rapidly as an arrow, and continued "with 
 diminishing speed till it came to the ground. With 
 a stroke even more vigorous, it hovered like a bird 
 in the air, with a hurtling sound, and taking a 
 downward course, the tip touched the earth three 
 times with a twang like that of a harp-string ; it 
 then continued its circular course till it ^'r-i.ed 
 to the thrower. Captain Spencer was ver; much 
 struck with this singular weapon, the priiciple of 
 which he could not at all explain ; he was old that 
 nothing but practice from childhood wou'd enable 
 any one to use it well-; that directly they poised 
 it,- the skilful could tell whether it would fly or not, 
 and that the slightest SxifYirg from it would pre- 
 vent its flight. The ne-xt man who threw it cast it 
 too forcibly, and when its progress was conse- 
 quently arrested, h*s companions shouted with 
 laughter. The down"v^ard throw was also a failurop 
 28*
 
 330 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 for it passed the spot where it ought to have re- 
 bounded, towered up fifty feet, and then came 
 down quickly. At night some old boomerangs 
 were lighted at one end, thrown all at the same 
 time in different directions, and' the effect waa 
 beautiful, like that of birds flying about with fiery 
 tails. They are much used in killing Cockatoos. 
 A quieter game was that of cat's cradle, in which 
 these rude natives could have set all the European 
 players at defiance.^ 
 
 The Kangaroo hunt was then organized, and 
 Captain Spencer, mounted on Tiger, was ready 
 first ; so having to wait for them, he rode to the 
 river, and was surprised to see how its peculiar 
 plants had flourished since he had last been there : 
 the Geraniums were in full blossom, and the 
 splwidid and remarkable Doryanthes excelsa, with 
 Its long, broad, aloe-like leaves, was in all its splen- 
 dour. The hunting-party took their way to the 
 spot where they were sure of meeting with Kan- 
 garoos : it was no longer the stealthy, artful at- 
 tack of the native, whose wives and children lie 
 flat on the ground, scarcely daring to breathe while 
 he gets near to hie game ; it was not the following 
 of a single man upon its track for three successive 
 days, till the animal, worried and tired, lies down, 
 careless whether it live or die ; but it was a regu- 
 lar battue. A plain in which the Kangaroos were 
 feeding was encir iid i by wood, and the older men
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 331 
 
 assigned stations to tlie younger, so as to curround 
 the animals before they were conscious that ene- 
 mies were approaching. They gradually narrowed 
 the circle till one became alarmed, and boundel 
 away; but before it had proceeded far, it was 
 stopped by the most terrific and hideous shouts; 
 it returned to its companions, and they were par;v- 
 lysed with fear ; the natives then dashed on them 
 with their spears, and effected a great slaughter. 
 The prey belongs to him whose spear has first 
 touched it, however slight the wound may be ; and 
 if, according to their laws, he is too young to eat it, 
 it is given to his nearest male relation who is of 
 the proper age. The cries used in this hunt are 
 peculiar for every stage of it, and the first is a harsh 
 utterance of the syllable kau. Many were the 
 fi;;ists held that r.ight, and large was the quantity 
 eaten ; but the Englishman was not forgotten in 
 the distribution of the best parts, beautifully 
 cooked. 
 
 A few nightE after the hunt. Captain Spencei 
 was awoke by a great commotion in the camp , 
 talking, quarreling, and movement in every di- 
 rection : he sent Kinchela to know the reason, and 
 he returned, saying, that his tribe had departed 
 suddenly in the night, and stolen a young woman, 
 and now it was found out ; that the river tribe had 
 often been at enmity with it, and made up their 
 quarrels, but were now determined on folbwing
 
 832 
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 them as soon as they could get ready, and punisb 
 them for all their misdemeanors, without waiting 
 till they could make a demand for the young wo- 
 man to be returned. Now, thought the English- 
 man, I shall be able to get away ; but he was mis- 
 taken. His friends asked him to go to war with 
 them, for white men knew how to fight. Although 
 a fighting man by profession. Captain Spencer was 
 not so enamoured of it as to wish to fight except 
 for his own country, or in self-defence; and be- 
 sides this, the crafty sort of warfare of savages 
 little suited his ideas of fair play. He tried tc 
 make them understand this ; but they said althou;^!! 
 he had not used his gun while among therii^ i\:r 
 fear of frightening them, they knew he could kill 
 every body with it ; and they begged him to go to 
 war with them, and shoot every one of their ene- 
 mies. He dismissed the deputation, by saying 
 that he would think over the matter, and let them 
 know his determination in a day or two. 
 
 Nothing now was to be heard but the chipping 
 of spear-hcads, or seen, but fires where provision 
 for the march was preparing, and lumps of paint 
 or bunches of feathers passing from hut to hut 
 All these employments were mixed with songs of 
 threats and hatred ; and Captain Spencer plainly 
 heard in one of the dwellings nearest to his own, 
 i man singing to himself,—
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 333 
 
 •■' I'll si)ear his liver, 
 I'll spear his lungs, 
 I'll spear his heart, 
 I'll spear his thigh, ho !" 
 
 Then his wives took up the burden, and enumerated 
 other parts of the body to be speared ; and as they 
 are very much influenced by their songs, it was 
 easy to see that so.nething serious was likely to 
 occur. Captain Spencer then thought it best to 
 consult Warrup and Ugat ; and sending for them, 
 he made them in some measure comprehend what 
 he felt. They, however, entreated him to go with 
 them, and pointed out a way by which he might 
 save rather than spill blood. It was at length 
 arranged between them, that the tribe should start 
 first, he follow, and remain at a distance; and 
 when they had thrown their spears, he should fire 
 over the enemy, but not into them, unless such a 
 proceeding should be necessary. 
 
 The warriors, fully equipped, departed at early 
 dawn; and their feathers, their shining spears, 
 their painted bodies, and their chants, dying away 
 in the distance, produced a most imposing efiect. 
 .The Eno-lishman slowlv followed on Ti<:i;cr, with 
 Kintjliela, Gip, and Charlie ; he would willingly 
 have dispensed with the presence of the two latter, 
 but where he was, they thought they must be also. 
 He came up with the parties as they stood front- 
 ing each other, in a most hostile attitude ; he gave
 
 834 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 the signal of liis arrival in one of the native calla 
 which he had learned, and remained behind ; the 
 Bpears were thrown, and some wounded ; but be- 
 fore a second attack was made, Captain Spencer 
 fired his first rifle-ball over the heads of the guilty 
 tribe. The flash of the gun, the smoke, the whiz- 
 zing of the ball ov^r their heads, electrified the 
 enemy, and made most of the friends tremble ; 
 and before the former could recover from their 
 panic, a second ball sent them all flying, except 
 the Englishman's own friends, who stood in awful 
 silence. Then galloping after the fugitives, Charlie 
 screaming over his head, " Ho ! ho ! what a row!" 
 he fired both barrels of one pistol, and the rout 
 was complete : they all disappeared, exclaiming, 
 "Irru! irru!" On returning from the pursuit, 
 and laughing at the effect which he had produced, 
 he saw the body of a female lying on the ground ; 
 she ha-d been speared, and was insensible from loss 
 of blood, though not dead. He rode up to Ugat 
 and told him, and she proved to be the missing 
 woman ; who, by the by, had been a willing fugi- 
 tive, and was now struck, either by those who had 
 taken her away, or by some of her friends. Cap- 
 tain Spencer proposed to staunch her wounds ; but 
 her relations refused, and carried her with them 
 as she Avas. The injuries on the side of her tribe 
 were very slight, yet they proceeded slowly with 
 their burden. Warrup and>Ugat therefore offered
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 335 
 
 to take their friend home by a shorter path, and 
 at a quicker pace ; they seemed gloomy and un- 
 happy, but thanked him very warmly for his inter- 
 ference, which they said had saved many lives ; 
 and when they, late at night, had seen him to his 
 hut, they yet lingered, as if they had something 
 distressing to tell him. He pressed them to say 
 what was the matter ; but they shook their heads, 
 and answered that he had wished to go away, and 
 they had wished to keep him a long time, but now 
 they thought he had better go directly ; they would 
 bring him plenty of provisions, and Kinchela Avould 
 tell him their reason when he was gone far. lie 
 was only too glad to profit by this change, and im- 
 mediately made all his preparations : they were 
 soon completed, and he snatched a short interval 
 for sleep. Just before dawn his friends appeared 
 with the supplies, which were lodged in the skins 
 as usual ; there was no feai' of a scarcity of water, 
 and the country was rich in resources of all kinds. 
 The good creatures presented him with two ampJe 
 opossum-cloaks, made by their wives, and a large 
 bunch of feathers. To Kincliebi they gave a cloak 
 of kancraroo skin, with manv insti-uctions which 
 way to proceed : there was no fear of falling in 
 with the hostile tribe, as they had taken quite a 
 contrary directiun. (japlaiu Spencer in return 
 gave to each of them some gaily-coloured handker- 
 chiefs for themselves and their wives, and two clasp
 
 836 AUSTRALIAN >.-. A N D E R E R S . 
 
 knives, with which they bcenied quite delighted. 
 They walked with him for a few miles, repeated 
 their directions to Kinchela, and placing their 
 hands on the Englishman's shoulders, and touch- 
 ing his breast with their head, they took their leave 
 with tears streaming down their cheeks. 
 
 It was now broad daylight ; and though Kin- 
 chela was a little sorry to leave his comfortable 
 quarters, the three dumb creatures seeming to be 
 aware that they were going to resume their former 
 habits, hailed their departure with infinite joy ; 
 the shaking of Gip was not forgotten ; and Charlie, 
 with plenty of native words in his vocabulary, 
 which made a most ludicrous addition to his French 
 and English, wound up his vociferations with 
 '' Very good, very good ! ho ! ho ! hurra !" At 
 night, after he had chosen a convenient station. 
 Captain Spencer asked Kinchela to tell him why 
 Warrup and Ugat had wished him to go away. 
 He replied, that they had given him leave to tell, 
 now he was far olf — that the people were going to 
 eat that young woman, and his friends did not like 
 him to be there while they did so. " Then It is 
 true," said Captain Spencer, "that people in this 
 country eat men?" "Sometimes, Boccolo," re- 
 plied Kinchela ; " and one of the women who used 
 often to come to our hut, carried the skull of a 
 child in licr bair which had been eaten some time 
 8go." The Englishman shuddered, but perfectly
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 337 
 
 appreciated the good feeling of Warrup and Ugat, 
 whicli made them desire to spare him so revolting 
 a spectacle. 
 
 Kinchela, -who had visited this part of the coun- 
 try some years before, being in perfect possession 
 of the route, they did not keep close to the river, 
 but avoided its tortuous course, and merely came 
 now and then upon its banks. Ponds, pools of 
 water, small lakes and streams presented them- 
 Belves, and signs of natives were frequent. This 
 rendered it necessary to resume all their former 
 vigilance ; and they took it in turns to sleep dur- 
 ing the night. After a long day's march, they 
 bivouacked under a clump of trees on the top of 
 a hill. Captain Spencer being always anxious to 
 avoid low situations, or those which were much 
 enclosed, for fear of surprise. Kinchela went to 
 collect fire-wood, and gather a plant which he 
 said was good for supper, and which very much 
 resembled cress, while his master unloaded Tiger. 
 The man returned very speedily, saying that on 
 the side of the hill, in a plain, there were some na- 
 tives about to bury one of their people, and he 
 could show Captain Spencer a place from whence 
 he could watch their proceedings, without being 
 seen himself. The travellers accordingly stationed 
 themselves, then Gip and Tiger were told to keep 
 quiet, and the former to watch the things. The 
 grave was already dug, and the body was wrapped 
 29
 
 338 A-U D -.1 ;; A L IAN WANDERERS. 
 
 in skins, and bound round with cords ; the women 
 and relatives uttered loud lamentations, scratched 
 their noses and cheeks, tore their thighs, their 
 breasts, and their backs with shells and pieces of 
 flint, from which the blood flowed freely. The 
 men at first stood outside with their weapons in 
 their hands, then they closed round the grave, and 
 the lamentations of the women were more vocifer- 
 ous than ever. A man Avent to the head of the 
 corpse, and another to the feet ; they cut the cords ; 
 the arms, which were crossed, were laid down by 
 the sides ; a gash was made by a sorcerer — the in- 
 testines pulled out, a piece cut off" — the woman 
 screamed louder and louder — a handful of green 
 boughs was waved over the fire, and thrust into the 
 body — the severed part of the entrails wrapped in 
 fresh leaves, and put into a bag — the rest put back 
 to their place with more leaves, and the body waa 
 again tied up. One relation violently jumped up, 
 and screamed, seeming as if he were going to spear 
 some one ; but he was prevented, and the severed 
 piece of intestine shown to him, as a proof that 
 the deceased had died a natural death. A skin 
 was spread at the bottom of the grave, and covered 
 with boughs ; the body placed east and west upon 
 these ; more boughs were thrown upon it, the earth 
 was pushed in with the feet, then raised into a 
 mound, and the whole covered with bark and net- 
 ting. The shi'ieks were redoubled, and the party
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 339 
 
 dispersed. Kinchela said that the women would 
 come back alone in a little time, and cut thcm- 
 Belves and cry afresh. The men had shorn their 
 hair and beards, painted their heads and breasts 
 with pipe-clay, and even put hot ashes on their 
 heads to produce a singeing effect. The lamenta- 
 tions were continued at intervals during the night ; 
 but as they never mention the names of the dead, 
 Kinchela could not ascertain who was gone, al- 
 though he knew the tribe. His master asked him 
 who the women were with caps on their heads 
 made of pipe-clay ; and he said they were the 
 widows of the deceased.
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Return to the river — Beautiful scrub — Baubinia — Marjoram — Or- 
 nithorynchus — Natives become more frequent — Watching neces- 
 sary — Another native funeral — Beautiful country — Casuarinse — 
 Chirping bird — Sorrel — Wood-ducks — Spiny Anteater — Women 
 carrying dead bodies — Old vpoman — Flowers — Herd of wild 
 horses — Blue mountains — Overlander — Cattle cross the river — 
 Meeting of Captain Spencer and Mr. St. Jobn-^Captain Spencer 
 entertains the Overlander — Conversation between the two gen- 
 tlemen — Astonishment at Charlie — Mines of Adelaide — Murray 
 river — Arrive at the river Darling — Character of natives — Mr. 
 St. John gives introductions to Captain Spencer — The friends 
 part with regret. 
 
 " KiNCHELA," said Captain Spencer, as they 
 started before sunrise, "we must go back to the 
 river ; for our roots and meal are getting low, so 
 let us turn about." They proceeded through a 
 rich scrub of the pendent Acacia,* the broad, green 
 leaves of which drooped, and the blossoms of the 
 richest yellow prevailed over all that part of the 
 country. The trees had every day become more 
 beautiful ; it was not the season for their fruits, 
 but their flowers were profuse. A Bauhinia, 
 twenty feet high, was covered with white bunches ; 
 and a small bush, looking and tasting like Mar- 
 joram, gave the Englishman home recollections. 
 
 * Acacia pendula. 
 
 (340)
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 341 
 
 Salsolae and Solani were plentiful in patches ; and 
 a shrub, looking like the Hawthorn, shed a deli- 
 cious perfume. Kinchela took the shovel. Captain 
 Spencer unloaded Tiger, and was walking up with 
 the bags, when the man exclaimed, " Ho! ho !" — 
 "Ho! ho!" said Charlie, "what's the matter?" 
 and flew with the utmost curiosity, and perched 
 himself on the boughs of one of the drooping trees 
 close by, hoping to find food in the newly turned- 
 up earth, which was disturbed by the shovel. 
 "Kinchela have him," said he, holding up an ani- 
 mal which he had dug out of its hole, and which 
 his master instantly, from its extraordinary appear- 
 ance, recognized as the far-famed and much dis- 
 puted Ornithorynchus paradoxus, which he had so 
 much wished to see, and which Ugat had told hira 
 was so difficult to catch, from its quickness in bur- 
 rowing the moment danger approached. It ex- 
 pired in a few minutes ; and near it were two 
 young ones, which had been deriving nourishment 
 from the mother. " Does this beast lay eggs ?" 
 said Captain Spencer to his man. " IIo ! ho ! ho !" 
 cried Kinchela, and went into a fit of laughter, 
 which was echoed by Charlie, who added, '• Hurra ! 
 hurra !" but to the astonishment of all the party, 
 from the trees near by came another laugh, noisy 
 and half-chattering, which "'.vas taken up by jlhei'S ; 
 and for some minutes there was such an iutcn^o 
 noise, that the Englishman thougl-l they wcfe about 
 29*
 
 _ 342 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 to be attacked by a numerous body of natives ; 
 but Kincliela laughed again, and said — " Not man, 
 Boccolo, bird ;* look at him in tree. He laugh in 
 morning, laugh when sun goes ; he eats snakes, 
 lizards, plenty things." "I heard the same noise 
 in North-western Australia," said Captain Spen- 
 cer ; "but not as loud or ridiculous as this." " That 
 bird bigger," returned Kinchela ; " small ones go 
 everywhere." The skins of all the Ornithorynchi 
 were carefully preserved, and they were the only 
 incumbrances which the Englishman allowed him- 
 self to take ; he did not know that specimens of 
 this curious, duck-billed animal, with its mole-like 
 propensities, were then common in his native coun- 
 try ; at all events, they were rare in India, and 
 were preserved for the doctor. Kinchela and Gip 
 ate the bodies, but they were not tempting to their 
 master. 
 
 The supply of roots made, the party turned 
 away from the immediate vicinity of the river, and 
 journeyed through a country which presented 
 every beautiful variety of scene except lofty moun- 
 tains; these were replaced by rocky hills, some- 
 times rising in abrupt precipices, sometimes look- 
 ing like a mass of enormous fragments, piled one 
 upon another ; and then lower hills of sand-stone 
 formed a series of undulating plains, or were co- 
 vered with the loftiest trees. Upon the latter were 
 
 * Dacelo corvina, or Lauc;hing Jackass.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 843 
 
 many Pines,* v/ith their tall, straight trunks, ani^ 
 croAvns of leaves, each one looking as if it were fit 
 for the mast of a ship. The Melaleuca and Lep- 
 tospermura were also abundant, and Gum-trees of 
 numerous kinds, often of enormous height, rose in 
 various directions, while small streams and rich 
 grass made Tiger perfectly happy. So rich a coun- 
 try was of course more thickly inhabited ; and fre- 
 quently small parties were met with, whose vicinity 
 demanded the most careful vigilance, on account 
 of their pilfering propensities. Captain Spencer 
 had seen the Thugism of India, and therefore was 
 well able to take precautions against marauders. 
 Gipsy was invaluable, and seemed to understand 
 that she must always be on the alert, and yet not 
 fly into a fit of anger. li \v;is curious to see how 
 her manner of proceeding was altered since she 
 came into Australia ; and she was now as wary 
 and quiet as she was before noisy and impetuous. 
 The night they last turned from the river, she gave 
 a short, stifled bark, which, however, was sufiicient 
 to rouse her master, who, without moving, whis- 
 pered to her, "Good dog," and both watched 
 without appearing to do so. Captain Spenc?r 
 thought he saw something moving in the tree above 
 him, and as he pretended to be asleep, that some- 
 thing was soon discovered to be a boy ; for he 
 dropped down, and for a minute or two stood close 
 
 * Callitris.
 
 844 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 to the body of tlie tree ; he then threw himself flat 
 upon the ground, and was slipping himself along 
 towards the baggage, when Captain Spencer whis- 
 pered, " To him, Gip !" The dog seized his leg, 
 and her master his arm, while he fired his pistol 
 over his head, and gave him a good shaking. This 
 noise awakened the heavj-sleeping Kinchela, whose 
 practised eye soon detected a considerable body 
 of natives running away ; and as the Englishman 
 only wished to alarm, he suffered the boy to run 
 after them. 
 
 There was no accounting for the fact, but equally 
 without reason, some of the natives were ferocious, 
 and required the utmost courage and activity to 
 keep them off, while others were anxious to con- 
 ciliate and be friendly ; some begged for every- 
 thing which they saw, and even tried to take the 
 baggage from before the owner's eyes, while others 
 seemed not to expect or wish for anything what- 
 ever. Among these last, were a set of men who, 
 from their koolimans, or vessels of bark for car- 
 rying water and provisions, gave them some kan- 
 garoo meat and roots, and asked them to come 
 and see a dispute settled. They followed the 
 natives to a hollow, where a large party was en- 
 camped ; and one man seated in the midst, with 
 his head hanging on his breast, was continually 
 uttering a mournful cry. A pause ensued, and 
 the cry was answered by some women : he rose
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 345 
 
 und aJviinced, repeating his lamentations, and his 
 companions also rose, and formed a circle round 
 him. The men who had caused the death of the 
 mourner's friend stood still with their spears in 
 thei- hands ; the son of the dead man was behind, 
 and was the accuser ; and the widows of the dead 
 were with him wailing and crying. The avenger 
 in the middle asked for a spear, but no one gave 
 it to him ; he then took one from the hands of his 
 friends, and paced furiously up and down before 
 the enemies, threatening, crying, and brandishing 
 his weapon. After he had sufficiently excited 
 himself, he lifted his spear, and each of the ac- 
 cused, to the number of five, held out his left arm, 
 without shrinking. He thrust them all with his 
 spear, after which he hung his head, and renewed 
 his wailings and gesticulations for a time, and fin- 
 ished the affair by ordering all present to go to 
 their different encampments. Captain Spencer 
 gave a handkerchief to the man who had invited 
 him to witness the ceremony ; and refusing all 
 solicitations to make a longer stay among them, 
 he too pursued his route. 
 
 As the travellers advanced, they came upon 
 several tributaries, which fell into the main river ; 
 but helpless as he was in regard to guidance — for 
 he did not trust much to Kinchcla, who had now 
 gone beyond his knowledge, and had never before 
 been to that part of the continent — he was rather
 
 346 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 uneasy, while following the main stream, to find 
 that he was making much way to the north ; how- 
 ever, he knew that he should still be in the track 
 of settlers, and having no apprehensions for food 
 or water, he freely gave himself up to the enjoy- 
 ment of the beautiful country through which he 
 passed — so much less monotonous than that of the 
 west, and so much more fertile than that of the 
 south. The climate, however, was much the same, 
 and to him always delicious ; for there was a buoy- 
 ancy and elasticity in the atmosphere, both of east 
 and west, which he had never experienced in any 
 other quarter of the globe ; and gave him both 
 the power to travel, and the unfailing hope of ulti- 
 mate success. There were many familiar forms 
 of soil, vegetation, and animal life. Where the 
 first was poorer than usual, the Casuarinse were 
 so numerous as to form a scrub, and the soft breezes 
 sometimes swept their stringy and leafless branches, 
 the sounds of which an imaginative person could 
 easily have compared to the tones of an Eolian 
 harp; a few beautiful parasites hung gracefully 
 over them, and adorned this dark, gloomy tree 
 with red blossoms tipped with green. A pale 
 Mantis, with green and pink wings, often seemed 
 to fly before him, *s if a guide, and when he took 
 it in his hand, it would turn its head round and 
 look at him ; the spur-winged Plovers again uttered 
 their pretty, but plaintive cries ; and beautiful
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 347 
 
 varieties of Pigeons, especially the bvoze-winged, 
 abounded ; there was a large white Ibis, that was 
 very picturesque, and the Parrots and Cockatoos 
 w^ere more beautiful and varied than ever; the 
 Orinum often whitened the whole plain ; there was 
 also a shrub which looked like a white Lilac, the 
 Calostemma raised its bunches of purple bellSj 
 and the Amaryllidse were of a beautiful straw- 
 colour. Heath-like shrubs now and then entan- 
 gled Tiger's feet, and marked the presence of a 
 loose sandy soil ; while the Acacia pendula always 
 prevailed in the fissures, on which snails were often 
 found. 
 
 Having pulled up under the shade of a lofty 
 tree, some birds on the lower branches appeared 
 to be as much astonished at the presence of our 
 travellers as other two-legged creatures had been. 
 These birds had a peculiar chirp, which Captain 
 Spencer imitated, upon which they flew round him 
 with great familiarity, and some even perched on 
 Tiger's back ; he then whistled, and they replied, 
 varying their answer with a number of the sweetest 
 notes, very different to their chirp, which had been 
 harsh and grating ; the males and females seemed 
 to differ much in plumage, especially about the 
 head ; they had not been seen before, and were 
 not again ; and on this solitary occasion they were 
 disturbed by Charlie, who, when he saw them 
 clustering round Tiger, dashed in among them,
 
 348 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 screaming, '• Rogues ! scoundrels ! lie ! ho !" the 
 unbrotherly terms with which he always saluted 
 other birds ; and they dispersed. The Gum-trees, 
 at times, formed the most charming, open forests, 
 in which beautiful shrubs perfumed the air ; Kan- 
 garoos were numerous ; the most delicious yellow 
 Sorrel sprang up under their feet, which afforded 
 an excellent salad ; and the river, when it occa- 
 sionally swelled into a lake, was covered w^ith Wood 
 Ducks, whose long legs, formed for perching on 
 trees, made them an easy prey to Kinchela, who 
 dived under the water, and caught hold of them. 
 There were, also, other kinds, frequenting the pro- 
 fuse quantities of Cyperus, which pushed forth 
 their globular heads of flowers ; and on these a 
 spider, covered with spines, spun its geometrical 
 webs. 
 
 Gipsy one day came upon a ball of spines, which 
 she rolled about with her paw, nevertheless she 
 was a little afraid of it ; and when her master 
 took it up, he found it was a living creature, and 
 putting it gently down, and quietly watching it, it 
 unrolled itself, and then he knew that it must be 
 the Spiny Ant-eater, with spines, not only all over 
 its body, but in the roof of its mouth, and also 
 where the teeth of any other animal would have 
 been. The Santalum often varied the landscape, 
 with some of its branches drooping, while others 
 Blood erect, and with its elliptical leaves a foot
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 349 
 
 and a half long. A small sort of Melon,* with 
 not much flavour, but very cool and refreshing, 
 was often found in the plains ; and they saw some 
 old women gathering them, who carried mummied 
 bodies on their backs, under their opossum-cloaks : 
 one of whom was more hideous than anything 
 which Captain Spencer had ever seen in human 
 form ; her under-lip projected frightfully ; her 
 hair was short and gray, which is never becoming 
 to dark complexions ; she was like -a living skele- 
 ton ; and she chattered and screamed at the tra- 
 vellers as they passed, with a hurried fiery glance, 
 and threatening gestures. There were traces of 
 natives in every direction, such as broken mussel- 
 shells, heaps of grass, ashes, &c. ; and Kinchela 
 found a rude implement, formed of a piece of iron 
 stuck on to a stick with cement of gum. There 
 was a purple Eremophila, a curious Jasmine, grow- 
 ing like a shrub, and an exquisite Abutilon ; while 
 Honeysuckles, large Bindweeds, and a magnificent 
 Coral-tree, the seeds of which had a sweet, kernel- 
 like flavour, were all spread before them to gladden 
 their senses. Tiger revelled in new grasses ; and 
 new birds as well as new plants seemed to present 
 themselves at almost every step. A Solanum, 
 with tempting-looking berries, would have been 
 avoided by the Englishman, from the fear of 
 its being poisonous, but Kinchela unhesitatingly 
 
 * Cucumis pubescens.
 
 350 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 stepped forward, and ate some of the fruit. They 
 supped upon that of a trailing plant, which was 
 shaped like an egg, and, when roasted, was excel- 
 lent. The rains had commenced earlier in this 
 part of the country, and this accounted for the 
 greater development of fruit. 
 
 A tramping of many hoofs startled Captain 
 Spencer from his watch, and Tiger also, who had 
 been quietly sleeping on the sod. He rose sud- 
 denly, and stood with dilated nostrils, fore-legs 
 stretched out, and his tail half raised, whe'n a 
 troop of horses came up, as if to claim him for 
 their companion ; their eyes flashed, they neighed, 
 retreated, returned, and played all sorts of antics, 
 being only kept oS" with the handle of a spear. 
 For a moment poor Tiger was tempted to follow 
 his brethren, and made a rush towards them ; but 
 the Voice of his master recalled him, and he trotted 
 back, and rubbed his nose against him, as if to say 
 that he was sorry for having yielded, even for a 
 moment. Kinchela was excessively alarmed at 
 the appearance of so many big dogs, and gladly, 
 but tremblingly, assisted his master in making 
 several large fires around themselves, to keep away 
 what he looked upon as monsters. They hovered 
 about the party for several days, and caused con- 
 siderable annoyance, for they came near enough 
 to kick, and one even tried to bite Tiger. " Are 
 these indigenous to Australia?" thought Captain
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 351 
 
 Spencer. " No ; they must have escaped from 
 the herds of settlers, and become irrecoverable." 
 The marks of cloven hoofs "vvere often visible on 
 the soft banks of the river ; but there were no 
 eigns of a spur to any of them, and the conclu- 
 sion was that these were caused by unrecovered 
 cattle. 
 
 Glimpses of very distant blue mountains now 
 began to appear from time to time, when the tra- 
 vellers happened to mount a hill, and which Cap- 
 tain Spencer thought promised vicinity to civilized 
 habitations, for he knew that a chain existed in 
 Eastern Australia. On descending from one of 
 these hills, they came upon a wide reach of the 
 river, and determined to pass the night on its fer- 
 tile banks. Beyond it, on the other side, was a 
 thick wood ; and before they could take up their 
 position, from its covert issued merry and loud 
 sounds, some of which Captain Spencer fancied 
 were composed of English words, and his heart 
 beat quickly at the hope of meeting his country- 
 men. Shortly after, thousands of cattle emerged 
 from the trees, and rushed down the sloping bank 
 which bordered the river. From another part 
 came eighty or a hundred horses ; and in advance 
 of them was a man on horseback, wearing a round 
 hat covered with oil-skin, mackintosh leggings, 
 short jacket, and a short-handled whip, with an 
 immensely long lash. Behind the cattle were three
 
 362 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 others, also mounted, and several natives with 
 spears. The first had evidently come to recon- 
 noitre, and to find the best spot for crossing the 
 river ; and there was something about him which 
 seemed to say that he was the master of the lively 
 and numerous procession. 
 
 It so happened that Captain Spencer, in follow- 
 ing a native track, had stopped opposite the ford ; 
 but now fearing that he and his companions would 
 be overwhelmed by the multitude as they came 
 across, he removed to some distance. He tucked 
 Gipsy on to his knapsack, and she peered over his 
 shoulder; Tiger stood quietly by his side, with 
 Charlie on his back ; Kinchela, spears in hand, 
 eagerly contemplated the unusual scene ; and Cap- 
 tain Spencer himself stood still, resting on his gun. 
 The grouping was beautiful, and the master of the 
 herds was evidently struck by it, for he paused, 
 and seem to scan it with a curious gaze. At last 
 he called out, " Are you an Englishman ? and do 
 you know anything about the ford?" "I am an 
 Englishman," replied Captain Spencer; "but as 
 it is the first time I and my servant have been 
 here, we are both ignorant of its depth ; its situa- 
 tion is most probably where you now stand." The 
 owner of the cattle plunged into the water, and 
 ascertained the nature of the locality; he then re- 
 turned, gave the signal for crossing, and himself 
 assisted in driving and urging the beasts into the
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 353 
 
 proper direction. It was a most animated scene : 
 at first, horses and cattle refused to enter the wa- 
 ter ; then came the shouts and exclamations of the 
 Europeans, the slashing of their long whips, the 
 screams and cries of the natives, mingled with the 
 snortings and bellowings of the beasts, and the 
 barkings of large dogs. The refractory, instead 
 of crossin'g, rushed along the side of the river, 
 and, by their bad example, dispersed the others ; 
 then their masters galloped after them, the blows 
 rained thickly on their hides, and they strove to 
 regain the bush, or forest. The mounted horses, 
 turning sharply on their haunches, got a-head of 
 them, and their riders drove them back, forming a 
 display of horsemanship which would have done 
 credit to an Arab ; and Captain Spencer longed 
 to unload Tiger, and go to their assistance. At 
 last, a few beasts, more docile or more frightened 
 than the rest, were slashed and pushed into the 
 water, and in a few minutes a large extent of the 
 river was covered with heads and horns, the dogs 
 swimming round and round to keep them from 
 being too widely scattered. 
 
 At length all were safe over, and were driven to 
 the plain beyond the hill, where there was excel- 
 lent grass ; and when collected into two parties, a 
 watch was formed, and fires made at close inter- 
 vals all around, both to prevent the herds from 
 straying, and the incursions of natives. With 
 30 »
 
 354 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 Gipsy still on his back, and his two other compan' 
 ions following him, Captain Spencer then advanced 
 his heart thrilling with pleasure as he heard the 
 principal stranger say to his chief man, " We have 
 done it well this time, and the horses and cattle 
 are well broken in ; we never passed a ford witi 
 30 little trouble ; but who can this be coming tc 
 us ?" "" He has been doing the same asourselves," 
 replied the driver, " and is now returning." " No, 
 no," said the first speaker ; " he has never driven 
 a herd of cattle, I am sure ; a pack upon his 
 horse — which, by the by, is one of great value — • 
 an unknown bird on the top of the pack, a dog 
 upon his knapsack, his clothes patched, and a na- 
 tive servant — who can he be?" Captain Spencer 
 was much amused at the audible observations of 
 the cattle-owner, who seemed to be quite careless, 
 or unconscious that he was heard. The traveller 
 was himself scanning the new arrival, Avho was a 
 remarkably fine young man, about five-and- twenty 
 years of age ; and whose appearance, even in his 
 travelling garb, was strikingly that of the gentle- 
 man, Avhile the bronzed cheek told that he had 
 been long exposed to the sun. The thick, cluster- 
 ing curls on his neck, the short, full, and glossy 
 beard which encircled the lower part of his face, 
 the clear sparkling eye. the broad chest and shoul- 
 ders, the firm yet good-natured mouth, and the 
 frank and animated expression of the whrde coun-
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 355 
 
 tenance, would have made liim a remarkable per- 
 son anywhere ; but to a wanderer, who had been 
 so long from his own countrymen, and who had 
 just been living entirely with savages, he looked 
 like a being sent from another world. He dis- 
 mounted, and stood to receive the soldier's salute, 
 who, even in raising his misshapen grass hat from 
 his head, created a favourable impression ; and the 
 courtesy was returned with a grace and polish of 
 which even cattle-driving in the wilderness could 
 not deprive a man of birth and education. " Have 
 you come from Adelaide?" asked he. "No," 
 replied the military man, " and I cain scarcely 
 tell you in a few words where I do come from. It is 
 now some months since I have seen the face of an 
 European, and very many since I heard my 
 native tongue ; I am Edward Spencer, Captain in 
 
 the regiment of Bombay Native Infantry. 
 
 Wounds and fatigue sent me in search of health ; 
 my vessel was wrecked on the northern coast, and 
 I have found my way from thence to where I now 
 am ; part of the time with only my dumb com- 
 panions, but since then, the native whom you see 
 has been added to my followers, and to which ad- 
 dition I probably, under God's blessing, owe my 
 existence. I could not have traversed the desert 
 without his assistance. It is now my turn to in- 
 ijuii'e who — " — "Philip St. John, an Overlander,"
 
 356 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 said the young man hastily, holding out his hand 
 with fi-ank cordiality ; "all travellers are, or ought 
 to be friends ; you must share my damper to-day." 
 " I do not doubt that damper may be very good, 
 better food perhaps than I can give to you ; but I 
 am the oldest inhabitant of this part of the coun- 
 try, and therefore I must be allowed to provide 
 your supper. Kinchela and I have a tolerable 
 Btock just now, but our mode of eating is very 
 rough ; therefore if you have a canteen with you, 
 you had better furnish yourself with fork and 
 spoon." Mr. St. John smiled, and said, "I ac- 
 cept your offer with as much friendliness as you 
 •make it ; and while you prepare this noble repast, 
 I will settle my men and my beasts for the night, 
 and when we have eaten, you will tell me some of 
 your adventures, will you not ? I never had such 
 an insatiable curiosity to know all about a per- 
 son, as I have had ever since I caught sight of 
 that plume of cockatoo feathers in your hat." 
 " Agreed," said Captain Spencer ; "people like to 
 talk of themselves." 
 
 When Mr. St. John returned, the supper was 
 set out in pieces of bark, in a profusion which sur- 
 prised him. There were stewed Kangaroo meat, 
 baked Duck, boiled Trefoil, which resembled Spi- 
 nach ; Sorrel salad, Cray-fish, and cakes of Grass- 
 seed by way of bread, some powdered dust which
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS 357 
 
 resembled mustni-d,* and s;ilt was supplied by small 
 pieces of the salsolaoeous plants. The native 
 Melons, and the fruit of a Solanum, wliich tasted 
 like an Apricot, formed the dessert ; and the 
 Overlander's surpi'ise was frequently expressed in 
 warm terms. " You will excuse the absence of 
 wine," said his entertainer ; " my friend Kinchela, 
 with all his cleverness, has not been able to find 
 that." " I have brandy," said Mr. St. John, draw- 
 ing the flask from his pocket. " No, keep it all 
 for yourself. Such things and I have long been 
 in separate quarters ; the only substance with 
 which I have been able to flavour water here has 
 been honey." " I must say, if this is your usual 
 fare in the desert, I cannot pity you." " It is not al- 
 ways so abundant ; this is a fertile spot, and we know 
 how to take advantage of it, but there have been 
 times when our hunger-belts have been drawn very 
 tightly round us. Even here our bill of fare might 
 be more meagre, if there had not been rain lately." 
 "Yes," said Mr. St. John, "the great bane of 
 Australia is the occasional droughts, which I am 
 told are of rarer occurrence on the western coast. 
 To the east we have been lately without rain for 
 three years ; and it is the observation of every one, 
 that the climate is much less humid than it was 
 when first inhabited by white men. But what 
 
 • Fr* m the wood of a Gyrostemon, which is a tree with bluisb 
 leare?
 
 358 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 have you made your bread of? it is ten times bet- 
 ter than my damper, which is only flour, water^ 
 and salt." Captain Spencer told the Overlander, 
 and then produced meal from roots, which he said 
 he should taste on the morrow. " Have you found 
 a substitute for tea ? for there are some trees here 
 which are said to taste like that plant." " I be- 
 lieve I know what you mean ; I tried some once, 
 but did not like the flavour, and I have done very 
 well without." " But a cigar will perhaps be a 
 treat?" "I smoked a great deal in India, but 
 being now totally weaned from the habit, I will not 
 resume it. I have had a great many lessons to 
 learn ; but I am thankful for them, and hope to be 
 wiser in future." A fine dog, who had found out his 
 master, now bound towards them, and received a 
 portion of food, after which he made advances 
 towards Gip, who received the civilities by show- 
 mg: her teeth and growling. Mr. St. John ordered 
 the dog to be taken away ; and while Kinchela put 
 everything in order, and his master gave him in- 
 structions for the morrow, the Overlander made his 
 final inspection of his stock and men, and then re- 
 turned to Captain Spencer to enjoy his narrative. 
 Kinchela wrapped himself in his kangaroo-skins. 
 Tiger lay down by his master's side, and Gipsy 
 seated herself on his knees ; Charlie, however, was 
 not to be seen. " Mj cautious bird," said his mas- 
 ter, " is, I believe, frightened at numbers. I must
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 359 
 
 whistle him back." The accustomed signal was 
 given, and answered, and the bird flew to the spot, 
 exclaiming, " Charlie's coming, all's right ! Boccolo, 
 Sahib, Ned Spencer !" "What an extraordinary 
 creature !" said the Overlander ; " how can he kno"w 
 what to say?" "He has been a great amusement 
 to me," replied the traveller, " and I have taught 
 him certain sentences for certain occasions, so that 
 when these occasions recur, he always repeata 
 them : I cannot tell vou what a comfort this bird 
 was to me, when I had no other thing to speak to ; 
 and he really is a droll, sensible creature, full of 
 sly gravity and impudence." "I hope you are 
 not sleepy," said Mr. St. John, " for I must have 
 your history directly." The talking continued far 
 into the night, Mr! St. John occasionally inter- 
 rupting the narrator by his observations and ques- 
 tions, and then both slept from exhaustion. In the 
 morning, when they had bathed, and resumed their 
 dress, Mr. St. John, tucking his arm within that 
 of his new friend, said, " Come with me and in- 
 spect the men and the stock ; my drovers are good, 
 honest fellows, and come from Scotland ; and the 
 natives make very good servants in this way, for 
 here they are not tempted to drink. Do you know 
 that I cannot go away to-day ? I mean to be still 
 your guest, as you have already taken upon your- 
 self the office of host. I must talk a great dea.'
 
 360 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 more with you, and hear about the capabilities of 
 Western Australia for cattle-farms." 
 
 The friends breakfasted, and then the Over- 
 lander said, " Spencer, jou must turn back, and 
 come with me to Adelaide; I expect to make a 
 good round sum of my cattle there, and you shall 
 share it, and start with me on another expedition. 
 You know the country, you know many of the na- 
 tives, and I suspect we must shortly find a new 
 field, into which we must conduct our enterprises ; 
 ah'eady the Murray, the twin river of the Darling, 
 and much the finer of the two, has its banks lined 
 witn cattle stations, and the whole country will 
 soon be covered with them ; we are the pioneers, 
 and perhaps we might, for our lifetime, find spots 
 enough between this and Adelaide. But the min- 
 ing property there increases, and the agricultural 
 must, in a measure, suffer. Where we now stand, 
 there will probably, in a few years, be the home- 
 stead of some settler ; the plain will be divided 
 into pastures, and the hills into sheep-folds ; but 
 you will come with me, Spencer ?" " You for- 
 get," replied his friend, "that I am a soldier on 
 leave of absence, and that I am not my own mas- 
 ter. I confess, that were it not a point of honour 
 and duty, I should be somewhat tempted ; for if 
 my wanderings have brought suffering, they have 
 not been without their charms; and with such a 
 companion as you are, I would willingly go all over
 
 AUSTRAL lA^r WANDERERS. 361 
 
 the ground again, except the stony desert." " But 
 what is your black fellow about in the river?" in- 
 terrupted the Overlander. "Diving for fish, for 
 our dinner." " Eeally, you know all the resources 
 of the country ; you are exactly the man : I should 
 blunder through with that heavy damper, brandy 
 and mutton, which we cook in a great pot; while 
 you, with your more acute perceptions, turn every 
 thino; to account with absolute refinement. " And 
 yet," said the soldier, "it has only been for the 
 gratification of my appetite." " Depend on it, it 
 would be the same in everything." "You are 
 complimentary ; I must teach you some of our 
 secrets ; come and see our oven, now going to 
 work upon the stock for our future journey. I 
 have had the supply doubled for you, which may 
 last a few days." 
 
 Mr. St. John was so pleased with the oven, that 
 he called his men to inspect it, and watched the 
 process of Kinchela's and Captain Spencer's 
 arrangements : the fjteaming with wet grass was 
 first performed ; then the oven was cleaned again, 
 heated, and made fit for baking, and just as it was 
 closed for that purpose, Charlie flew back, saying, 
 "Boccolo, Ned Spencer; such a row!" and sta- 
 tioned himself near Tiger. " There are natives 
 near, and in numbers, too," said his master; "I 
 have taught him to give me this warning, and I 
 would advise you to be on the look-out for them. 
 31
 
 362 AUSTRALIAN WANDERSRS. 
 
 They are ahvays more or less afraid of cattle and 
 horses ; but some of the tribes about here are very 
 mischievous, and where you least expect them, the 
 plains will teem with their numbers." 
 
 The guns were loaded, and watch set, when 
 Kinchela, mounting a tree, told his master that 
 there were "plenty black fellows" to the west of 
 them, and Captain Spencer advised that a volley, 
 of powder only, should be fired in that direction, 
 which would probably disperse them. The orders 
 were given and obeyed, and the hostile p:i':ty de- 
 camped; but the travellers now joined the Over- 
 landers, and took their turns in watching. 
 
 Kinchela was most successful in his captures 
 and cooking, and so pleased at the praises which 
 he received, that, of his own accord, he again re- 
 paired to the river, and when the Overlanders 
 departed, had a quantity of fish ready for them. 
 "That native lad," said Mr. St. John, "is already 
 half-civilized." "I have done my best," observed 
 Captain Spencer, " and I am surprised at my own 
 success ; I believe he now prays with a tolerable 
 notion why he does so ; the trial will be at Sydney, 
 where I may not be able to attend to him as closely 
 as I could wish. But why do you not try to edu- 
 cate your natives ?" " Because I never thought 
 of it, in the first place ; and in the second, I should 
 have much to undo ; they have all either been 
 born among white men, or lived with them from
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANLERERS. 363 
 
 their earliest age, seen thxC worst of our people, 
 and their slight degree of taming has taken from 
 their energy, without planting anything in return. 
 It has often come across me, how unjustly we, 
 generally speaking, behave to these aborigines." 
 "Among them," observed Captain Spencer, "are 
 some of superior intellect, such as Warrup and 
 Ugat ; but I do not know if they are capable of 
 receiving instruction ; has it been tried?" "Yes," 
 answered Mr. St. John ; "I do not know much 
 about Sydney, but there are schools there, and at 
 Adelaide they have learned to read, write, and 
 cipher with facility. I do hope that the amount 
 of their degradation will be diminished at every new 
 settlement, and that we shall never again hear of 
 their being fired upon like so many wild beasts, 
 or being executed according to our laws, which 
 they do not understand, and in utter ignorance 
 that they had committed any crime. Their greatest 
 vice about Sydney is their intoxication, which, you 
 know, prevents all progress. What you told me 
 last night, about their inherited hunting-grounds, 
 prevented me from sleeping soundly, and long be- 
 fore you were awake, my mind was labouring under 
 a feeling of usurpation, which made me very un- 
 comfortable ; and yet, how are they to be civilized, 
 and receive the blessings of Christianity, unless 
 we come among them ? That aboriginal question 
 is a difficult one to settle, and only of two things
 
 364 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 can we be certain — that we have no right to treat 
 them ill, and that we cannot blame them, when, 
 after we have usurped their lands, and driven Kan- 
 garoo away, as they say, which, in other words, 
 is to deprive them of their sustenance, they strive 
 to turn us out by the only means in their power, 
 physical force, administered in the only style of 
 warfare with which they are acquainted." 
 
 "Did you not see the Murray at all?" con- 
 tmued Mr. St. John, after a pause. "I cannot 
 answer any geographical questions," replied Cap- 
 tain Spencer ; " without a chart, and with an erring 
 compass, I can but guess at what I saw, furthei 
 than that I was in the Bight of Australia, to the 
 east of King George's Sound, and that I believe 
 I skirted Lake Torrens. You tell me we are now 
 on the Darlinor." "It is well for me," returned 
 his friend, " that you are here, because I have 
 met you ; but you would have been delighted with 
 the Murray, which is never, like this river, re- 
 duced to a chain of ponds, but flows continuously, 
 and overflows its low lands every year, at the rate 
 of an inch per day, and has a course of from 
 thirteen to fifteen hundred miles. In many places 
 it is bordered by yellow, perpendicular cliifs, in 
 which are to be found not only shells, but various 
 bones and sharks' teeth. The land to the south 
 of it is grassy, and full of beautiful flowers, chiefly 
 Orchidae of eve *y colour ; and beyond this are low
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 365 
 
 sand-hills, leading to flats like dry sea-marshes, 
 covered with salsolaceous plants, which are very 
 wholesome for the occasional feeding of cattle. 
 There is a sort of liquorice, too, which grows on 
 these plains, and the beautiful Nitraria Australia 
 is abundant on the southern bank, Avhich the na- 
 tives eat raw, stem and all. I presume that what 
 are called the Darling Downs will be converted 
 into cattle stations, and I do not see why they 
 should not be as fine a pasture district as that of 
 Port Philip and its neighbourhood, called Aus- 
 tralia Felix ; though the distance from a sea-port 
 would make the transport of wool, hides, and tal- 
 low, rather difficult." 
 
 " You were speaking of the mines of Adelaide,' 
 said Captain Spencer ; " what do they find in 
 them ? The natives with whom I lived told me 
 they knew Adelaide well, and said there were many 
 men there who went to the mountains, dug very 
 deep holes, and got heavy stones out of them. I 
 am sure I have almost everywhere seen plenty of 
 iron in large pure masses, as well as mixed with 
 Band and other things ; also copper, after I left 
 Lake Torrens, and I suspect gold." "Just the 
 very j.hings," replied Mr. St. John ; " both Mount 
 Barker and Mount Lofty, which, by tlie by, are 
 fossiliferous, are crossed by igneous rocks, con- 
 taining rich metallic veins, and Adelaide stands 
 upon the same sort of soil. In Mount Lofty, on 
 31*
 
 366 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 which grow large stringy bark trees, is what ia 
 called the Burra Burra stone, which yields an 
 enormous supply of copper, and in Mount Barker 
 lead is found ; but it is difficult to say where 
 metals do not exist in that, district ; the small 
 quantity of gold which has been met with is of 
 the purest kind, and there are indications of quick- 
 silver. The copper was discovered in 1848, by a 
 Mr. Dutten ; and considerable difficulty arose in 
 making the mines profitable, from being obliged 
 to send the ore to England to be smelted, which 
 "was very expensive ; now, however, some one has 
 come from England who has established smelting 
 works, and the mines go on like Avild fire. The 
 Burra Burra galleries are cut through solid blocks of 
 ore, and every precious stone has been found there 
 except the Diamond, especially Opal of the most 
 precious kinds. The mines are Avorked by asso- 
 ciations, or companies, and more than a thousand 
 men are employed in them. The Burra Burra 
 last year yielded a profit of 52,000/., Avhich was 
 distributed among individuals." " How far are 
 these mines from the town of Adelaide ?" asked 
 Captain Spencer. " Ninety miles," was the re- 
 ply: "the district in wnich they are situated is 
 very barren, and separated from the rest of the 
 colony by a range of high hills, which is rather an 
 obstacle to the conveyance of the ore to the port. 
 At present it is all carried ty bullock-di ays ; and
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 367 
 
 much difficulty would, I think, be found in making 
 a tram-road across. The expenses of working 
 will, I suppose, be diminished by the discovery of 
 coal near Sydney ; but a mine of that mineral near 
 Adelaide would be invaluable." " Could I not see 
 these metallic mountains from Lake Torrens ?" 
 inquired Captain Spencer. " I should think not," 
 said Mr, St. John, " for they are not of great ele- 
 vation ; they run from north to south, and are 
 about fifteen or twenty miles broad. No one knows 
 what may happen there ; for two shocks of earth- 
 quakes have been felt in Adelaide, and these cannot 
 occur often without causing alterations. Among 
 other odd things, I was once at Adelaide, when 
 some remarkable visitations of birds* occurred in 
 the town and neighboui'hood ; you could almost 
 have walked upon them, and they reminded me 
 of locusts, only that they were not destructive. 
 They were never before seen there, and have never 
 returned." 
 
 " With these mining riches I should suppose, 
 then, that xVdelaide will never be conspicuous as an 
 agricultural colony." It has many capabilities for 
 such ; and there is a sort of cotton-tree there, 
 very like the real Gossypium, called Sturtia, after 
 that brave Captain Sturt, who has been further 
 into the interior than any one else; unless, indeed, 
 you exceeded him." "1 dare say I did not; for 
 
 * Trjbonyx.
 
 368 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 he probably carried water and food with him. * 
 " Well ! you have done wonders. I cannot think 
 how you contrived to find out what was good to 
 eat when left by yourself." " I certainly was 
 puzzled, because the general knowledge which I 
 possessed turned out to be of little or no use. I 
 knew that it was dangerous to meddle with Umbel- 
 liferge ; but I only met with two specimens in the 
 West, one of which was the Wild Carrot ; but 
 when a man depends entirely on himself, his wits 
 are sharpened, and thoughts are put into his head. 
 I made one or two mistakes, as that of the Zamia 
 nuts ; and of course, without Kinchela, I should 
 never have thought of eating the roots of the Gum- 
 trees, and some other things. Tiger's sagacity 
 often directed me, and Gip brought me many a 
 meal. But a word or two more concerning the 
 natives ; if I have spoken favourably enough of 
 them to interest you in their behalf, it is not be- 
 cause I am insensible to their defects ; for while I 
 make allowance on the score of their being savages, 
 I must not conceal from you that, in some points, 
 their moralit}'' is even more lax than any I ever 
 hoard of; and I should think the females the most 
 degraded and ill-treated of the human race ; 3'^et 
 they are capable of gratitude and attachment. All 
 these people know they must be conquered eventu- 
 ally by the white race ; but this does not subdue 
 their energetic spirit. While I t)-y to enlist you
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDEREKS. 369 
 
 in their behalf, I must caution you against the ex- 
 treme cunnmg, which they consider to be a virtue 
 Recollect they are never without their weapons ; 
 and while they appear to be unarmed, their speara 
 and clubs are concealed close by. Even while 
 they have advanced with boughs in their hands, as 
 tokens of peace, they have been dragging their 
 spears through the grass between their toes, not 
 for any premeditated attack on me, but fear that 
 I should be treacherous. Nomadic as they are, 
 you may meet with my friends ; and I am sure my 
 name, Boccolo Tence, as they call me, will awaken 
 kind recollection ; but on this they may build ex- 
 tortionate demands. I owe them some reparation 
 for the life which self-preservation obliged me to 
 sacrifice ; and I should like to extort a promise 
 from you, that you would never fire upon to hurt 
 them, till you have given time for their first im- 
 pulse to subside ; nevertheless, trust them not, en- 
 tirely, at any time." " But you trust Kinchela ?" 
 " I do, because I consider him as peculiarly situ- 
 ated, and utterly separated from the influence of 
 tribe and relations ; and moreover my destruction 
 would probably involve his own. But you start 
 to-morrow, you say?" 
 
 " Yes ; and I feel that some account of myself 
 is due to you. Brought up at Eton, and a younger 
 son, I was intended for the army ; but in peaceful 
 timeB your Indian service is the only one of acti-
 
 370 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 vity, and I felt myself full of enterprise an<i 
 Btrengtli. I therefore asked my father to give me 
 my younger son's portion, and let me make my 
 own way. My lady mother — kind, good soul — was 
 shocked at the idea of my coming to a convict laud, 
 which was all she knew of it ; but I talked her 
 over, and here I am. This is my third overland 
 journey, and I have been successful. It was my 
 intention to return as soon as I had acquired a 
 certain sum ; but at present there is a charm in 
 this wild life which attaches me to the place, and I 
 feel as if I could not as yet go back to the old-world 
 forms. Moreover, from your conversation, new 
 thoughts have come over me, and I appear to have 
 a higher purpose. If I do ever acquire influence, 
 I promise to do all the good I can. But how shall 
 I hear from you ; for you must nurture the good 
 feelings which have sprung from you ? I must 
 make you a chart for your guidance, and while I 
 do so, give me your instructions." Thus speak- 
 ing, Mr. St. John took some paper from his pocket- 
 book, and sketched the route which his friend ought 
 to follow. He then wrote an introduction for him 
 to a Mr. Onslow, the proprietor of an estate on the 
 Hunter river. 
 
 Putting the papers into Captain Spencer's hand, 
 the Overlander continued to speak, saying, " I 
 have noted down a few landmarks. You must 
 make northing, and then come south again, and
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 371 
 
 you will have to cross yon -blue mountains. My 
 friends, the Onslows, will receive you with aflfection 
 for my sake, and will put you in the way of getting 
 to Sydney. Hospitality is everywhere shown in this 
 country ; but do not be tempted to stay anywhere 
 except with the Onslows. I think you will be at 
 first taken for a bush-ranger ; in fact, that was my 
 first opinion of you, and I believe it was your ele- 
 gant hat that put it into my head." " Not a word 
 against my hat," interrupted Captain Spencer, 
 with mock gravity ; " it is a sample of my genius, 
 and the most comfortable head-covering I ever 
 had." "Well," resumed his friend, "ask your 
 commander-in-chief to adopt it in the regiment ; but 
 I must put you on your guard against these escaped 
 felons, for you are coming into their neighbourhood. 
 Their impudence and daring are sometimes even 
 laughable, and their cool courage worthy of a bet- 
 ter cause ; but they are, nevertheless, troublesome 
 companions, and murder is not unfrequent among 
 them. Now for your address." "I had better 
 give you that of my agent in Bombay; always put 
 your name outside your letters, as I shall have es- 
 pecial orders about them. I can scarcely believe 
 that we met as strangers the day before yesterday, 
 and now that it is such pain to part." " My dear 
 fellow," said the Overlander, " believe that this 
 feeling is mutual. I am sure we shall meet again." 
 "If not here," said Captain Spencer, lifting the
 
 372 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 despised grass hat from his head, " we shall when 
 both are called up for our final judgment ; and may 
 we be admitted together into that Heaven which 
 is, or ought to be, the object of our existence ! 
 My lonely travels, my marvellous preservation, the 
 majesty of the wilderness, have made me a deeper 
 thinker than I have yet been ; and I have no doubt 
 the best lessons for both of us have been learned 
 in Australia." 
 
 A pause ensued for a few moments, which was 
 broken by the quick, ardent Overlander. "Do 
 not suppose," said he, "that I am unobservant of 
 the highest of all duties ; your books were all 
 drowned, therefore you shall have my pocket 
 Bible." So saying, he put the sacred volume 
 into ^he hands of the traveller. A flush of plea- 
 sure crimsoned the sun-burnt cheek of the soldier. 
 "It is, indeed, a treasure," he said; "but what 
 can I bestow in return ? unless, indeed, you 
 will have my hat ?" "Not your hat, but bestow 
 the plume upon me, which I will keep for your 
 sake for ever ; but we can exchange pistols, though 
 not shots," added he, smiling, "and that will 
 be another remembrance between us : the supe- 
 rior value of yours shall be your present ; you 
 will soon manage mine. Teach Charlie to say 
 Philip." 
 
 Fish and roots were supplied as plentifully as 
 time would allow by Kinchela, who had been ac-
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 373 
 
 tive in procuring and preparing them ; the cattle 
 were in motion, the friends shook hands in silence, 
 but a liquid lustre glistened in the eyes of each. 
 Captain Spencer watched the Overlanders till they 
 were about to enter a wood ; handkerchiefs were 
 waved for the last time, and then he thoughtfully 
 and sadly turned towards the river. " Come, 
 Kinchela," said he, "let us cross directly; and 
 since we have a sheep for our dinner, we need not 
 stop to get more provisions." " Boccolo too much 
 sorry," said the native ; " but we soon see plenty 
 more white fellows. Kinchela get roots." The 
 little party forded the river in safety, and taking 
 the direction pointed out by Mr. St. John, they 
 bent their way to the long-desired settlement. 
 32
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Oaptain Spencer romantic — Birds — Native — Captain Spence. 
 catches him, and relieves his hunger — Fairy-like plains — Bui 
 comes down the hills, and gentlemen on horseback after him— 
 Insects, and their webs and nests — Harry Blunt attacks Captain 
 Spencer — Harry caught and overcome — His companion stunned 
 — Captain Spencer kind to the bush-ranger — Captain Spencer 
 goes on — Forest flowers — Wooden pear — Lemons — Flying foxes 
 — Native cherry — Beautiful plants — Green frogs — Lizards — Out- 
 Btation — Shepherds — Laughing Jackass — Robin — Knife-grinder 
 — Fish and its nest — Storm — Sorcerers make storms — Pine forest 
 — Plants — Metamorphosis of beetle — Head keeper's station — 
 Captain Spencer hospitably received — Tall black man's history — 
 Harry Blunt's visits — Head keeper and wife very kind and hoa- 
 pitable — Untidy and deserted stations — Deserted townships — 
 Ascend mountains — Meet drays — Ants — Come to the river — Ar- 
 rival at Mr. Onslow's farms. 
 
 The spirit of romance came strongly upon Cap- 
 tain Spencer, and a lingering regret that he had 
 not turned back with Mr. St. John seemed to fet- 
 ter his endeavours to move fast onwards. Early 
 in the evening, he seated himself where, from the 
 rising ground, through the open forest, he could 
 at some distance behold the spot where he had 
 parted with his friend, and calling Charlie to him, 
 he endeavoured to teach him that friend's name. 
 The bird, however, stammered so much at the sur- 
 name, and pronounced it so badly, even after re- 
 (374^
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 375 
 
 peated efforts, that his master was obliged to con- 
 fine himself to the word of Philip ; and Charlie 
 most triumphantly for a few days screamed out 
 "Friend Philip," as he always did every new ac- 
 quirement, and then laid it by in his memory to 
 come out with it again when least expected. As 
 his master sat with his eyes still gazing in the 
 direction taken by his late most congenial com- 
 panion, his reverie was suddenly interrupted by 
 the Laughing Jackass, and its merry peals seemed 
 to mock his sadness. "Vile bird !" he exclaimed ; 
 again came the cheerful sound, repeated in various 
 directions, till at last Charlie himself caught the 
 note, burst into a loud "Ha, ha !" and seemed to 
 go into fits of laughter : it was irresistible ; Kin- 
 chela caught the infection, both Tiger and Gip 
 pricked up their ears, and Captain Spencer himself 
 joined in the chorus. 
 
 There were still many weary miles to go, and 
 the travellers started early on the following day. 
 The scenery became more than ever beautiful, and 
 birds, insects, and flowers multiplied upon them, 
 the former to a much greater degree than Charlie 
 liked, for Cockatoos, Parrots, Parrakeets, common 
 as Sparrows in England, drove him to Tiger's 
 back, where he sat m.uttering to himself, "Rogues ! 
 Bcoundrels !" Then there were Pigeons, Quails, 
 the native Turkey,* with its small portion of 
 
 * Talegalla.
 
 B76 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 brains, having a nest constructed like that of the 
 Leipoa ; the noble Crane,* the Wood-Swallows, f 
 which huddle together like a swarm of bees ; im- 
 mense Nightjars, which lie under the trees and 
 bushes all day ; and many old acquaintances from 
 the south and west, all affording food, or subjects 
 for admiration. On watching by the fire in the 
 night, however. Captain Spencer heard the notes 
 of several new birds, and the little flying Opossum 
 dropped from bough to bough. Both men never 
 slept at the same time ; for the country was thickly 
 inhabited, and as they passed during the day, they 
 frequently saw natives peeping at them from be- 
 hind the trees. On one occasion, Gip, whose 
 recent education had taught her not to bark sud- 
 denly, raised her head, and gave a low whine. 
 "It is a native," thought the Englishman; "I 
 wonder if he be going to spear me." He made 
 the peculiar cry which he had learnt of the tribes 
 on the other part of the Darling, but no answer 
 was returned ; he uttered another, and another, 
 but there was no response. " We are mistaken, 
 Gip," said he, and he rested his head upon his 
 knees. In about half an hour Gip was again un- 
 easy, and sat upright; the noise was repeated, 
 and it was scarcely louder than if a fly had touched 
 a leaf, but it was a little nearer. Captain Spen- 
 cer's gun was close to him on the ground, the 
 
 * Antigone Grus Australasianus. f Artamua sordidus.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 371 
 
 rustling ■vviis repeated, and Gip had an inward con- 
 vulsion, as if to stifle her bark, and then there 
 was a sh"ght movement of the gun. " Aha !" 
 thought the traveller, " you do not know that it 
 is fastened round my wrist with a leathern thong." 
 A hand was laid upon the gun, and Captain Spen- 
 cer grasped it. " To him, Gip !" said he, and in a 
 moment the dog had a leg between her teeth. 
 Kinchela was roused. " Kinchela, get up," said 
 Charlie, half asleep : and although he made violent 
 eftbrts to escape, the intruder was caught. " You 
 speak Inglis?" said Kinchela ; the man was silent. 
 "Boccolo very good man," continued Kinchela, 
 " only black fellow say if plenty more wid him." 
 No notice was taken of this speech, and then Cap- 
 tain Spencer tried to make him speak, by address- 
 ing him in a gentle tone of voice. The man fell 
 on his knees before him, and in broken English 
 entreated that he might be allowed to go away. 
 " Where do you come from ?" asked Captain 
 Spencer : " why did you try to take my gun ?" 
 "Oh, massa," said the man, "they hi.nt pcor 
 black fellow, they kill him ; he want gun to save 
 him, he no touch massa ; let him go, poor fellow, 
 let him go." "Are you hungry?" asked Cap- 
 tain Spencer. "Berry hungry," was the answer. 
 " Kinchela, blow up the fire, so as to let me see 
 the man, and then give him something to eat." 
 Provision was now put into his hand, and Captain 
 32*
 
 378 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 Spencer said, " Here is something to eat ; never 
 take anything from a white man which he does not 
 give you. Let go, Gip," and then relaxing his 
 own hold, the man was free ; he paused for a mo 
 ment, as if wishing to say something, but the words 
 died within his lips, and he darted away with 
 almost incredible speed. " That black fellow," 
 said Kiuchela, " do something very bad." "Why 
 do you think so?" "Because he not got spear, 
 not got waddie, not gin. He run away when Boc- 
 colo good to him." 
 
 The next morning the travellers were up early, 
 and a short time after, they found a bag on the 
 ground, such as the women carry. " That black 
 fellow had his gin," said Kinchela ; " here is her 
 bag." "Look intj it, and see what is inside," 
 said Captain Spencer. Three snakes, some small 
 mucilaginous fishes, and a woman's skull, were all 
 the contents. " What is this for ?" asked the 
 Englishman. " For black fellow to drink out of," 
 ansAvered Kinchela; "perhaps it was the gin's 
 mother." Captain Spencer shrugged his shoul- 
 derS; and said, "put some cakes of meal into the 
 bag, ";nd leave it wheie you found it. I dare say 
 the woman will return, and is not very far off even 
 DOW." 
 
 Leaving the river, the party crossed some ex- 
 quisite and fairy-looking plains, bounded by sand- 
 hills ; and as they came near to the latter, they
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 379 
 
 saw a large bull leaping and gliding down the very 
 steep sides as if it were mad. As soon as it gained 
 the level ground, it started off as rapidly as pos- 
 sible, with its tail erect ; and made for the forest 
 which Captain Spencer had just left. Immedi- 
 ately after him came two horsemen and their dogs, 
 down the same apparently impracticable descent. 
 One of the large dogs lost his footing, and rolled 
 down ; but, after stopping a minute to recover his 
 breath, he got up, shook himself, and bounded 
 after the others, in pursuit of the noble bull. The 
 horses slid down upon their haunches, the riders 
 (evidently Englishmen) keeping a sharp pull upon 
 their mouths ; and when arrived at the bottom, 
 away they went as hard as they could, without 
 seeing Kinchela or his master. " That is the 
 boldest riding I ever saw," said Captain Spencer; 
 " they must be hunting stray cattle ; but thia 
 makes it evident that we are now approaching the 
 precincts of white men ; and strange to say, my 
 caution and vigilance must be redoubled." He 
 looked well to his rifle and pistols, and told Kin- 
 chela to keep his spears ready, but to be sure not 
 to throw them without orders. 
 
 On went the quartett, through forest and glade, 
 traversing the most luxuriant country. An infi- 
 nite variety of insects were to be seen ; curious- 
 looking, spotted Caterpillars with turned-up tails ; 
 brown Butterflies; a variety of large brown or
 
 380 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 yellow Locusts -with black marks ; Moths with 
 fringed antennge, of peculiar shape ; Pangolin 
 Flies, which stung Tiger ; Phasm Beetles of sin- 
 gular form ; Spiders with thick hairy legs ; Epeirge, 
 which spun yellow webs as they do in Borneo ; and 
 numbers of curious insect-nests, hanging so plen- 
 tifully upon the trees as to look like fruit. They 
 were formed of a very thick web, and strength- 
 ened outside with pieces of small twigs, neatly 
 rounded at the ends, and made to adhere to the 
 web. Captain Spencer destroyed one, and found 
 it lined with a soft, white, silken web, within which 
 was a large white caterpillar ; a discovery which 
 he did not impart to Kinchela, fearing he would 
 stop and destroy all the nests for the sake of eat- 
 ing the inhabitants. There were many ants of 
 different kinds, one of which amused Captain Spen- 
 cer, as he sat at breakfast one morning, by mak- 
 • ng a perpendicular hole in the ground, round the 
 ntrance of which it built a wall, sloping outwards 
 In the rhape of a funnel. While watching this 
 clever little workman, he heard a noise like the 
 growling of a dog, and thinking it might be a 
 Dingo come to attack Gip, hastily turned to drive 
 it away ; but he saw nothing save a bfeck Beetle, 
 itS big as a bird, and carrying another insect, some- 
 :;hing like a Grasshopper, and he was convinced 
 ihat the sound proceeded from this creature. 
 On Lhe borders of a lovely little lake, surrounded
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 381 
 
 on three sides by verdant hills, which were speckled 
 with half- wild cattle, the travellers on the fourth 
 Bide met with a wood, through which they had to 
 pass, and where, as he rested in the shade, Cap- 
 tain Spencer was surprised at the salutation of 
 " Halloo there ! pull up, I say ! Harry Blunt 
 wants to see what's in your pack, and perhaps he 
 wants to swop horses with you." " And who is 
 Harry Blunt?" said Captain Spencer, drawing one 
 of his pistols from his belt, and putting it on full 
 cock. A man on horseback rode immediately I . 
 front of the traveller, clad in boots, leathern leg- 
 gings, fustian jacket, and a white hat stuck on one 
 side of his head, ornamented with different coloured 
 ribbons, altogether presenting a reckless appear- 
 ance. For a moment he seemed to quail before 
 the steady, unshrinking gaze of the stranger ; but 
 he dismounted from a horse which had evidently 
 been ridden long and hard, and with an impudent 
 swagger went up to Tiger. " Touch him at your 
 peril," said Captain Spencer, pointing his pistol at 
 him ; " you are a dead man, if you lay but a finger 
 on him." Harry. had both pistol and rifle, but he 
 did not oifer to use them ; he, however, drew a 
 long knife, and was about to rush on the stranger ; 
 who, with great presence of mind, dashed his arm 
 to the ground, and fired through the top of Harry's 
 hat. The man staggered, but recovering himselt, 
 he was about to make another sudden attack, when
 
 382 AUSTRALIAN "WANDERERS. 
 
 Kinchela came up from behind, and thrust a spear 
 into his arm, and Gip plunged her teeth into his 
 leg- coverings. At this moment appeared a still 
 more lawless ruffian, leading a horse in still worse 
 condition than Harry's, and walked up to Tiger. 
 The well-known order to dance was given. Tiger's 
 paws came into action, and the man lay senseless 
 on the ground. " Hold," said Captain Spencer to 
 his antagonist ; " I have traversed this wild coun- 
 try north, west, and south, and have escaped in- 
 jury from its savage inhabitants ; shall one of my 
 own countrymen behave worse to me than they 
 have done ? I guess what you are, Harry ; your 
 companion is disabled, you are pinned through the 
 arm by my servant, and you may consider yourself 
 in my power. I do not belong to any of the set- 
 tlements in this country, and have therefore no 
 authority to make you my prisoner, consequently 
 you shall pass on without further molestation ; 
 Kinchela, withdraw your spear." The native 
 obeyed, and the blood gushed from the wound ; 
 the man looked at his arm, then at the party before 
 him, and remained motionless. " Come," said Cap- 
 tain Spencer, "I am an old soldier, and will bind 
 up your wound ; it is not made with a war-spear, 
 and will soon heal." Harry stood almost passive 
 as his jacket was removed, the shirt-sleeve tucked 
 up, the edges of the wound drawn close together, 
 and then bound up tightly with one of Captain
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 383 
 
 Spencer's handkerchiefs. " Are you hungry ?" 
 asked the latter. "Yes," said the man; -'we 
 have ridden far to-day, and I have no poAvder, or 
 you would not have conquered me." " Well," said 
 the traveller, "you shall have something to eat. 
 Kinchela put some meat and cake out. Now eat," 
 he continued, " and we will do something for your 
 jaded horses — leave go, Gip — your companion is 
 stunned, not killed ; but he will scarcely be able to 
 ride to-day. My horse and I are inseparable ; if 
 you take him, you take me, and I am an awkward 
 person to deal with." Harry hung his head ; half 
 sulky and half ashamed, he devoured the food 
 which was put before him, while he appeared to be 
 much astonished at the treatment which he expe- 
 rienced, and he looked around as if he suspected 
 there was some stratagem. He seemed to be also 
 surprised when Kinchela and Captain Sr)encer 
 washed the horses of himself and companion, and 
 rubbed their legs. The pocr animals were oi 
 great beauty and value, evidently accustomed to 
 care, and turned their large eyes gratefully upcn 
 those who were now doing their utmost to adm"n- 
 ister to their comfort; they lc:ked as if they 
 had not been long from the stables of one of the 
 settlers. 
 
 Harry's fierce hunger appeased, and his heart 
 softened by the unusual manner of his new ac- 
 quaintance, his face now assumed quite a different
 
 384 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 expression. " Harry," said Captain Spencer, as 
 he ate with him, " there is something in your look 
 which tells me you would be a better man if you 
 had the opportunity of becoming so." Harry co- 
 loured, and said, "I have gone too far." " It is 
 never too late," said his entertainer. "I would 
 give anything to ba what I was once," continued 
 Harry, with much emotion ; " I was tempted, fell 
 into bad hands and bad courses, and was trans- 
 ported. [ was set to work, and beaten by the over- 
 seer for a fault of which I was not guilty. This 
 maddened me, and I struck him a heavy blow, un- 
 der which he fell. I did not intend it should be 
 fatal, but it was supposed to be so. I was, of 
 course, closely imprisoned, and I found myself 
 along with that man ; he told me that I was sure 
 to be hung ; he had prepared everything for his 
 escape, and I consented to accompany him; he 
 contrived to file away our irons ; we were strong 
 and active, and could swim well ; we threw our- 
 selves out of a window, crossed the water to escape 
 the blood-hounds, and have led a bush-life ever 
 since ; he, poor fellow, breatb'cs, but I think it will 
 be long before he recovers himself ; and I dare not 
 stay with him, for I know the oflScers are upon our 
 track. He has made m3 worse than I was before, 
 and put me foremost on all occasions because I 
 was the best-looking.* I am glad, however, to say 
 that I did not kill the overseer, for I have seen
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 385 
 
 him since, alive and well. Whoever you may be, 
 sir, you have spoken kindly to me, when it was in 
 your power to kill me, and when you would have 
 been justified in doing so in self-defence. This is 
 the first act of kindness which I have received 
 since my sister took leave of me in an English 
 prison. If you would add to your goodness, sir, 
 by not betraying me, I should be grateful." 
 
 But as no murder can be brought against you, 
 Harry, why not surrender, submit to your punish- 
 ment, and try by good conduct to regain some de- 
 gree of respectability ?" "You know not what it 
 is to be an escaped convict, sir, or what a man has 
 to undergo if retaken." " You are sure to be that, 
 sooner or later, unless you are killed in some en- 
 counter with the police. However, I shall not 
 give any information concerning you ; my way 
 lies in that direction, and I expect you to take an 
 opposite course ; and as I do not wish to expose you 
 to destruction, I caution you against those hills to 
 the north-west, for gentlemen are among them, 
 hunting stray cattle. Here is your knife — :I shall 
 not give you any powder, for I dare not trust you 
 with it, but here are some fishing-hooks ; the river 
 will afford you plenty of food ; besides which, make 
 yourself a spear, and use it for other sorts of pro- 
 vision, as we have done. I shall place meat by 
 your companion, in case he should recover, and I 
 think he will." " God will reward you, sir, if such 
 33
 
 386 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 a one as I may say that." " Ask him to forgive 
 and help you, Harry : here is some meal for pres- 
 ent wants ; do not press your poor horses too 
 much." Harry coloured, hesitated, was about to 
 speak, then stopped himself; and Captain Spencer 
 asked him if he Avished to say anything more. 
 " I should like to know your name, sir," was the 
 reply. Captain Spencer told him ; and Harry then 
 took off his hat, and stood gazing at the travellers 
 as they departed, with his eyes full of tears ; and 
 when they last looked back at him, he was still 
 standing, as if to catch a final glimpse of them. 
 The horses would have gladly associated themselves 
 with Tiger, but Captain Spencer knew not where 
 to take them ; he, therefore, was forced to resign 
 one to Harry ; and he tethered the other so as 
 to be able to procure grass, until his rider should 
 recover. « 
 
 The forest through which Captain Spencer now 
 passed was of Gum-trees ; but they did not grow 
 close to each other, and occasional openings made 
 the path exceedingly beautiful. Wherever the sun 
 could penetrate, the most exquisite shrubs and 
 flowers adorned the glade. " Surely," thought he 
 again, " the eastern side must be the most beau- 
 tiful ; and yet several of these gorgeous forms aro 
 familiar to my eyes. I must have passed several 
 without particular notice, in m}^ earnest wish to 
 press forward, and my anxiety about sustenance;
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 387 
 
 but although I saw several Casuarinse, I never saw 
 these two plants hanging over theni as they do 
 now." One had nothing to recommend it, appar- 
 ently, but its exquisite scarlet blossoms, with their 
 fragrint odour, like that of a Honeysuckle ;* but 
 as he stopped to examine the other, f Kinchela ga- 
 thered one of its parasitical roots, and asked his 
 master to follow his example, and eat it ; he did 
 so, and found it to be full of starch, and to smell 
 like ottar of roses. " Certainly," continued Cap- 
 tain Spencer, " I did not see those weeping-willow 
 Acacias, nor that white flowering shrub, whose 
 flowers are red in the centre, J nor that peppery 
 plant, with its strong scent, and long, narrow, 
 drooping leaves. § Then, again, that plant Avith 
 dark shining leaves, which are white underneath, 
 and hang round the stem like a staff-officer's plume, 
 is new ; afid this charming Ranunculus, like the 
 Buttercup of my childhood, never gladdened my 
 eyes before. But what have we here ? this must 
 be the Wooden Pear, which cannot be eaten. "|j 
 Captain Spencer tried to put his teeth in it, but in 
 vain; it was like a feather in weight, and the 
 leaves of the tree were very small. " Tiresome 
 thing," said he, tlirowing it awa}'^ ; "I suppose 
 you would not be here, if you were not good for 
 
 * Loranthus linciirifblius. f L'j'iubiJium. 
 
 J Diiujasoiiiiiiu ovalifolium. ^ Groijira parviflora. 
 
 II Xylomelum pyriformo- 
 
 «
 
 388 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 eometliing ; but you are very tantalising. These, 
 however, are delicious little lemons ; and that is 
 the rose-coloured Eugenia. Kinchela, we must 
 have some of that fruit." Kinchela dropped his 
 spears, climbed the tall tree, and brought down 
 some of its refreshing, but astringent apples. 
 "Boccolo know better than black fellow," said 
 the native ; " Kinchela not see it before." "But 
 you know this, Kinchela ?" said his master, hold- 
 ing up a fruit, turning black from green and am- 
 ber-colour. " Yes, Boccolo, very good !" returned 
 he, devouring a handful. 
 
 The Flying Foxes in these parts appeared to 
 live upon a small, but oval, acid fruit, with a stone 
 in it, having a bitter kernel ; and more than once, 
 what the Englishman knew must be the native 
 Cherry* was to be seen. It looked like an Arbor 
 Vitse, and now thought he, " I shall see the outside 
 stone. Why, the berry is like that of the yew, and 
 just as insipid in taste. Certainly, if it be the 
 land of flowers, Australia is not the land for fine 
 fruits. Yonder, however, is a magnificent speci- 
 men of beauty."! I' was a plant six feet high, 
 as straight as a walking-cane, having large green 
 leaves, like those of an English Oak in shape and 
 colour, all the way up, and the whole crowned with 
 a wide-spreading tuft of scarlet and crimson pet- 
 als, surrounding a cone or pyramid of trumpet- 
 
 * Exocarpus cupreesiformis. f Telopia fpeciosissima.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 389 
 
 shaped florets in the uiiddlo, five inches high ; and 
 it sometimes put forth branches like a candehxbrum. 
 " There is a blue starry flower, like a very open 
 Harebell, and a deep rose-coloured Convolvulus, 
 among the grass ; but can this be a Fuchsia ? the 
 berries are like currants. I have seen this before ; 
 it is a sort of Cranberry, I think ; and there is a 
 splendid Bignonia,* with glossy green leaves, and 
 flowers like cream-coloured Foxgloves." 
 
 "Are you going to eat those pretty, brilliant, 
 green frogs, Kinchela?" said his master; "we 
 Have plenty of food without taking them." " They 
 very good," said Kinchela, putting them into the 
 fire which he had lighted for cooking their supper. 
 "Look there, Boccolo," continued he. Captain 
 Spencer turned his head, and saw a round piece 
 of the soil lifted up like a trap-door, which fell 
 back as if it had a hinge. " Gip, come here, and 
 don't disturb that creature," said Captain Spencer, 
 much interested, and the dog's curiosity had been 
 equally excited. A hairy, gray spider came out, 
 peeped all round, and then went back and sat just 
 inside, so that it could not be seen above. No 
 prey arrived, and the spider walked out, which 
 gave the human watcher an opportunity of examin- 
 ing its dwelling. It was some inches deep, had a 
 curve at the end, and in order to prevent the earth 
 from falling in, it was lined with a fine web ; the 
 
 * Bignonia Australia. 
 
 .33*
 
 390 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 lid, covered in the same way, being formed within 
 of earth, and the hinge also of web. Two lizards 
 were not far off; one a bloated, broad thing, lying 
 »7ith its mouth open, and showing a blue tongue. 
 It did not get out of Gip's way ; and when she 
 turned round and worried it, it started up fiercely, 
 and had she not been very nimble, would have in- 
 flicted a serious bite. The other was much larger^ 
 and more active, and was climbing a tree ; its tail 
 was twenty inches long, it had a sharp knowing 
 head, was speckled black and white, was covered 
 with close, hard scales, and its teeth were movable, 
 like those of a snake. The party encountered 
 numbers of the latter reptiles, some of Avhich were 
 handsomely marked ; especially one, which was 
 like Mosaic work. Those which were brown and 
 black, Kinchela said, were all fatal. There were 
 also scorpions, and two sorts of centipedes. 
 
 Some days after the adventure with the bush- 
 ranger, the travellers came upon a beautiful val- 
 ley surrounded by at least a hundred small hills 
 of limestone, which occasionally peeped out from 
 the grass with which they were otherwise covered ; 
 some slender streams wound between them, and 
 were shaded by trees and shrubs. " What a 
 charming place for a station!" thought Captain 
 Spencer ; and others were of the same opinion, 
 for sheep were grazing upon the hills, and a soli- 
 tary wooden hut stood at one end of the valley.
 
 t 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 391 
 
 Captain Spencer went to it, and found that it was 
 occupied by two men, one only of whom was at 
 home, and who was much surprised at the travel 
 ler's appearance. He seemed to eje him sus- 
 piciously, said he was glad to see, any gentleman, 
 but that he had little or nothing to offer, except 
 damper. Captain Spencer assured him that "he 
 did not require any assistance ; that he should take 
 his food outside the hut, and stay all night ; for 
 his friend, Mr. St. John, had told him he would 
 find honest men there." " Oh, indeed, sir!" said 
 the man, "you are a friend of his, are you?" his 
 countenance lighting up as he spoke ; "he is a 
 very good gentleman ; he did not take sheep with 
 him last journey ; but he did the time before, and 
 picked out all the finest of our flocks ; he is as 
 good a judge of sheep as if he had been brought 
 up to it, though his father is a lord. Perhaps, sir, 
 you are come to choose some ? you can see them 
 to-morrow before they leave the folds." "No, 
 friend," replied Captain Spencer, "I am only a 
 traveller in this country, and am now on my way 
 to the Hunter River, from whence I mean to go 
 to Sydney." At these words the man's counte- 
 nance lengthened again, and he said, " If, sir, you 
 would like ,to go a few miles further, the moon will 
 be up, and you will there come to the head station, 
 and plenty of room and company too for that mat- 
 ter ; and he involuntarily glanced at the sword, gun,
 
 392 AOSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 and pistols. "No, I thank you," answered the 
 soldier ; " but I see you are not quite satisfied 
 about me, I give you my word I am neither a 
 bush-ranger nor one of the police, but am here 
 against my will." He then related as much of 
 his adventures as would explain his appearance 
 there, and after that the man became communica- 
 tive, and cast off all suspicion. " Do you always 
 live here ?" asked Captain Spencer, after he had 
 supped, and turned Tiger loose; but before the 
 man could reply, Charlie flew up, and seeing a 
 white man, said, "Friend Philip!" His master 
 thought friend Philip would not have deemed him- 
 self complimented, and replied, " No, Chai'lie, 
 friend Philip's not here." "Not here, not here," 
 repeated the bird ; " all's right !" and perched him- 
 self on the top of the hut. The hut-keeper stared, 
 and said, " You did not get that bird here, sir ; 
 we have plenty of magpies, and all sorts of talk- 
 ing birds, but we never teach them to speak. 
 There is a Shrike which comes to us in winter, 
 with a fine, clear note ; but he is dreadfully mis- 
 chievous. Our most amusing bird is the Laughing 
 Jackass, which makes us merry sometimes ; the 
 whole place often rings with the laughs of these 
 birds ; one beginning, then two, three, and four 
 following, till at last the whole flight sets off." " I 
 must have heard them, then," said Captain Spen- 
 cer. " I have no doubt of it, sir," resumed the
 
 AUSTRALIAN V/ANDEilERS. b9o 
 
 man ; " tliej are very numerous just here, and we 
 like them, not entirely because they are so cheer- 
 ful in these solitary places, but because they eat 
 so many snakes and lizards. Then we have a bird 
 which we call the Knife-grinder; for his note is 
 just the same as the grating of the blade upon 
 the stone, as it turns. We like to know something 
 about all the animals near us, living as we do in 
 such a lonely spot. There is one bird which we 
 take pleasure in calling a Robin, because it has a 
 red breast ;* but its back and wings are black, with 
 white bars across, and a white spot is on the crown 
 of its head. It is so gay, with its bright black 
 eyes, so frolicsome and sociable, that it is a great 
 favourite. But here comes my chum." " Do you 
 two keep this station ?" " Yes, sir ; I am the hut- 
 keeper, and always stay within, do the washing, 
 the cooking, and keep watch all night ; for we are 
 always obliged to be on our guard against the 
 Dingoes and the natives." " Does no one come 
 to see you?" " Master comes sometimes, or the 
 head man, or one of the young gentlemen." " How 
 far oif is the head farm ?" " About thirty miles, 
 or thereabouts ; but the keeper's is only ten miles, 
 and he often has company." " And do you like 
 this sort of life ?" " Why, it is very easy and 
 quiet, sir." " How much do you get ?" " Twenty- 
 five pounds a-year, and allowances of sheep, flour, 
 
 * Petroica ebenacea.
 
 894 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 and tea ; and we can't spend anything, except for 
 clothes." " How do you pass your thne?" " My 
 comrade has enough to do with his sheep,, and I 
 have a bit of a garden. Sometimes the natives, 
 who are friends with us, come and make a Corob- 
 bery, and master gives us flour, tomahawks, and 
 other things as presents, to keep them in good 
 humour, and we never lose anything. They are, 
 however, but poor savages, and some of the hut- 
 keepers have been attacked and murdered by them. 
 One of master's men had a grand fight with some 
 of them, and five of the natives were killed. This 
 made the others retreat a little, and their dead 
 companions were buried before the door, when it 
 was known that their friends were looking on. 
 They never have come near the place again, and 
 never will, for they will not cross the spot." 
 
 The sheep had by this time arrived, and, with 
 the assistance of the dogs, which were of the sort 
 called Kangaroo, were folded for the night ; and 
 the shepherd touching his hat to Captain Spencer, 
 seemed to hesitate about speaking. " This gentle- 
 man is a friend of Mr. St. John's, Bill," said the 
 hut-keeper ; at which the newly arrived man seemed 
 to be quite relieved, and then joined in the conver- 
 sation. He said this station was one of the best 
 in the whole country for sheep ; because, when it 
 was wet in the valley, they could go on to the hills; 
 and that young Mr. Gordon had had a hard push
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 395 
 
 to get it, for a place of that sort was always the 
 right of those who reached it first. After it was 
 discovered, and when he and several others started 
 to come to it, he pretended he would not go any 
 further, and the rest thought he had turned back ; 
 but he dashed over everything, having marked the 
 highest hill with his eye, and he never stopped or 
 turned till he gained the point ; so, when the others 
 came in, they found him seated, quietly lighting 
 his cigar, and they could not say anything, because 
 thoy would all have done just the same. " Do you 
 ever see the bush-rangers ?" asked Captain Spen- 
 cer. Both the men coloured, and one replied, 
 " Yes, sir, -we do ; and to tell you the truth, at a 
 distance you looked like one, only you came in 
 leisurely and peaceably, and they are always in a 
 hurry, because they are hunted down. There is 
 nothing here for them to take, except a little dam- 
 per, or pork ; besides which, master trusts us ; 
 and we should have a hard fight with anybody who 
 touched what belonged to him ; but we never be- 
 tray them, because many of us have been in trouble 
 ourselves." "I dare say not," observed Captain 
 Spencer, " especially if they do no harm to you ; 
 it is much easier to get into trouble than to get 
 out." Seeing that Captain Spencer and Kinchela 
 werj? spreading their skins, in order to lie down, 
 they asked the former to sleep inside ; but be told 
 them it was so long since he had slept under
 
 396 ATJSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 cover, that he would rather remain where he was, 
 but he should like to see the inside of the hut. 
 He accordinglj entered, and found that the cook 
 had prepared slices of bacon and kangaroo, to be 
 fried for supper ; that the men took it in turns to 
 sleep, on what they called a stretcher, Avhich was 
 a piece of canvass supported upon a frame, nailed 
 to four upright posts ; that they had plenty of 
 blankets, for they said they often had frosts in 
 August ; and though there was not much cold 
 weather, they sometimes felt chilly. The hut itself 
 was built of what would be called plank in Eng- 
 land, but they call these pieces slabs ; they were 
 raised on four posts, and thatched with bark. 
 
 Very early next morning, before sunrise, Kin- 
 chela was out to renew his stock of bulrush roots, 
 and the new friends took a lesson from him in pre- 
 paring them. He brought a curious fish to his 
 master, which the shepherds said was what they 
 called the Jew-fish.* He also said that it had 
 been constantly swimming round a ring of sand, 
 the inside of which was filled with stones. The 
 hut-keeper informed the travellers that it was only 
 at certain times of the year that they watched it, 
 and they believed that it was the nest of the fiah ; 
 though how the stones came there, they could not 
 tell, for such were not to be found in the neigh- 
 bourhood. Captain Spencer was not incredulous. 
 
 Ptotosus tandanus.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDEKERS. 397 
 
 because he knew that there were fishes In the 
 Chinese seas which made nests and guarded thenj 
 in the same manner. Just after the return of 
 Kinchela, the air was like a furnace, and the most 
 tremendous lightning opened the thick clouds ; it 
 became almost dark, so that a light was required 
 within the hut ; a rushing noise was heard, the 
 men sought their blankets, and throwing them over 
 their shoulders put out their light, which was only 
 a piece of rag lying in mutton fat, and said, 
 " Stand clear of the hut." All moved out of its 
 reach, and during the few still moments which en- 
 sued, the sheep-keeper said, " We don't often have 
 these things, but they do sometimes come from the 
 south-west ; and I am glad it happened when I 
 and the sheep were in the hollow ; for we should 
 have been blown about like straws on the top of 
 the hill." " What do you expect ?" asked Captain 
 Spencer. "A hurricane, sir," was the reply; 
 "and after that, heavy rain." Captain Spencer 
 then said to all his followers, " Come close ; smother 
 the fire-stick, Kinchela." This was immediately 
 wrapped in a piece of thick skin, and, going to a 
 still deeper hollow, and taking off all his clothes, 
 he put them under his coverings, and sat down with 
 the rest, in as compact a body as possible, Charlie, 
 with his usual sagacity, creeping under the skins. 
 " I am sorry avc have not a better shelter to offer 
 you, sir," said the shepherd; "but our hut ia 
 34
 
 398 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 sometimes blown down ; for these hurricanes make 
 playthings of all that come in their way, and they 
 lay down even the biggest trees ; when there is 
 hail, if the trees are not knocked down, every leaf 
 is stripped from them." The storm came, and 
 was as tremendous as any Captain Spencer had 
 experienced, and he thought sadly of his poor Ma- 
 lays ; it was, however, no sooner over than he was 
 dry and comfortable, and the shepherds were lost 
 in admiration of his plan. " I am used to such 
 storms, here and elsewhere," said the traveller ; 
 " now, you see, I have dry things to put on after 
 my shower-bath." " Very bad sorcerer made that 
 storm," said Kinchela; "more bad than we see 
 anywhere, Boccolo." "I am sure we could learn 
 many things of you, sir," said the man to Captain 
 Spencer. When he inquired if the hail ever killed 
 the sheep, the outwatcher said, that on one occa- 
 sion they had lost forty, and that the valley be- 
 came one broad sheet of Avater ; for as the rain 
 always ran rapidly off the soil, the holloAV places 
 were filled in an instant. 
 
 Captain Spencer, taking a friendly leave of the 
 shepherds, and receiving particular instructions 
 from them, at once proceeded towards the head 
 stock-keeper's house, where he thought he should 
 find a guide to the Hunter River, for he fancied 
 he often wandered very much from the proper 
 track. The storm had clears 1 the atmosphere;
 
 At: ST KALIAN WANDERERS. 399 
 
 Tiger, who had appeared drooping the day before, 
 was now as bright as ever, and Charlie hurra'd, 
 and said, " Good-bye, all's right !" to the great 
 entertainment of his new acquaintances, and soared 
 up into the air ; but the man who went out with 
 the sheep, accompanied the travellers for a mile or 
 two. The birds, which had taken refuge in the 
 trees from the storm, had not left their coverts as 
 they passed, and numerous were the Choughs, 
 Crows, and Pigeons ; among the latter was the 
 Harlequin Bronze-wing,* which the shepherd told 
 him laid its eggs in low bushes, in the middle of 
 plains ; the Common Bronze-wing wheeled round 
 and round in immense numbers as they approached, 
 and took their flight to the grassy flats, where the 
 seed was ripe. On parting with the shepherd, the 
 wayfarers Avent through a portion of an extensive 
 pine forest, interspersed with a few other trees ; 
 the former was seventy feet high, full of cones, 
 and Kin chela knocking one which lay upon the 
 groimd, it fell to pieces, and both men ate the aro- 
 matic seeds which lay between the scales. On the 
 other side of the forest was a small open space, 
 covered witli Cassias, Sensitive and Ice Plants, 
 and in which grew a large tree, about thirty feet 
 high, standing by itself. It attracted Captain 
 Spencer's attention, and, on going up to it to ascer- 
 tain what it was, he found it to be a fearful Nettle, 
 
 * Phaps histrouica.
 
 400 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 and pointing it out to Kincliela, he warned hiir 
 never to touch it ; to which the man replied, " Yes, 
 but Boccolo always tell Kinchela ;" a proof how 
 completely he had made up his mind to remain 
 with his master, and how entirely he trusted him. 
 On the outskirts of the pine forest were webs of 
 dark yellow silk, yards in length, and reaching 
 from tree to tree, which were made by some bright 
 green spiders. They rested under a clump of 
 trees, when they chased away some scoi'pions ; but 
 a most interesting process was taking place at the 
 foot of the tree under which they sat ; some in- 
 sects, looking like heavy, lumpy, brown beetles, 
 an inch and a half long, Avith scaly coats, and 
 their claws like those of lobsters, crept from under 
 the turf, and were about to emerge into another 
 state ; their backs burst, and out of the slit came 
 a head, body, and legs, looking as if they had 
 boots on ; then a pale creature issued and stood 
 upright. Two odd-looking tufts of membrane, 
 crumpled into a thousand folds, spread into opa- 
 line wings ; and Kinchela said he had often seeu 
 tliem, and if they came out when the sun was hot 
 upon them, these wings became so stiff that the 
 insect could not fly. In walking along that same 
 afternoon, they saw a number of small, yellow 
 cnxles, formed of the bits of a Cistus blossom, 
 which some ants had divided, and were carrying 
 to their deposit, while others dragged them into
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 401 
 
 the holes of their nests. They tried to ascertain 
 what these little creatures were like ; but they all 
 rushed into the earth when they approached, and 
 hid themselves. 
 
 A low thatched house, surrounded by a neat 
 and pretty garden, in which the owner was at 
 work, proved to be the residence of the person to 
 whom Captain Spencer had been recommended 
 by the Overlander, and opening the gate, and 
 walking up to him with only Gip by his side, the 
 traveller at once accosted him by saying, "lam 
 come, by the advice of my frien.d Mr. St. John, 
 to request you will let me take a few hours rest at 
 your house, and then that you will put me in the 
 way of finding Mr. Onslow's farm on the Hunter 
 River." The person thus addressed was a tall, 
 respectable-looking man, whose broad shoulders, 
 and well-shaped limbs, curling brown hair, and 
 clear blue eye, showed that he was of that Anglo- 
 Saxon race now spreading itself over the whole 
 world, and showing itself superior to all others in 
 energy and perseverance. " I am very glad to 
 see you, sir," was his reply, "not only for Mr. 
 St. John's sake, but for your own, for you look as 
 if you had been travelling some time. Wife," 
 he said, going into his house, "see what you can 
 do for this gentleman, while I get something for 
 his supper, and have his horse and servant put 
 up." A rather shy, but pretty young womaE 
 34*
 
 402 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 made her appearance, while two children stood 
 peeping from the inner room. It was so long since 
 Captain Spencer had seen a bright English com- 
 plexion, that he could scarcely persuade himself 
 she was not the most beautiful female he had ever 
 beheld. As to Kinchela, when he first cast his 
 eyes upon her, his astonishment was so great as 
 to bewilder him ; and he afterwards told his mas- 
 ter he thought she was a good spirit, such as he 
 had told him of as living in Heaven. Tiger was 
 unloaded, and about to be led to a stable, but Cap- 
 tain Spencer requested that he might be allowed 
 to graze in a pasture close outside the garden. 
 Kinchela went there with him, Charlie also ad- 
 hered faithfully to Tiger, and Gip remained with 
 her master. 
 
 Mr. Richardson, for this was the name of the 
 stock-keeper, brought in some lamb for the supper 
 of the strangers, which his wife immediately pre- 
 pared, and with some potatoes put it into the oven. 
 "Pray, sir," said he, "did you see a tall black 
 fellow on your way, anywhere about here ? I sup- 
 pose you are come from an overland, which is a 
 great wear and tear for the clothes, aiid the body 
 too." "I am not an Overlander, my friend," 
 said Captain Spencer ; "nevertheless, I come from 
 a great distance. I did sec a tall, black man, who 
 tried to take my gun from me ; but I caught him» 
 and when he resisted, my dog just pinned him by
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 403 
 
 the leg ; and as he was very hungry, I gave him 
 Bomething to eat. He said he was hunted, and 
 wanted my gun in order to defend himself; and 
 if he be the same, I should like to know what he 
 has done ?" " Why, sir, he has committed mur- 
 der ; and the police are riding him down in every 
 direction." "Where did he commit it?" asked 
 Captain Spencer. " Thank God, it did not hap- 
 pen here, sir, but at one of Mr. Wilde's stock- 
 keeper's ; if it had been here, I think my little 
 wife would have gone out of her mind. A black 
 fellow hung about the stock-keeper's house for 
 some days, and seemed as if he wanted to be taken 
 as a help ; but the men there could not quite un- 
 derstand what he said. They fed him, and at last 
 began to trust him ; so one wet night they asked 
 him to sleep inside the house on the floor of the 
 keeping room. They do sometimes make very 
 good servants, and this one seemed, poor fellow, to 
 be quite handy. That same night that he came 
 into the house, another black fellow — the very 
 rascal whom you saw, I suppose — knocked at the 
 door, and begged so hard to be let in, that, consi- 
 dering it was such a rough night, they gave con- 
 sent, and he laid himself down in one corner. 
 Every body went to sleep, and in the night it is 
 supposed that he stabbed the other to the heart 
 with a large knife, which was found sticking in 
 him. The rascal lay down again, and slept till
 
 404 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 morning. When the stock-keeper got up, he was 
 of course dreadfully frightened, but he secured 
 the man, and sent for the nearest police. When 
 they came, the rascal denied that he had tojached 
 his countryman ; but they handcuffed him, and 
 marched him oif to be tried. On the way, he 
 leaped, handcuffed as he was, from a precipice into 
 the river, and disappeared. Great search was 
 made for him, and although they did not find the 
 body, the police thought he was drowned. All 
 pursuit would have been given up, had they not 
 afterwards heard that he had dived and swum under 
 water, till he had completely baffled them. Now 
 they are again after him ; but so determined a fel- 
 low as that is not easily overtaken." " I suppose 
 he thought me to be one of the police, then," said 
 Captain Spencer ; " and that was why he did not 
 answer when I made the native call. There was 
 little doubt that he had tracked his enemy to the 
 house of the stock-keeper, and taken revenge for 
 something he had done, which, however dreadful 
 to us, was only according to his notions of justice." 
 The supper was ready, Gip was fed, Kinchela 
 had a portion carried to him, and all things were 
 in repose, when the stock-keeper, who was evi- 
 dently (although he tried to conceal it) very curi- 
 ous to know who his guest might be, said, as he 
 Bmoked his pipe, " Perhaps, sir, you have also seen 
 Harry Blunt, the famous bush-ranger ? you may,
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 405 
 
 m fact, be come after him." " No, indeed," 
 answered Captain Spencer ; " I seem to have met 
 with the most famous characters of Eastern Au- 
 stralia, but I have not sought them. I have seen 
 Harry Blunt, and in fact only parted with him a 
 few days ago. Was it from here that he and his 
 companion took those two valuable horses ?" 
 " Sure enough it was," said the stock-keeper. 
 " We had long heard that rangers were about, but 
 as the story came from the natives only, who take 
 great delight in raising all sorts of false reports, 
 we did not alarm ourselves, or make preparations 
 to receive them by sending for the police. At 
 ,ast, however, some of our own people saw them, 
 and then we tried to be ready whenever they might 
 come. We constantly kept watch, night and day, 
 sat with our guns loaded, piled lots of things 
 against the windows for a month, till at last we 
 were tired out, and thought they must have taken 
 another direction. But about a week after we had 
 relaxed a little, two horsemen rode in at the gate 
 while we were at dinner, and one of them wore a 
 white hat with red ribbons hanging from it. Be- 
 fore we could rise he was in the house, saying he 
 must have something hot for dinner ; while the 
 other put the muzzle of his rifle in at the window, 
 so that he could have shot any one of us had we 
 stirred to get our own arms, which were hanging 
 up, so we dared not refuse ; and us to Sally," con»
 
 4-06 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 tinued the narrator, " I never saw her so over civil 
 in all my life ; she got up and waited upon him a 
 great deal quicker than she ever waits upon me ;" 
 and he looked arclilj at his wife, who exclaimed, 
 " Oh, James !" and blushed deeply. " Well, sir, 
 you see we were fairly caught ourselves ; so we set 
 all that Ave had to eat before Harry, and he ordered 
 us about as if we had been his subjects, taking care 
 to let us see that he had a large knife, and a brace 
 of pistols in his belt. When he had eaten enough, 
 he took one of the pistols, cocked it, and kept 
 guard with it in his hand, while his companion, a 
 much worse rascal than he, sat down in his turn 
 and made a good dinner ; they then called for to- 
 bacco and brandy, and Harry said he would leave 
 his card for the police, and thereupon carved his 
 name upon the table, as you may now see. He 
 spoke well enough, but he took what small articles 
 he fancied, such as a powder-horn ; changed his 
 old hat for my new one, and secured a few trifles, 
 as he called them ; he then winked at his com- 
 panion, who slipped out, and soon returned with 
 two of our best horses, saddled and bridled, leav- 
 ing in their place two jaded creatures. Harry 
 filled my gun and pistols with water, to prevent 
 me from firing after him ; and thanking us for our 
 civility, they both mounted our horses and rode ofi", 
 saying we should hear from them again. There 
 was no one at home but Sally, myself, and a boy,
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 407 
 
 who was so frightened that he hid himself. We 
 fbd and got the horses round which they had left, 
 and soon found their owners. Ours, I dare say, 
 will come hack in just the same condition. 
 
 " They treated one gentleman in these parts il 
 a very different manner. He was not at all pre- 
 pared for their coming, and his men were all at 
 work ; the first notice which he had of their arrival 
 was a rustling noise as he sat at a tahle reading ; 
 he turned his head, and saw his fire-arms in their 
 possession, but he tried to spring upon Harry, and 
 get his pistols back again ; however, as he was no 
 match for the fellow, he was bound and obliged to 
 remain quiet, while they took whatever they liked, 
 and ransacked his drawers. Then Harry told him 
 he knew him to be a tyrant over his men, so he 
 must punish him ; they tied him to a tree, and be- 
 gan to flog him; but after his companion had 
 whispered something in Harry's ear, they rode off 
 as hard as they could, leaving the poor gentle- 
 man fastened to the tree. A party in search of 
 the rangers came up in a few minutes; and aa 
 they stopped to release the victim, the scamps got 
 out of reach." 
 
 "Your dogs are of the same sort as these of 
 Mr. St. John," said Captain Spencer ; " what do 
 you call them?" "They are half-bred Grey- 
 hounds, sir; and we call them Kangaroo-dogs, 
 because they are so useful in hunting those ani-
 
 KI8 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 rnals, wliich required two of them, and a fast horse, 
 to be a match for them. They are also capital for 
 catching the Dingoes." Captain Spencer smiled 
 when he recollected how Gip and he had caught 
 many of the former, but he asked if the native 
 dogs in the neighbourhood were numerous. " Yes," 
 replied his host, " they are the greatest plagues we 
 have ; their step is so light and stealthy, that we 
 never know when they are coming, and they lie in 
 wait for their prey in the long grass, or rocky 
 places ; they sometimes come alone, and at others 
 iive or six together, and sometimes run well for a 
 little while, but soon get frightened when they are 
 pursued. They, however, die hard, and often pre- 
 tend to be dead, so that they may be left ; they 
 then suffer themselves to be beaten, kicked, and 
 dragged about without flinching; hanging their 
 heads, and making you believe they are done for; 
 then they get up, and run between your legs, or 
 spring over your shoulders, in order to escape. 
 Our dogs will kill them, but nauseate them after- 
 wards, and always plunge into water after hunting 
 them ; there is, however, a good breed between 
 them and tame dogs. They are the greatest sheep 
 and calf worriers in the world, and do not kill their 
 prey first, but eat it bit by bit while it is alive. 
 They have been known to eat off the tails of the 
 cattle as they lay asleep," It was now time for 
 the stock-keeper to perform his duties for the night ;
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 409 
 
 nis men, flocks, and herds were come in, and it ^\a^ 
 necessary to go to them. While he was absent, 
 Captain Spencer visited Tiger, and talked to the 
 children, who at first had been frightened at him, 
 but now hung about him as if be had been an old 
 friend; he went outside the doof, and whistlirg 
 for Charlie, treated them to some of his conversa- 
 tion ; he asked their names ; " Jim and Tom Rich- 
 ardson," was the reply ; and Cha'rlie, who happened 
 to be in a good humour, repeated the words, to 
 their great surprise and enjoyment. Then came 
 the time for rest ; and taking his cloaks from the 
 nail on which they had been hung, the traveller 
 prepared to join Tiger and Kinchela, who had al- 
 ready laid themselves down. This caused much 
 astonishment to Mr. and Mrs. Richardson ; but he 
 said he had been so long accustomed to the open 
 air, that he preferred it, and would join them at 
 breakfast the next morning. The good couple for 
 awhile remonstrated ; but finding their visitor in- 
 flexible, with true hospitality sufl'ered him to do 
 that which he liked best. 
 
 Breakfast was ready at an early hour ; the sheep 
 and cattle were already gone to their pastures, and 
 '.he exquisite climate and scenery seemed to make 
 his spot the beau ideal of a pastoral life. The 
 whole of the neighbouring country was apparently 
 in the possession of settlers, and its wild products 
 were coAsequently less abundant; still, so accus-
 
 110 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 tomed had the traveller been to find ample suste 
 nance in the desert, that he was about to start on 
 the second morning without taking thought for 
 future provision. Mr. Richardson, however, said, 
 " I shall make up a parcel of eatables, for you and 
 your servant, sir ; your horse and bird will find 
 plenty to eat, but human food will be scarce." 
 Captain Spencer started, for the idea of difiiculty 
 had not occurred ;' but recollecting himself, he ex- 
 pressed his thanks, and asked if he should not find 
 any inns on the way, " Yes," replied the stock- 
 keeper, " more than one, sir ; but I would not ad- 
 vise you to trust to them, for they are often so full 
 of riot, drunkenness, and quarrelling, that a gentle- 
 man like you will scarcely be willing to put up at 
 such places." Captain Spencer smiled, and looked 
 at his dress ; his host understood him, and added, 
 " I know a gentleman, sir, whatever clothes he 
 may wear. You are not an Overlander, so I sup- 
 pose you are a traveller, and travelling quite spoils 
 the dress." "True, friend," said the soldier, "I 
 am a traveller against my will, and have come a 
 great way ; and now I recollect myself, I have 
 none but Indian money, and a letter of credit, 
 which will not be of much use at a wayside inn." 
 '' I have but little to lend you, sir," said the honest 
 stock-keeper ; " but I can let you have a few shil- 
 lings ; vou can send them back to me some how or 
 other, when you get your own money." " My
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 41 
 
 good friend," said the soldier, oifering his hand, 
 " this is true hospitality ; stranger as I am, you 
 trust me, and I shall never forget your kindness. 
 After having found my way, partly without humaa 
 assistance, across a large portion of this extraordi^ 
 nary country, I can do with very little ; Gip will, 
 I suppose, find Rats and Opossums, Charlie in- 
 sects, Tiger grass, and if all these things set aside 
 on the dresser are for me, Kinchela and I shall 
 have enough for many days ; but if not. Gum-trees 
 would supply our wants." " Gum-trees !" ex- 
 claimed Mrs. Richardson, with an astonished look. 
 " Yes, I have more than once lived on the bark 
 and roots for many days." " Oh ! sir," continued 
 she, with an uncontrollable impulse, " if you would 
 but stay with us a day longer, and tell us all that 
 has happened to you, it would not take my hus- 
 band from his work, because this is slack time with 
 us. When I have made the place tidy, if you 
 would be so kind, it would give us such pleasure, 
 and we should talk all our lives about your adven- 
 tures. We have read our books so often, that we 
 are tired of them ; but we should never weary in 
 talking of you." Captain Spencer smiled at the 
 earnestness of Mrs. Richardson, and willingly con- 
 sented to reward his host and hostess for their 
 kindness by an ample account of all he had seen, 
 suffered, and enjoyed ; nor did he ever feel more 
 pleasure in narrating his history than in imparting
 
 1-12 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 t to those simple persons, who seldom interrupted 
 him, and when they did, it was with some artless 
 expression of wonder and sympathy, or by some 
 apt question which only gave him fresh zest to con- 
 tinue. When he actually did depart the next day, 
 he gave each of the children a gold coin to keep 
 in remembrance of him ; and Richardson and his 
 wife took leave of him with tears in their eyes. 
 "You have taught us a lesson of trust, sir," said 
 the stock-keeper, " which I hope we shall never 
 forget. Few leave their own country for ever of 
 their own accord, without having suffered much,- 
 and I hare had my share ; but it now seems to me 
 as if I had not trusted enough to God. Besides 
 which, you have put his goodness in a new light, 
 by teaching us the uses of many things, which 
 have till now been wasted on us ; and what is more, 
 you and Kinchela have given me new feelings 
 about the blacks, which I should never have had 
 without you, for I have judged of them only by 
 those which I have seen about the colony. Ah, 
 sir ! you will be grieved when you see the poor 
 drunken creatures lying about like beasts ; but I 
 must not talk any more, and so prevent you from 
 starting. We shall pray for, and never forget 
 you, and I hope you will always remember farmer 
 Richardson, the superintendent of Oakley Farm." 
 Assurances to this effect were warmly given ; and 
 Edward Spencer and his companion again set out
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 41S 
 
 ttpoL theii travels, tlie heart of the soldier re- 
 freshed by this short intercourse with such speci- 
 mens from his own country. 
 
 Deeply did the English traveller, as he passed 
 along, regret the beautiful wilderness which he had 
 left behind him, for the country which now met his 
 eye was only half what is called " redeemed from 
 the waste." Some of the ground was enclosed 
 for the purposes of agriculture, in other places the 
 white trunks of trees lay scattered on the soil in 
 disorder. The labour of man had not replaced 
 Nature's prolific treasures ; untidy hovels, few and 
 far between, composed of slabs stuck up like pal- 
 ings, and thatched with bark, sheltered the culti- 
 vators of the soil ; but even these were frequently 
 in a state which showed that the emigrants there 
 were not of Britain's orderly children, or were of 
 that unruly portion which every race of human 
 beings presents. The thatch was frequently hang- 
 ing in shreds, the broken windows were stopped up 
 with rags, the doors were off their hinges, and 
 fragments of bottles, cinders, and rubbish were 
 lying around the immediate vicinity. Captain 
 Spencer smiled Avhen he met with a finger-post, 
 informing him in what township he was, without 
 seeing even a trace of a dwelling; reminding him 
 of what he had read of allotments of land in 
 America ; and he now saw the force of what the 
 Btock-keeper had said respecting the difficulty of 
 35*
 
 414 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 finding food for himself and Kinchela. He had 
 received ample instructions as to the way in which 
 he was to proceed, and found himself, in obedience 
 to those indications, going south, and mountains 
 rising up before him. "Kinchela," said he, "we 
 must pass over these mountains." "These bigger 
 than other mountains far, far awaj," replied Kin- 
 chela. The party bent their steps towards them, 
 and hourly received fresh proofs of the capricious- 
 ness of the rains in Australia. They were now in 
 a district which had evidently been without them 
 for a long time ; the dry rivulets, the rusty leaves, 
 the dusty roads, deserted cattle and sheep stations, 
 seemed to show that no moisture had gladdened 
 the earth ; a tale that was familiar, having drought 
 for its burden. The only food for Tiger was maize, 
 the plantations of which having been deserted, his 
 master not only suffered him to browse on it, but 
 the bags were filled with it in case of future scar- 
 city. The approach of the travellers scattered 
 from it immense flights of green, blue, yellow, and 
 crimson Parrots, Cockatoos of various kinds, Pi- 
 geons, Finches, Swallows; in short, all the birds 
 of eastern Australia, and most of those from the 
 other portions of the counti-y seemed to congre- 
 gate in these fields of grain, affording a rich har- 
 vest for the sustenance of the strangers, who rested 
 there to secure a stock of food ; and Captain 
 Spencer was amused to see how carefully Kinchela
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 415 
 
 avoided the destruction of Pigeons, as if he had a 
 superstitious reverence for them. 
 
 The path by which Captain Spencer ascended 
 the limestone mountains was narrow and steep, 
 but slabs of wood occasionally made them a little 
 more passable. They met five heavily-laden drays, 
 just like those of English brewers ; two men at- 
 tached to each, which had conveyed the produce 
 of their owners' farms, such as hides, tallow, and 
 wines, either for home consumption in Sydney, or 
 for exportation, and were returning with the goods 
 which they had received in exchange. Captain 
 Spencer drew up on a crag above the path, and 
 watched them as they passed ; each covered with a 
 tarpauling, and drawn by eight or ten oxen, hav- 
 ing no other harness than bows, ropes, and yokes, 
 and all going on so quietly and patiently, that they 
 needed no other. The drivers seemed to be very 
 much astonished at the party above, and one asked 
 if they had met with any water lately. Captain 
 Spencer informed the man of a muddy pool, and 
 he in return gave him a knowing wink ; and turn- 
 ing round to his companion, said, " A queer chap 
 that. I can't think what he is ; he's too near to 
 be a ranger, and not a bit like a police." " He's 
 a travelling merchant, Dick," said the other man, 
 "with that pack on the horse's back ; and yet," 
 continued the man, looking once again, " the horse 
 is a beauty."
 
 416 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 On getting higher up the mountains, the climate 
 became raw and cold ; and as poor Kinchela 
 wrapped his Kangaroo-cloak round him, his mas- 
 ter began to think that he was placed in an awk- 
 ward dilemma. He was going to a civilized dwell- 
 ing, and had no clothes for his servant ; the whole 
 of his o^vn wardrobe was on his back, and that in 
 such a wretched condition that he every day 
 dreaded it would yawn too widely ever to come to- 
 gether again. He saw, with some degree of com- 
 fort, that Kinchela's cloak was unusually long, and 
 he hoped that the ladies of the family would not 
 be too fastidious. When he looked back upon all 
 the difficulties which had beset him, he could not 
 help smiling to find that dress should be so per- 
 plexing, and even cause him annoyance. They 
 began to descend, and a sharp turn in the path 
 opened to them a lovely landscape, whose sudden 
 fertility and verdure, owing to the permanent na- 
 ture of some of the streams, formed a striking and 
 cheerful contrast to the dreary, parched region 
 w^hich tney had just passed, where frequent and 
 tall columns of dust, at least one hundred feet 
 high, had passed them, gliding rapidly and myste- 
 riously along, at an immense rate. On the moun- 
 tains themselves, they had been much tormented 
 by swarms of Ants, some with black bodies, red 
 heads and legs, and yellow forceps, which Jumped
 
 AUSTRALIAN "WANDERERS. 417 
 
 at them as tliey passed, emitted a nauseous odour, 
 and bit Kinchela severely. 
 
 The route still continued along the side of the 
 mountain, now and then cheered by a patch of 
 shrubs, or a trailing plant, such as one of the 'Ken- 
 nedias, and again did the travellers meet with 
 Grass-trees, and resting for the night close by one 
 of them, Kinchela set fire to it, and created an 
 immense sensation, as Captain Spencer afterwards 
 heard, among the inhabitants of the plain below, 
 whose curiosity and surprise induced them to rush 
 out of their houses to behold the men and the fire 
 on the mountain. At length they saw the river, 
 which had been described to them, and descending 
 as soon as possible into the valley, they wound 
 along its banks, delighting their eyes by looking 
 at old friends in the shape of tall trees, reeds, and 
 frogs ; and new ones in the form of flowers, one 
 of which was like a fringed Violet. There were, 
 however, new torments ; for stinging flies worried 
 Tiger, who, after trying to get rid of them by 
 sundry antics, rushed up to his master, as much as 
 to say. Rid me of my persecutors. 
 
 The river became gradually wider ; small and 
 beautiful islands studded its clear waters, which 
 were adorned with exquisite shrubs, the habitations 
 of splendid birds and insects. Trees descended to 
 the water's edge, or retreating to a distance left a 
 green, grassy slope, on one of which they rested
 
 418 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 for the night. The next morning they retreated 
 from the river, and following what appeared to be 
 a road, they met a party of farm-servants with a 
 horse, and themselves nearly covered with a quan- 
 tity of boughs, belonging to a very beautiful shrub. 
 Its leaves were like those of the Horse-chestnut in 
 shape, but the upper side was dark-green, and the 
 under quite pale. The starry flowers were placed 
 like sprays at the end of the twigs ; all the flower- 
 buds were of a greenish-white ; but as they ad- 
 vanced towards maturity, they passed from pure 
 white into rose-colour, and at last became quite 
 crimson. They smelt like new hay ; and the men 
 were laughing under their burdens, by which they 
 were so blinded, that they had not seen Captain 
 Spencer. He asked them in which direction he 
 should find Mr. Onslow's farm ; and then they all 
 moved the leaves from before their eyes, to stare at 
 the strangers. " Up the hill yonder," said one of 
 the men, peeping from his leafy covering ; " we 
 are his servants, and as this is Christmas eve, we 
 have been to fetch flowers for dressing up the 
 house." Dressing the house for Christmas-day ! 
 What a happy sound did that convey to a poor 
 wanderer, who had been so long deprived of Chris- 
 tian worship, except in his own heart. Reminis- 
 cences and a host of feelings crowded so thickly 
 upon him, that he could not speak. " If you will 
 follow us, sir," continued the man, " we will show
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 419 
 
 you the shortest way to the house." The laugh- 
 ing had ceased; and the whole party, looking at 
 Captain Spencer, whispered conjectures to each 
 other, as tp who and what he might be. " Do you 
 know Mr. St. John ?" said the traveller. " Oh, 
 yes, sir!" was the reply; "he was here a few 
 months ago, bought stock of my master, and was 
 going with it, by the Darling, to Adelaide." "It 
 was by the side of that river I met -him, and he 
 gave me a letter for Mr. Onslow, which I will thank 
 you to take to him." " Certainly, sir. Do you 
 know how stock has been selling at Adelaide?" 
 asked the man, eyeing Captain Spencer from head 
 to foot, and evidently taking him for an Overlander. 
 "I have not been there," he replied, " nor did I 
 meet with any one coming from thence."
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 r:so-:pt:oii of Mr. Onslow's farm — Cordial reception of Captain 
 Spencer — Clothes supplied — Conversations about Aborigines — ■ 
 Mr. Onslow wishes for Kinehela to enter his service — Ivinchela 
 refuses — Dingoes, sheep, cattle^Mrs. Onslow's garden — Hunt 
 stray cattle — Wayside inn — Captain Spencer's courage and nerve 
 — Tiger's good behaviour — Letter from stock-keeper Richardson, 
 describing an interview with Harry Blunt — Endeavours to per- 
 suade Captain Spencer to settle in Australia — Conversation with 
 Mr. Onslow — Description of woods — Mare eats a foal — English 
 plants spring up in the neighbourhood of cattle — Tarantula- 
 Native cat — Adventure of the pumpkins — Parting — Mr. Onslow 
 goes to Sydney with Captain Spencer — Kinehela rides with them 
 — Mrs. Onslow's courage when attacked by natives — Arrival at 
 Sydney — Charlie — Attempt of Gipsy, Tiger, and Charlie to ac- 
 company their master — Harry Elunt taken — Captain Spencer 
 obtains a mitigation of his sentence — Harry afterwards becomes 
 a faithful servant to Mr. Onslow — Captain Spencer sends pre- 
 sents to all his friends — Arrival of all the travellers in Bombay — 
 Letter from Mr. George Onslow about the Gold-mines. 
 
 The whole party had reached the top of the 
 bank, which they had ascended by way of making 
 a short cut, and Captain Spencer paused at the 
 charming scene before him. On a rising ground 
 stood a long, low, white house, plastered in imita- 
 tion of stone, thatched with bark, so skilfully put 
 on that it looked like a smooth, symmetrical cover- 
 ing ; a green verandah shaded the front and sides 
 of the house, and it was raised a few steps from 
 ( 420 )
 
 AUSTRALIAN AVANDERERS. 421 
 
 the ground ; a small lake on one side communicate:; 
 with the river, an extensive kitchen and flower- 
 garden encircled the house, beyond which was a 
 paddock for saddle-horses, another for milch cows 
 and working bullocks, and close by was a vineyard. 
 A line of low buildings, stables, sheds, cattle-yards, 
 &c., occupied the other side ; and the trees in the 
 garden, and the hills at the back, rendered it a 
 perfect picture of a settler's home. An air of 
 neatness, and even of elegance, reigned over the 
 whole, and showed that the establishment was con- 
 ducted with the most consummate care and skill. 
 " This is reckoned one of the finest farms in the 
 country," said Captain Spencer's conductor ; " my 
 master and the young gentlemen do and see so 
 much to everything themselves, and my mistress is 
 so fond of her garden, that it is full of the plants 
 and fruits of all countries." It was not compact 
 enough to be English ; but the repose, the clean- 
 liness, the comfort, and convenience, showed that 
 English habits were there practised ; and so occu- 
 pied was the soldier by it, that only Avhen they 
 reached the inner gate of the domain, did he recol- 
 lect the leaf on which Mr. St. John had written 
 his introduction ; he stopped and pulled it from his 
 pocket, the man deposited his load on the shoul- 
 ders of another, and took the message to his em- 
 ployers. While he was gone, Kinchela came up 
 to his master, and said, " Spose, Boccolo, very big 
 36
 
 22 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS, 
 
 't^-i 
 
 oian live in that house." "Why?" said his mas- 
 iar. "Because it very big house," was the reply. 
 "We shall soon see," returned his mastei, "for 
 here come two of the gentlemen." Mr. Onslow 
 had read the paper, and his sons had looked at it 
 over his shoulder : scarcely giving themselves time 
 to get to the end, they both bounded to the gate, 
 and Mr. Onslow went into the house to tell his 
 wife and daughter. Each of the young men seized 
 a hand of the stranger, the eldest saying, "Any 
 and every friend of St. John's is most welcome 
 here. Walk in, Captain Spencer ; my father him- 
 self is coming to meet you." Captain Spencer 
 hesitated, and looked at Tiger, Gip, and Kinchela. 
 "There is room for all of you," said Mr. Onslow, 
 who now came up and read the traveller's thoughts; 
 " we are right glad to see one coming from St. 
 John. Your servant can put your horse into a 
 comfortable stable, while you and your dog come 
 with us." Captain Spencer raised his hat from 
 his head, and bowed his thanks ; and he then said, 
 " I have yet another companion ;" and he gave the 
 signal for Charlie. In half a minute the bird flew 
 on to his master's shoulder, toclaiming, " All's 
 right, Charlie's coming!" and looking round him 
 at the group, added, " What a row !" The aston- 
 ished owners of Onslow's farm burst into a laugh 
 "Now go to Tiger, good bird," said his master, 
 ■ind Charlie perched himself on the horse's back
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 423 
 
 The love of these two for Kinchela was now only 
 secondary to that which they felt for their pos- 
 sessor, so that they went contentedly with him ; 
 and Gip, who had already been welcomed by vari- 
 ous members of the canine race, leaped into her 
 master's arms, where she was buttoned up inside 
 his jacket, so as not to incommode him in return- 
 ins: the kind salutations which met him on all 
 sides, and not the least from the ladies. They 
 said tea was about to be served ; and he was there- 
 fore at once shown into the room he was to occupy, 
 where the luxury of soap and towels made him 
 revel in the resumption of long-lost comforts. A 
 servant entered to ask if he should fetch his things 
 from the stable ; at which Captain Spencer smiled, 
 and replied, " that he must appe'^ar as he was, for 
 he had no other clothes, and that he would himself 
 go to the stable before bed-time." His chief an- 
 noyance at that moment was, that it should be dis- 
 covered he had no linen ; and he buttoned up his 
 jacket, and combed his handsome beard carefully 
 over his bronzed throat, flattering himself it was 
 not deteriorated by the sand-scrubbing which it 
 had so constantly received. He gave his whole 
 Buit a good beating ; and when he had made his 
 last ejQTort he recollected that there was a looking- 
 glass in which he might contemplate the effect he 
 had produced. He not only started, when he 
 looked at himself, but he remained so astonished
 
 424 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 rit the alteration, from the yellow, sickly face, 
 which he had last beheld, that he was still stand- 
 ing before the mirror when Mr. George Onslow 
 came to tell him tea was ready. 
 
 The impression made by Captain Spencer's voice 
 and manner had been too favourable to suffer his 
 shabby habiliments to lessen the respect felt for 
 him ; and when he found himself so suddenly trans- 
 ported from the wild woods into the society of 
 ladies and gentlemen, he felt as if in a dream. 
 He looked round him instead of eating, and saw 
 the refinements of polished life, books, work, mu- 
 sical instruments, and heard the low, SM'eet voices 
 about him, as if they were not real, till they noticed 
 his abstraction. "Forgive me," he said; "I do 
 not feel as if I v.cre myself. My first astonish- 
 ment and doubt was occasioned, however, by seeing 
 myself in a looking-glass, and now — I think you 
 must turn me out again, that I may be sure of my 
 o^wn identity. " The night was far advanced when 
 Jie parties separated ; the traveller's adventures 
 •irere related and heard with so breathless an in- 
 terest, that there was no commentary, except an 
 exclamation, and no inquiry, for fear of interrup- 
 tion. " You must stay with us as long as you can," 
 said Mr. Onslow, " and when you must go I will 
 accompany you to Sydney." " I should only be 'oo 
 happy to remain for a time," answered the guest, 
 but I am too poorly clad to delay reaching s
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 425 
 
 place where I can get freshly accoutred." "We 
 can help you," said both the young men, "and to- 
 morrow morning we will have a consultation ; my 
 father's things will be much too wide for you." 
 The stable was visited, and the three travellers 
 there were found fast asleep. Kinchela was awoke, 
 with a strict injunction not to appear without his 
 kangaroo-cloak : and Gip returned with her mas- 
 ter, to sleep by his side on the bed-room floor. 
 
 All masters of farms keep stores of clothing, of 
 which they dispose to their workmen, and from 
 these Kinchela was equipped with new shirts, for 
 his own had been entirely worn out since he left 
 the Marie ; and Captain Spencer was supplied by 
 the young men, who, at an early hour, entered 
 with all they could find which they thought might 
 be useful. " My father is always saying we are 
 extravagant," said George Onslow; "but I am 
 sure he Avill now be very glad that we have enough 
 for a friend." Between the two tall youths, the 
 handsome soldier was well equipped ; the beard 
 was reduced to a short fringe, and Edward Spen- 
 cer was himself again. The house Avas decorated 
 for the festival ; and after breakfast, Mr. Onslow 
 assembled all liis men, and read prayers, among 
 which he offercMl up a thanksgiving for the safety 
 and preservntiou of his newly-arrived guest, whose 
 lieart swelled with gratitude, and Avho hailed the 
 return of this glorious anniversary with a depth 
 36*
 
 426 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 of devotion whicli few can conceive who have not 
 been the object of such signal mercies as he had 
 experienced. 
 
 Time passed swiftly ; and Captain Spencer be- 
 came so interested in the settler's occupations, that 
 his friends, who quickly attached themselves to 
 him, entreated of him to abandon the soldier's life, 
 and come among them to live, saying, that with 
 his influence, his knowledge of native customs, his 
 acquaintance with their languages, he might not 
 only benefit himself, but save the aborigines from 
 some of the degrading consequences which the 
 vicinity of white men seemed to entail upon them. 
 "At Sydney," said Mr. Onslow, "and indeed we 
 need not go so far for such sad examples, you will 
 see the state to which they are reduced, as it were, 
 upon their own soil ; but I hope the time will come 
 when it will be thought criminal to fire upon them, 
 as if they were a flight of crows invading our 
 fields of grain, whereas it is we who are the invad- 
 ing crows. The settlement of Moorundi, near 
 Adelaide, has already produced a humanising ef- 
 fect ; and your Kinchela is a proof how much may 
 be done, at least with some dispositions. We em- 
 ploy several about the farm, and find them useful, 
 docile, and intelligent ; how far they would be faith- 
 ful in any attack from their own tribe, we have no 
 opportunity of judging, nor do we wish to have; 
 but we take groat care to keep what they call fire-
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 427 
 
 water from theui, for that destroys both body and 
 soul." " But has no effort been made to chris- 
 tianise them?" asked Captain Spencer. "Yes, 
 many," was the reply ; "we have missionaries and 
 schools in the townships, as well as the head colony, 
 and success has altogether equalled expectation." 
 "It surprises me," resumed Captain Spencer, "that 
 these people should always have been reported 
 lower in the scale of intellect than any other sav- 
 ages ; they argue shrewdly, comprehend much, 
 have rules of government, extraordinary ceremo- 
 nies, although not of a religious nature — a quiet 
 submission to what they think justice, and well- 
 defined notions of landed property — all of which 
 betoken a much more advanced condition than that 
 with which they are credited. Perhaps it is the 
 treatment of their women which has given rise to 
 the stigma." " Oh, in that respect I have nothing 
 to say in their favour," replied Mr. Onslow. 
 
 " What are you going to do with Kinchela ?" 
 said Mr. Onslow one day to his new friend. " I 
 have promised to take him with me," replied Cap- 
 tain Spencer, " wherever I go, though I .confess I 
 shall find some difficulties with him in India, among 
 the jealous Hindoos ; but there I think I can keep 
 the gin-bottle from him." " I was going to ask 
 you to leave him with us, as house-servant." " It 
 would be much to his advantage to do so, especi- 
 illy as you would not spoil him. At present I
 
 428 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 must confess your men kive made so much of him, 
 that he is in a complete state of puppyism ; how- 
 ever, we will ask him." Kinchela was summoned, 
 and Mr. Onslow's proposal stated, at which the 
 poor fellow at first looked astonished, then angry, 
 and at last putting up his hands, and tears rolling 
 down his cheeks, he implored his master not to for- 
 get his promise of taking him wherever he went : 
 " Boccolo stay," said he, " Kinchela stay ; Boccolo 
 keep here, Kinchela glad ; Boccolo go away, Kin- 
 chela go away, and glad too." He was assured 
 that he should do as he pleased ; and he then re- 
 peated that it was " best for Kinchela to be with 
 Boccolo, Gip, Tiger, and Charlie." "It would be 
 wrong to press him any further," said Mr. Onslow; 
 " but if you ever wish to part with him, while he 
 is as he is, send him to us ; unless, indeed, you 
 yourself bring him." " I have thought much 
 about settling here," was the reply; "but I do 
 not deem it would be honourable to quit the ser- 
 vice in which I am engaged, while I can be useful 
 in it ; but perhaps I may pay you a visit. Now I 
 linger in this charming circle as a sort of repay- 
 ment for all my sufferings ; but I feel that the duty 
 of a soldier, in spite^of an extended furlough, is 
 with his regiment." " You yiust not talk of going 
 yet," said Frederick Onslow, who now came up, 
 " we have a hundred things for you to see and do : 
 we are going into the busn, to try and bring back
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 429 
 
 gome stray cattle, and, of course, you will go with 
 us. Fortunately we have just shorn our sheep, 
 and to-inorrow we begin folding and packing, so 
 that our time will be more our own." 
 
 The next morning the traveller found his way 
 through the cat'tle and sheep folds, to a long, low 
 shed, devoted to the wool, where Mr. Onslow had 
 already stationed himself, to superintend the pro- 
 cess which was going forward on a large table. 
 "Which is the best breed?" asked Captain Spen- 
 cer. " The Merino," answered Mr. Onslow ; " and 
 we form our flocks into five, of 800 heads, which 
 are watched as you have seen ; but occasionally, 
 if they lie far out, the shepherds sleep in a mer-: 
 box, and this is necessary en account of the War- 
 ragles, or Dingoes. We are obliged to be very 
 strict with cur shepherds, or they would grow in- 
 dolent and careless, and we deduct the value of the 
 missing sheep from their wages. They never are 
 fit for anything else, after leading so monotonous 
 a life. Next to the Dingoes, our greatest nuisance 
 with the sheep is a burr, the seeds of which are 
 set with hooks, which turn backwards,* mix with 
 the wool, as you see here, and it is next to impos- 
 sible to get them out. I have farms entirely for 
 sheep, and others for cattle ; for unless under your 
 own eye, it is best to have them separate." " How 
 many have you at these farms ?" " At one I havo 
 
 * Calotes uncifolia.
 
 430 AUSTRALIAN WANDEREKS. 
 
 20,000 ; less than 5000 will not answer. As to 
 my cattle, it would be difficult to count them to a 
 nicety, for they are always straying to a distance; 
 but all are branded. The branding is a most ex- 
 citing afiFair ; for the -men stand with their hot 
 irons ready, while others drive the animals to them, 
 and you will suppose the difficulty there is in get- 
 ting them to the proper spot." " What is that 
 long line of sheds for ?" asked Captain Spencer. 
 " For my working men, who are very comfortable 
 in them, I assure you." "And now, as I am in 
 an inquisitive vein, do tell me why you have that 
 jr^l'ows in your yard ; do you take the law into 
 jour own hands?" "You shall soon see," said 
 Mr. Onslow, " for there it? a movement near the 
 cattle-yard, and the slaughter took place last 
 night." As he spoke, some men brought a bul- 
 lock to the gallows, and by a pulley hoisted it to 
 the top, where it was to be cut up. " That is the 
 extent of my penal avocations," said Mr. Onslow. 
 " Captain Spencer," said a cheerful voice, "for 
 a man who professes to admire flowers, I do not 
 think you have paid sufficient respect to my gar- 
 den." "Indeed, Mrs. Onslow, I have; my walks 
 in it take place every morning before you are up, 
 although you are a very early person ; but I now 
 challenge you to a tete-a-tete walk in it this eve- 
 ning." "You had better not," interfered Miss 
 Onslow. " for if von do vou will stand a chance of
 
 AUSTKALIAN WANDKRERS. 431 
 
 not going to bed : mamma never knows when to 
 finish if she gets on horticultural topics ; and I 
 warn you that she means to coax you out of some 
 seeds from India." " I will promise them before- 
 hand, and I shall trust to you to come to my res- 
 cue, when you think I* have received as much 
 instruction in gardening as will be good for my 
 shallow intellects." 
 
 As soon as tea was over, Mrs. Onslow rose, 
 saying, " You are not to mind that impertinent 
 child, Captain Spencer, but come now and see all 
 I have done. The fact is," continued she, as they 
 walked along, " Mary has had only the sweets, and 
 I the labour ; for to form a garden in this country, 
 which shall be all you wish, requires much patience 
 and trouble. Sometimes the insects come and eat 
 up everything ; then an overwhelming flight of 
 birds one year destroyed all my grapes,* for I in- 
 clude the vineyards in my occupations. I was the 
 first in this part of the country to make wine, and 
 now it forms ah important article of exportation. 
 Then come those terrible droughts, which, if they 
 do not kill, make everything languish. I try, by 
 watering as much as possible, to counteract them, 
 but this takes my hands, and they cannot alway:: 
 be spared, nor can I ask for it when I see our poor 
 cattle dying for want of this life-giving moisture, 
 and when we are obliged to have it brought frorc 
 
 * Zosterops dorsalis.
 
 432 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 great distances for household purposes. My little 
 lake, which Mr. Onslow had made for me, in con- 
 sequence of being so successful with the vines, is a 
 great resource for them. I fill my garden-engine 
 from it ; hut even that became dry in a drought 
 which lasted three years. That is why you see 
 such large plantations of maize for the horses, 
 pigs, and poultry, as wheat will not grow in dry 
 seasons. Now stop and look at my two Norfolk 
 Island Pines ; did you ever see more beautiful 
 specimens of the cone tribe ? what strength, ma- 
 jesty, and symmetry combined, as they lessen by 
 degrees towards the top, where that tiny cross 
 ad 3rns the summit ! I assure you I am very proud 
 cf them." " I have often stopped to admire them," 
 said Captain Spencer, " and wondered where they 
 came from, for I had not seen any in the country 
 tnrough which I have passed." "No, they are 
 a.', brought from Norfolk Island; but, as you 
 see, this place suits them very well. I have en- 
 deavoured here to get round me whatever is good 
 in all countries, and even those which grow in the 
 bush ; for who knows but that cultivation may 
 make many plants valuable acquisitions? For, 
 instance, here is a fruit called the Loquat; you 
 see it is a handsome tree, with large, long leaves, 
 and bears clusters of white fragrant blossoms, 
 which turn into gold.en gooseberries. Mr. Onslow 
 mW not let me have any of the beautiful Acacias
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 433 
 
 of Australia, because he says there are too many 
 in the bush, and they are the torments of the 
 settlers' lives ; but I have the Botany Bay Lily, 
 and the splendid Iris, just the colour of ultrama* 
 rine. Then, you see, I have Figs, Bananas, Gua- 
 vas, and Oranges ; but my Lemons are rather a 
 failure^ for they look like misshapen Seville Or- 
 anges, The Pomegranates I have cultivated for 
 the sake of their bright blossoms ; but of sM things 
 I cherish the English fi'uits and trees, which give 
 me a feeling of home whenever I look at them. I 
 tried to environ myself with the forest-trees of the 
 dear old land, for everything here grows at such 
 an enormous rate, that even my life might be long 
 enough to enjoy their shade ; but they only succeed 
 on the hills, and Gooseberries and Currants are 
 only to be reared on the heights. If I could, I 
 would have a garden at one of our out-stations, 
 and ride over to it once a week ; but Mr. Onslow 
 only laughs at me. Apples and Pears will not 
 grow in these k)wer districts ; but in the south, and 
 in Van Diemen's Land, they are excellent : they 
 may well call the former Australia Felix, for every- 
 thing flourishes there. At supper you shall taste 
 my Quandang jam, which is made from the Fusa- 
 nus* fruit, which you have seen in the bush. I 
 cultivated this Coral-tree,f because its leaf is just 
 like a human hand, and its two bright scarlet peas 
 
 • Fusanus acuminatus. f Erythrina vespertilio. 
 
 37
 
 434 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 are so beautiful in their pods. I smuggled In some 
 of the Jasmines for the sake of their fragrance, as 
 well as those bushes which remind me of Mint,* 
 and Thyme,t and the broom-like plant,J from the 
 bush. Look at my large white Datura; I am 
 obliged to have it far from the house, its odour is 
 so strong. I have a fine Orchis, with a bright-blue 
 flower, and gold and black inside, which I have 
 had great diflBculty in rearing; but it is not in 
 blossom now. You can see my beautiful Nelum- 
 bium, with its large leaf, and its stalk eight feet 
 out of the water. Its tuber looks as if it were 
 good to eat." " That and its seed are both edible," 
 said Captain Spencer : " I tried it in the west, and 
 you may make use of almost all tubers by boiling 
 them in two waters, which washes out all the acrid 
 properties." 
 
 " To tell you the truth," continued Mrs. Onslow, 
 " I have a little secret in that corner. I am try- 
 ing what can be made of that which they here call 
 the Cotton-tree ;§ and, if it should answer, I have 
 a project for spinning the cotton on our own es- 
 tate." "You must get St. Joh.n to bring you the 
 Beeds of the Sturtia from the neighbourhood of 
 Adelaide," said Captain Spencer; "they say it 
 affords very good raW material." " Thank you for 
 telling me," resumed Mrs. Onslow ; " I will cer- 
 
 * Stenochilus. t Prostanthera odoratissima. 
 
 X Jacksonia. § Cochlospermam gossypium.
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 485 
 
 tainly try it. I have vast plans in my Liead," she 
 continued, her bright eyes kindling with enthusi- 
 asm, and we have surmounted so many obstacles, 
 and done so much already, and in this country the 
 spirits are so elastic, the energies so strengthened, 
 and nature so vigorously responds to our endeav- 
 ours, that I seem to live two lives in one. I have 
 visions of a native school, in which not only book- 
 instruction shall be given, but other things taught, 
 such as carding and spinning; and who knows but 
 weaving and bleaching may be accomplished ? But, 
 first of all, we must have a church." Captain 
 Spencer smiled, and said, " From what I have seen 
 of the natives, I think no sedentary employment 
 will suit them ; and it will take two or three gene- 
 rations of taming to fit them for such purposes. 
 To me their wildness seems to be unconquerable, 
 and I even look forward to Kinchela's straying oc- 
 casionally ; my best security in India will be the 
 wild beasts, of which he will be horribly afraid." 
 
 "Look, Captain Spencer," again continued Mrs. 
 Onslow, " I have your Bamboo from India ; Mr. 
 Onslow has condescended to approve of this impor- 
 tation, and has even made a plantation of it for 
 himself, because it is so good for fences. Here is 
 a native plant* which will please you ; it has pods 
 just like Chili peppers." " And much more aro- 
 naatic," said Captain Spencer, tasting them. " Here 
 
 * Hoemodorum.
 
 436 AUSTRALIAN WANDKKfiRS. 
 
 comes Mary to call us in," cried the mamma. " I 
 hope I have not teased jou too much." " On the 
 contrary," answered Captain Spencer, " I have 
 been much interested, and I shall use my best en- 
 deavoui's, when I return to India, to procure as many 
 plants and seeds as I can for you.'' " Oh, thank 
 you, Captain Spencer ; that is the only thing which 
 can reconcile me to your going, and for which 
 promise I now give you an English rose, one of the 
 dear roses which I brought from Wimbledon ; I 
 look at them every day, and think of my dear 
 friends there, and the most beautiful garden in the 
 world ; and only my especial favourites are allowed 
 to have any of the blossoms." 
 
 "I am come to the rescue," exclaimed Miss On- 
 slow, as she approached ; " my mamma will teach 
 you horticulture, papa agriculture, and George and 
 Frederic will complete your education by talking 
 to you forever about wild cattle." " And you, 
 Miss Onslow," whispered the officer, " will perhaps 
 favour me with the last polish, by remarks on 
 Overlanders." Miss Mary's deep blush, and hasty 
 exclamation of " Here come the boys !" succeeded 
 by a hasty flight, showed not only the keenness, 
 but the truth of the soldier's penetration. 
 
 " Well, Spencer," said George Onslow, "we start 
 m the middle of the night, and I have ordered a 
 good feed of corn to be given to Tiger. Kinchela 
 wants to go ; but as he cannot ride, neither he nor
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 437 
 
 Gip can go with u-." "Certainly not; I leave 
 them both in charge of Airs. Onslow." " You 
 must not take one of your awkward tin cans," con- 
 tinued the young man ; " we shall equip you like 
 one of ourselves, with a tin pot, some damper and 
 corned beef, flint and steel in your pocket, your 
 rifle at your back, and your pistols in your belt. 
 We will allow you to wear your grass hat ; for that 
 cap and gold band are really too dashing ; but 
 take your opossum-cloak. We sup early, that we 
 may go to bed and have a good sleep before start- 
 ing. We shall breakfast at the inn close by the 
 creek through which we go." 
 
 Tiger was in high spirits, full of corn and ani- 
 mation after his long rest ; poor Gip had been car- 
 ried to Mrs. Onslow's bed-room, and Charlie was 
 left perched upon a rack in the stable. Kinchela 
 looked very disconsolate ; but Captain Spencer 
 raised his importance by telling him he must take 
 care of all his things while he was away, and this 
 was some consolation. After riding a few hours, 
 the party came to the inn, which even at that early 
 hour was a scene of intoxication; and the drunken 
 swearing of the master, on being awoke, promised 
 badly for the ensuing breakfast. The inn itself 
 was a pretty little building, Avith a garden, flowers, 
 and good accommodations ; but within all was dis- 
 order ; black and white men were lying on the 
 floor, sleeping off the effects of the night's excess;
 
 438 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 the pretty young mistress herself coining to the 
 gentlemen guests with a stupid look, and evident 
 signs of not having been undressed all night 
 '' What a dread: ui plcmre !" said Captain Spen- 
 cer ; " surely no colonies can prosper where this 
 frequently occurs." "It is the curse of many new 
 colonies," observed George Onslow ; " the income 
 of a waj'side inn is chiefly derived from cattle- 
 keepers, half-reclaimed convicts, idle emigrants, 
 and people of a loose description, who lead the 
 master of the establishment into temptation ; he 
 leads his wife ; and you know how soon such habits 
 are formed. My men, however, know how to man- 
 age, and I see they are lighting a fire to cook ba- 
 con and eggs for us, the staple commodities of such 
 places. There is a milk cow in the yard, can you 
 draw it ?" "No," answered the soldier ; " I never 
 tried." "1 can," said Frederic, "if we could but 
 get a clean jug or basin into which we could put 
 the milk." "I will take charge of the horses, for 
 both your stock-keepers are busy." So saying, 
 Captain Spencer led them to a shed, where he 
 gave them hay and water. Frederic met him on 
 his return with a wash-hand basin full of milk. 
 "This is the only thing which I could find," said 
 he, " which did not smell of beer or gin ; and in 
 getting it I awoke a servant-girl, more drunk than 
 her mistress, and quite insensible to some of those
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 439 
 
 pests which are falsely distinguished as belonging 
 peculiarly to London." 
 
 The breakfast being finished, and a provision of 
 hard eggs and bacon secured for the next meal, 
 one of the stock-keepers thrust the money for their 
 entertainment into the pocket of the querulous 
 host, and proceeded up the creek. " Do you call 
 this a creek?" said the stranger. "To be sure," 
 was the reply ; " have you been so long in this 
 country, and not know that a creek means either 
 a dry water-course, such as has not held water 
 during the memory of man, or an open space in 
 the forest, with or without water ? We have 
 many incongruous terms ; such as going down the 
 country, for going to the capital." "Then the 
 interior of this country is full of creeks of the for- 
 mer description," said Captain Spencer ; " but I 
 suspect some mighty torrents of water have at 
 some period or other rushed through them." " And 
 perhaps may again," observed George Onslow; 
 " the rains of Australia run oflF at once, as if they 
 never sank into the soil ; and I have- seen creeks 
 suddenly flooded in the most terrific manner." 
 
 Early in the evening the party arrived' at the 
 dwelling of Mr. Onslow's principal stock-keeper, 
 from whom they had received the request to come 
 and help in the regaining of the stray cattle. 
 " Do they often go away, Mr. Giaham ?" said Cap- 
 tain Spencer to the intelligent-looking man before
 
 440 AUSTRALIAN WANDJIRERS. 
 
 him. "Yes, sir, often," was the reply: "these 
 have been tempted byHbeasts which are half wild, 
 of which there are vast herds in the interior ; if 
 not, they would have returned, for they are always 
 inclined to come back to their pastures, as we know 
 when we want to move them ; and even when they 
 have been driven by a circuitous route, they will 
 reach the old places by a straight direction. For 
 some reason which we do not know they often 
 separate into distinct herds, and always remain 
 divided after that." "But do not the natives 
 attack them ?" "No, sir, they are too frightened 
 at them ; and I have seen a whole tribe clamber 
 into the trees at their approach." 
 
 Supper was eaten, and soon after midnight the 
 cattle-seekers started, with the addition of Mr. 
 Graham and one of his men ; the former observed 
 that Captain Spencer ought to be warned of the 
 danger incurred in hunting bulls. "They are 
 very dangerous, sir," he said; "and you must be 
 able to turn your horse round as sharp as if he 
 were on a cabbage-leaf." They proceeded through 
 an open forest, at the termination of which the 
 brightnjess of the moon enabled them to see the 
 tracks of the cattle. " The black fellows told me 
 I should find them by this path," said Graham ; 
 " but let us see which way the wind is, because we 
 must go against that, or they will smell us out, 
 they are so acute in this particular. They are
 
 \ 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 441 
 
 Bomewhere up in these ridges, 1 am pretty sure. 
 I will go and reconnoitre." Dismounting, and 
 giving his horse to his man to hold, the stock- 
 keeper crept stealthily up the hills, and when he 
 arrived near the summit, he went upon hands and 
 knees and peeped over. Then returning, said : 
 " There they are, on the other side, as friendly as 
 possible with the wild ones ; and there are two big 
 bulls among them which seem to be the leaders, 
 the one black, and the other red." "I, Captain 
 Spencer, and you, will take the red bull," said 
 George Onslow, " and Fred and the men shall have 
 the other ; we will divide into two parties, single 
 out these two, and sacrifice them." "That is 
 right, sir ; but you had better take a mouthful 
 before you begin, and let the horses also take a 
 slight bait and rest, for we shall want all their 
 strength and courage." This being done, the two 
 divisions took their way without speaking ; the 
 fiery steeds of the young men were with difficulty 
 restrained, for they knew what was coming, and 
 panted to be ofi"; even Tiger began to fret; but 
 his master's hand and voice, saying, " We must go 
 very gently, good horse," quieted him immediately ; 
 and his pretty slender legs seemed almost to skim 
 the turf, and make neither sound nor impression, 
 "I could let that horse walk rio-ht over me," said 
 Graham, looking at the Arab with great admi* 
 isiation.
 
 i42 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 They reached the top of the ridge, and had 
 crept partly down the other side, when one of the 
 bullocks snuffed the air, gave a mighty bellow, and 
 rushed across the level ground at full speed ; the 
 other bull answered him, and the two herds gal- 
 loped on, the sportsmen after them at their utmost 
 speed ; and, dashing in among the cattle, they 
 fired at the leaders. Captain Spencer, who knew 
 the sensitiveness of sportsmen, especially when 
 young, had not fired, but kept his eyes steadily 
 fixed on the object he had to pursue. The black 
 bull turned upon his pui'suers, but they were so 
 scattered that he was uncertain which to choose ; 
 and being inexperienced, he became bewildered, 
 and knew not at which to take his aim ; he there- 
 fore attacked them all in their turns, and caused 
 them to perform marvellous feats of horseman- 
 ship ; they fired repeatedly, but not being mortally 
 wounded, he kept them long in suspense ; and at 
 last fell upon the ground, faint from loss of blood, 
 where he was soon despatched. Not so the red 
 bull : Mr. George Onslow and Graham both fired, 
 but missed the mortal part, which is just behind 
 the shoulder ; Graham and his horse were over- 
 thrown, and would have been gored to deatli, had 
 not Mr. Onslow presented himself as a new object 
 for the bulFs fury ; but the well-tried horse turned 
 away as he rushed at him, and his horns went 
 Uirough empty air ; then he caught sight of Cap
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 443 
 
 tain Spencer, who remained perfectly still to 
 receive the att<ack ; " Stand, good horse," he said, 
 "and trust your master," The noble steed re- 
 mained motionless ; but his flashing eyes, erect 
 ears, and raised tail showed a consciousness of his 
 danger. The bull came on, but when two yards 
 distant a pistol-ball went into his forehead just be- 
 tween his eyes ; he staggered, and fell dead. 
 
 " That's the finest thing lever saw," said George 
 Onslow in the enthusiasm of the moment, shaking 
 his friend warmly by the hand. "You forget," 
 said that friend, laughing, " that I am a soldier, 
 and a hunter of wild beasts. Now let us go to 
 poor Graham." But Graham and his horse had 
 risen, the latter a little strained, and he somewhat 
 bruised; but they all assisted in collecting the 
 herd, and drove them back in triumph to the stock- 
 keeper's yard, where they were secured ; the wild, 
 no longer having a leader, going with the rest." 
 " You must find the owners for these," said Mr. 
 George Onslow to the keeper. " As soon as pos- 
 sible, sir, for they will be very troublesome among 
 ray poor beasts." "I think, sir," continued Gra- 
 ham, turning to Captain Spencer, "now I hear 
 your name, I have a message for you from Rich- 
 ardson, the overseer, which has come through 
 several stations, and reached me the day before 
 yesterday. We shall find it at my house."
 
 444: AUSTRALIAN W A N D E K E R S . 
 
 On arriving at the station, Captain Spencer re« 
 ceived the following : — 
 
 " Honoured Sir, — Mj wife and I hope you 
 have got safe to Mr. Onslow's, and pray for a con- 
 tinuance of the same. This is to let you know 
 that we have had another visit from Harry Blunt, 
 who was very civil, but having, as usual, surprised 
 us, was going to lay his hands on whatever he 
 could carry away, and opening the drawer of my 
 wife's table, he was about to pocket the gold coins 
 you were so good as to give to the children. My 
 wife then burst out a crying, and pleaded so hard 
 he would leave them, that he asked her why she 
 was so fond of them ; she told him it was because 
 a very good gentleman, a captain, who had been 
 all over Australia, had given them as keepsakes to 
 the bo3^s. On hearing this be turned very red, 
 and left the house without taking anything : say- 
 ing, as he went away, ' For the sake of the only 
 man who has shown me kindness for many a long 
 year, I will never touch anything which belongs to 
 his friends.' In a few days our two horses came 
 back, each with a piece of leather tied round its 
 neck, on which was written, ' Returned for Cap- 
 tain Spencer's sake,' and really they are not in 
 bad condition. Since then I hear that Harry has 
 been caught ; and if you should see anything of 
 him, perhaps you might do him some service, for 1
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 445 
 
 do' ttink there is Bome good in him at bottom 
 Sally and the boys send their duty to you, sir, and 
 desire me to say they never forget you. 
 
 " I am your dutiful and obliged servant to com- 
 mand, James Richardson." 
 
 "Poor Harry !" said Captain Spencer, "I should 
 be very glad if I could be of any service to you." 
 
 The party returned joyfully to Onslow Farm ; 
 the young men loud in the praises of their new 
 friend and his horse. I do not know which to ad- 
 mire most," said George Onslow, " the firm cour- 
 age of the rider, or the entire obedience of his 
 steed." " Make allowances for military education 
 and Arab origin," said Captain Spencer. "And 
 now, my friends, I must reluctantly think of my 
 departure ; I ought not to stay longer." The ne- 
 cessity was unwillingly admitted, and Mr. Onslow 
 said he should be ready in a few days ; that the 
 drays should be packed and started, and then he 
 would set off on horseback ; Kinchela might go 
 with the drays. " Agreed," said Captain Spencer ; 
 " my tin cans shall be made over to your garden, 
 Mrs. Onslow ; I can roll my grass hat in my opos- 
 sum-cloaks, and fasten them upon my saddle." 
 "Ay, preserve that as a trophy," was the general 
 cry. " I will take your tin cans under m}^ especial 
 care," said Mrs. Onslow. " Charhe can fly with 
 lis, and Gip will ride inside my coat," continued 
 88
 
 446 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 the soldier ; " so all is well arranged." Kincbela, 
 however, when he heard that he was to he sepa- 
 rated from his master, was in such an agony of 
 distress, that Captain Spencer was extremely puz- 
 zled what to do with him. One of the men about 
 the farm, hearing of this, respectfully accosted the 
 officer as he stood thoughtfully near the stable, 
 and said, " I beg your pardon, sir, but Kinchela 
 has been learning to ride while you have been 
 away, and if master would lend him a horse, he 
 might go along with you ; he was so sorry when 
 you went to hunt the cattle alone, that he begged 
 to be taught, and we all like him so much, that we 
 took pains with him, and he can sit his horse very 
 well." "Then all difficulties are smoothed," said 
 Mr. Onslow, "for he can have one of my horses. 
 Come, Spencer, and take a quiet walk with me 
 round the new plantation for the last time." 
 
 " There are some great drawbacks to living in 
 this country," said Mr. Onslow ; " the young are 
 apt to think that everything must prosper, and get 
 too confident ; and as yet we have so few places of 
 worship ; the latter will, I hope, be remedied now 
 we have bishops ; the former I dare not hope will 
 be checked by adversity. We have just passed 
 through a season of suffering, which has nearly 
 overwhelmed us, and I hope we shall profit by the 
 lesson, and go steadily on ; but even that steadi- 
 ness is at such an enormous rate of progress, that
 
 AUSTRALIAN AVANDERERrf. 447 
 
 it would seem almost frightful in the Old World, 
 I suppose the western part will be peopled from 
 Swan River," 
 
 " Have you any convicts employed about you ?" 
 asked Captain Spencer, " Certainly, more than 
 half my men were transported from England ; 
 some are perfectly reformed, and not only make 
 excellent servants, but excellent characters ; while 
 others require to be watched. I do not know what 
 we should have done without convicts, as so many 
 of the emigrants come out with the notion that 
 they are to be their owti masters, or that they are 
 to be well paid for doing less than in Great Bri- 
 tain ; whereas every one in a new colony must 
 work hard." "Which are the best emigrants?" 
 asked Captain Spencer. " The G-ermans are ad- 
 mirable ; but I think Scotch and English are the 
 best ; the Irish are idle. It is a curious fact, that 
 the Scotch are the worst of all convicts ; I sup- 
 pose, arising from the circumstance that they are 
 never transported except for some very serious 
 
 crime." 
 
 "I presume," continued Mr. Onslow, " that you 
 possess a knowledge of all the natural resources of 
 the country." " Not its mineral riches," replied 
 Captain Spencer ; " except the prominent fea- 
 tures." "We have almost all," returned Mr. On- 
 slow ; " our coal is excellent, and one of the most 
 valuable of our possessions. St, John told you of
 
 4.48 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 ail that has lately been found in the neighbourhood 
 of Adelaide ; and the enlightened Count Strzelecki 
 has given a learned account of what is to be met 
 within New South Wales." "I am very much 
 puzzled," interrupted Captain Spencer, " by the 
 names given to the trees, which appear to me to be 
 rather fanciful." " We delight in giving English 
 names from real or fancied resemblances ; that for 
 the Casuarina is the She Oak ; the Stringy Bark, 
 whicli grows chiefly on the tops of hilly ranges ; the 
 Blue Gum, which is of immense size, has large, white, 
 gnarled branches, and whose bark breaks off in an- 
 gular pieces ; the Iron Bark, the Balm-tree, which 
 abounds most in sandy creeks, the Thyme, the Bed 
 Gum, the Dwarf Gum, the Box-tree, the Mahogany 
 tree, which springs up to a height of forty or fifty 
 feet, or even more, without a bend or a branch, 
 are all Eucalypti ; and then the Rose-wood, the 
 Raspberry-jam, which smells like that preserve, 
 the Violet-wood, which yields just such a perfume 
 as that flower does, the Myall, of which the cattle 
 are so fond, the Malga, with its hard wood, are all 
 Acacias, of which there are at least two hundred 
 sorts, all useful for their wood, their gum, and their 
 bark, which is excellent for tanning ; and the two 
 latter substances form articles of export. Besides 
 these^. we have, as you know, the Callitris Pine, 
 with its yellow, compact wood ; the Bidwelliana 
 Pine, with its invaluable straight trunk ; and the
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 449 
 
 Cypress, which smells like a Cedar, with a red and 
 white wood." " It strikes me," observed Captain 
 Spencer, " that some of the grasses would be highly 
 useful." " I am quite of your opinion, and I think 
 their excellence often makes our cattle stray ; but 
 we all of us try to imitate the mother country, an'' 
 have a sort of prejudice towards new productions.' 
 " If I mistake not," further observed Captain Spen- ■ 
 cer, "there is also a very good native Tobacco, 
 with white blossoms and smooth leaves ; and it ap- 
 pears to me that your vegetable resources are either 
 not sufficiently known, or that you do not suffi- 
 ciently turn them to your advantage." " I per- 
 fectly agree with you," said Mr. Onslow; "but 
 newly-established farmers cannot try experiments ; 
 and when they know that, if a fair quantity of 
 rain comes, they procure twenty-five bushels of 
 wheat from an acre, and sometimes more than 
 forty, and even heavier crops of barley, in a light, 
 sandy soil, you cannot wonder, at the preference 
 in their favour. It is a curious circumstance that 
 certain English plants spring up spontaneously 
 wherever we turn our English cattle to graze ; for 
 instance, the Horehound and the Couch, or Dog's- 
 tooth grass. But what is the cause of that com- 
 motion in the Horse-yard ? let us go and see. 
 " What is the matter, Brown ?" asked Mr. Onslow 
 of the nearest man. " One of the mares haa 
 killed her foal, sir ; she always was vicious/ 
 38*
 
 450 AUSTRALIAN AVAJSIDERERS. 
 
 " These unaccountable things happen every now 
 and then ; sometimes to such an extent," said Mr. 
 Onslow, " that all the foals of a herd will be de- 
 stroyed. You say you met with herds of wild 
 horses, and they "iire those we have lost ; they 
 treated Tiger civilly ; but very often they will not 
 let a strange horse come near them ; our saddle- 
 horses are trained so as to graze within two or 
 three miles of the farm ; but in several instances 
 the wild herds have forced them away." 
 
 As Mr. Onslow and Captain Spencer entered 
 the inner gate, Frederick Onslow ran to meet them 
 with a pair of tongs, between Avhich a small, dark 
 object had been nipped, and was partly hanging 
 out. " We have found a whole nest of Triante- 
 lopes, father," said he, laughing, "behind my 
 grandfather's picture ; and I came to present the 
 venerable patriarch of the family to Captain Spen- 
 cer ; he will probably find it an interesting ac- 
 quaintance." " What a mercy you have found 
 them !" said Mr. Onslow. " I saw something 
 dark," continued Frederick, -'suddenly emerge 
 from behind the frame, and on inspection found 
 the colony : George and I demolished them all ; 
 my mother and Mary ran away." "Perhaps you 
 have seen them already," said Mr. Onslow, turning 
 to Captain Spencer, "for they constantly live 
 between the bark and wood of old trees." "No," 
 was the reply, " I never have ; but your coloniaJ
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS, 451 
 
 Dame is very extraordinary." " Yes, but if you 
 were to talk to the farm-servants of a Tarantula 
 they would not understand you." "Are their 
 bites fatal ?" " No, though very severe ; and their 
 web is so strong that you can scarcely break it." 
 "Your dogs," continued Captain Spencer, "brought 
 in a little animal this morning, gray in colour, Avith 
 white spots, and having a thin, wiry tail, which I 
 have seen, but Gip has never caught it." " Oh, 
 you mean the native Cat,* which comes and eats 
 our fowls and even turkeys ; it is a pretty creature, 
 but very vicious; and it often masters the dogs." 
 " One more question on natural history and 1 have 
 done. What is the reason I have never met with 
 the Lyre-tail Birds ?" " Because they belong more 
 properly to the south-eastern portion of this conti- 
 nent, where the Spiny Anteaterf also most 
 abounds, though occasionally found near the Dar- 
 ling. We have had both, but the latter disap- 
 peared, and is perhaps in the lake at this moment ; 
 and the former died." 
 
 The night after the above conversation was to 
 be the last which the traveller was to spend among 
 his kind friends ; and, as he lay awake, thinking 
 with regret of the approaching separation, he 
 heard a most tremendous noise ; he started up and 
 listened, and it occurred again, sounding as if it 
 were an attempt to break open a door ; he hastily 
 
 * Dasyurus. f Echidna.
 
 452 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 threw on his clothes, and George Onslow burst 
 into the room, saying, " I see you have heard 
 them, Spencer ; it is either a company of bush- 
 rangers or a body of natives trying to break iu ; 
 they must have come over the hills at the back. 
 I cannot understand why the dogs have not given 
 tongue." " Gipsy has," said her master. " Take 
 your pistols, and come with me," continued George ; 
 " it is in the new part of the house." The friends 
 issued from the door, and at the head of the stairs 
 met Mr. Onslow, half dressed, with a sword and a 
 light. " Put out the light," said Captain Spencer, 
 " and let me come first." " Certainly not," cried 
 Mr. Onslow, and pushed past him ; in doing which 
 Captain Spenrer blew out the candle, thereby 
 obscuring some whit-e forms, which had anxiously 
 but partly issued from their doors. Frederick 
 Onslow now joined them ; and as he did so they 
 heard a parley. " Go back, Mary ! Mother, you 
 have no business here." " Can't we help you load 
 the pistols ?" " No, we are quite sufficient to keep 
 them at bay, till we can, by our firing, alarm the 
 men about the premises." Another thump, louder 
 than ever, threatened to burst the door open, 
 which was near the foot of the stairs. " Let us 
 stand here," said George Onslow, "and we shall 
 catch them as they enter." At last the door waa 
 burst open, and a flood of moonlight streamed in. 
 Mr. Onslow made a furious lunge, and fell ; for an
 
 AUSTKALIAN WANDERERS. 45S 
 
 f.iStant only there was silence, but then a wild 
 scream of laughter burst from the young men. 
 Captain Spencer looked around him for the expla- 
 nation, when something rolled against his legs, and 
 made Gip hop away. " Oh, my mother's pump- 
 kins !" at last said the young men; the laughter 
 was renewed. But Mary, who had followed, cried, 
 " Pick up my father ; perhaps he is hurt." " Hurt !" 
 said Mr. Onslow, " I can't move for laughter. 
 Ellen ! Ellen ! your horticultural propensities will 
 be the death of me." A rustling noise, and the 
 shutting of a door, told that the innocent cause of 
 the alarm had made her escape from the taunts 
 which she knew were coming. She had made a 
 stack of pumpkins in one of the new and unoccu- 
 ■pied rooms; something had disturbed their equili- 
 brium, and they had given way. Such was the 
 explanation of the mystery ; but there was nc 
 more sleep that night ; the young men sat up to 
 talk ; but a loud laugh burst forth whenever the 
 adventure was thought of, especially the appear- 
 ance of Mr. Onslow, his fierce plunge, and his roll 
 among the enemy. He went back to his bed ; but 
 his wife had taken refuge in that of Mary, where 
 Bhe buried her head in the pillow, to avoid hearing 
 the reiterated bursts of her sons. It was with 
 difficulty that Captain Spencer assumed a serious 
 countenance when she came to the early breakfast 
 the next morning. " I could not let vou go," said
 
 454 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 the ^ady, "without taking farewell, or else I would 
 not liave s-ppeared this morning. I am more sorry 
 than I can express to lose you ; but I never before 
 saw Mr. Onslow go away and felt so much plea- 
 sure at his departure ; I do not mind Mary and 
 the boys, but he really is too unbearable." " I do 
 assure you," said Captain Spencer, " that if I were 
 not so sad at parting with you I should be as voci- 
 ferous in my merriment as they are ; so it is well 
 that I am going." 
 
 The travellers departed with sadness and sorrow 
 at their hearts, for affection had been cemented 
 between all parties by circumstances, which had 
 played the part of time, and they were old friends 
 in heart, though not in days. The soldier's duty 
 never seemed so hard as at that moment, and he 
 was almost tempted to make a promise to return ; 
 but he found sufficient firmness to forbear. It was 
 some time, however, before he could be amused, as 
 Mr. Onslow was, with the pride of Kinchela, who, 
 equipped in trousers and shoes, given him by his 
 friends at the farm, had issued from the gate in 
 the midst of a loud " Hurrah !" which Charlie 
 echoed, laughing with all his might, bawling out 
 the names of all the family, " George, Mary," &c. 
 The servants loudly applauded him ; nor could 
 those who were sad refrain, when he flew round 
 and round in token of farewell, and as his last 
 salute screaming "Pumpkins, pumpkins!" which
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 455 
 
 Frederick Onslow had been at some pains to teach 
 him that very morning. 
 
 " I should have thought," said Captain Spencer, 
 " after the first pangs were over, that, with your 
 establishment, and the extent of settlement and 
 cultivation around you, you were not in danger 
 from an attack of natives." "Nor do I think we 
 are," said Mr. Onslow ; " but this I do think, that, 
 on the verv outskirts, our colonists are not suffi- 
 ciently careful ; it is difiicult, however, to divest 
 ourselves of old habits and feelings. I did not 
 doubt last night that the noise w^as occasioned by 
 natives ; it was my boys who imagined bush-ran- 
 gers, because they are often hearing of their ex- 
 ploits. I must now tell you an instance of Mrs. 
 Onslow's courage, as a reward to her for so much 
 teasing about her garden. I was at Sidney at the 
 time, and it was during our first establishment on 
 our land, so that we had no neighbours to help us, 
 no resources but in ourselves, and scarcely any de- 
 fence. It seemed that some of the natives had 
 been ill-treated, or fancied they had been ill-treated, 
 by some soldiers and constables the day before ; 
 and their tribe, to the number of 400, assembled^ 
 and cnme to revenge themselves upon us. They 
 were all fullv armed after tlioii- own fashion, and 
 we had only foui'- guns and a pistol, which, liow- 
 ever, v.urc- prepared for action. As soon as they 
 came to the house, my brave little wife went to
 
 456 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 them, by herself, inquired into their grievances, 
 soothed them with kind words, and gave them to- 
 bacco and corn ; she, however, told them that there 
 were people inside the house, who would shoot them 
 if they committed any violence. Surprising lo 
 say, this kind but dauntless conduct on her part 
 produced the most favourable results, for they 
 went away, only taking with them what she had 
 given, and some articles of clothing, which they 
 had found in the men's huts when they ransacked 
 them. Our overseer went among them, after her 
 first address and reception, as in fact, did the 
 whole family, and as our people gradually assem- 
 bled round Mrs. Onslow, they all endeavored to 
 make friends with the enemy, and behaved very 
 well, so that we did not suffer much ; but I attri- 
 bute our preservation (of course under Providence) 
 entirely to Mrs. Onslow's conduct, for frightful 
 murder and outrages were committed by them 
 within thirty miles of us lower down the river," 
 
 ^hc magnificent entrance to Port Jackson, and 
 the beautiful appearance of Sydney, one of the 
 fairest cities of the earth, struck Captain Spencer 
 as the finest scene which he had beheld in Austra- 
 lia ; and the more so, considering that, only fifty 
 years ago, the native inhabitants performed their 
 savage dances under the trees on its site. The 
 two dark, lofty rocks, which seem to form the gates 
 of the harbour, were passed ; a noble estuary pre*
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 457 
 
 Bented itself, decked with the loveliest bays, inlets, 
 islands, villas, cottages, and gardens, and the sil- 
 very sand of the beach formed a glittering border. 
 Captain Spencer at once proceeded to the princi- 
 pal hotel, where, sending for a tailor, the adorn- 
 ment of the outer man was speedily accomplished ; 
 then came presentation to the Governor, introduc- 
 tions, calls, and fetes ; and all the ceremonies and 
 usages of polite life, with the hospitality of the 
 colonies, were put in practice for one who was 
 naturally the hero of the day. But this hero soon 
 became tired of the gaiety which he was obliged 
 to share ; and although grateful for kindness and 
 attention, he was weary of long, dusty George 
 street, of luxurious dinners which he could not eat, 
 and of hot rooms where he thought he could not 
 breathe, and every hour increased his impatience 
 to depart. Tiger was well housed, and Kinchela 
 was constantly with him, for his countrymen claimed 
 him, and he did not covet their society ; the white 
 servants laughed at and jeered him, and Tiger was 
 his best companion in the absence of his master. 
 Gip was of course often left behind, and her con- 
 solation was to lie upon her master's cloak. As 
 to Charlie, he, every morning, very cleverly flew 
 off, and returned at night to Tiger ; and, one day, 
 when Captain Spenfer w;is ridin<5 thronp-h tho 
 Hyde Park of Sydney with some gentlemen, one 
 of the latter exclaimed, " Is that you, Captain 
 3'J
 
 458 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 Spencev, whose name is so vociferously called by 
 a strange voice ? it is probably one of your friends 
 from the bush." The traveller listened, and looked 
 round, and presently, "Ned Spencer, Ned Spen- 
 cer! here's Charlie, Ned Spencer!" met his ear. 
 He whistled in the usual manner, and Charlie flew 
 on to his shoulder with every mark of delight. 
 " I could not think where the poor fellow went to 
 every day," said he; "but I was easy about him, 
 as he came back every evening." "All's right, 
 hurrah !" said the bird, and flew away, "I would 
 give 100 guineas for that bird," said one of the 
 gentlemen. "I would not take 500 for him," ob- 
 served his master ; " his voice, day after day, was 
 the only sound which cheered me in the wilder- 
 ness, and I can never part with him." In conse- 
 quence of this, Charlie was a marked bird among 
 all the inhabitants of Sydney, and was conse- 
 quently safe from harm as he flew backwards and 
 forwards to and from the hotel. 
 
 On one occasion, when some ladies called in 
 their carriage to take Captain Spencer to the race- 
 course between Sydney and Botany Bay, as he 
 was *bout to get in, something touched his shoul- 
 der, and there stood Tiger, preparing to go with 
 him, with Charlie on his back, and Gip was uncere- 
 moniously running up the steps of the carriage. 
 Tiicy had all .nade their escape, and of course,
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 459 
 
 thought they could not do wrong by accompanying 
 their master. 
 
 The ladies were so pleased, that they entreated 
 the horse and bird might be suffered to accompany 
 them, and Gip was received into the carriage. 
 Kinchela was mounted in the rumble, to his infi- 
 nite enjoyment ; and from that moment the whole 
 party was included in all the invitations where 
 they could be admitted, no pic-nic taking Dlace 
 without Charlie. 
 
 Captain Spencer passed several gangs of con- 
 victs at work, and he scarcely dared to look at 
 them, for fear he should see Harry Blunt among 
 their number ; but ii was not there he found him. 
 On returning to his hotel one day, he saw a crowd 
 at a distance, and, on going through it, heard that 
 the famous bush-ranger, Harry Blunt, who had so 
 long eluded pursuit, was at last taken, and brought 
 in by the police. Harry was committed to prison, 
 where his friend visited him, and heard that an 
 engagement had taken place between him, his com- 
 panion, and the parties sent out after them, ir:. 
 which he, seeing no chance of escape, had surrer- 
 dered without further resistance. The more Cap 
 tain Spencer saw of this erring man, the more did 
 he hope for his reformation ; he expressed himself 
 as if he were sincerely penitent, and Captain Spen- 
 cer made use of all the influence which he pos- 
 sessed for the mitigation of his sentence, ilc
 
 460 AUSTRALIAN WANDEUERS. 
 
 related to the proper authorities all that he kiiei» 
 of hiDi, employed counsel for him, and Richar* 
 son's letter being read in court produced a favour- 
 able impression. 
 
 The working in chains was thus commuted for 
 imprisonment, which his friend thought would be 
 almost as irksome to bear, and he obtained a miti- 
 gation of its length. To his surprise, however, 
 Harry expressed a firm determination to bear his 
 punishment patiently, saying "it was the least 
 he could do after such kind exertions had been 
 made for him." 
 
 Captain Spencer entreated that the strenuous 
 efforts of the chaplain of the jail might be used 
 on his behalf, and this gentleman was so pleased 
 with the conduct and improvement of the convict, 
 that when, on goin^- out of prison, Mr. Onslow 
 olFered to take him into his service, he gave him 
 his best commendations, so that it was an inexpres- 
 *3ible source of happiness to the Australian travel- 
 ler, to think, when his friend wrote him, that 
 Harry Blunt was a faithful and attached servant, 
 that he had been allowed to act as an instrument 
 'n saving a follow-creature from perdition. 
 
 Presents were sent to Mr. St. John, Richardson, 
 the Scotts, the Onslows, and even the stock-keep- 
 ers at the out-stations, so that none could imagine 
 themselves to be forgotten; and Captain Spencer 
 embarked on board the Asia with mingled feelings
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 461 
 
 of regret and pleasure, each of which were sur- 
 mounted by gratitude. Kinchehi, Gip, and Tiger, 
 were very happy on board ship, and Charlie had 
 the sagacity not to attempt to roam during the 
 voyage. 
 
 " Have you heard the news ? Spencer is come 
 back, better than ever he was, with his horse, dog, 
 and 8uch a bird ;" were the exclamations of all who 
 had known him in Bombay, directly after he had 
 reported his arrival. Hearty greetings saluted 
 him on all sides, and he seemed to live in a whirl 
 of pleasure and excitement. Great was the aston- 
 ishment felt at his adventures and sufferings, and 
 honourable were the distinctions with which he 
 was received in society. He, however, joined his 
 regiment as speedily as possible, where, among old 
 and dear friends, he could calmly consider and 
 talk over the past, and as often as he did so, he 
 became more and more impressed with gratitude 
 and submission towards his Heavenly Protector. 
 
 As frequent a correspondence as opportunities 
 would allow, was carried on between Captain Spen- 
 cer and his highly valued friends the Onslows ; and 
 during a period of two years, no event of import 
 ance occurred, except the marriage of Mr. St. 
 John with Miss Onslow, and their subsequent 
 settlement on a farm within a day's ride of hor 
 39*
 
 i62 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 parents. Then came a letter from Mr. George 
 Onslow, couched in the following terms : — 
 
 My dear Spencer, 
 
 All our endeavours to tempt you to come 
 and settle among us have signally failed, and 1 
 grant you that your reasons are cogent ; therefore 
 do not suppose that the present epistle is intended 
 as a renewal of our efforts. I merely lay the cir- 
 cumstances before you ; and when you have weighed 
 them- all, your own right feeling and good sense 
 will enable you to determine the course you ought 
 to pursue. 
 
 It is some time since I last wrote, owing to the 
 great difficulty I have found in procuring a con- 
 veyance for my despatches ; and perhaps it is well 
 it should have been so, for by the delay I can no^^ 
 put you in full possession of an important disco- 
 very, which, although taking place in the farthest 
 retreat of civilization, bids fair to influence the 
 whole world. It is neither more nor less than 
 that of finding prodigious quantities of gold in our 
 soil, which far exceed the amount yielded by Cali- 
 fornia, tidings of which have of course reached you 
 through the newspapers. 
 
 To begin at the beginning. It seems that the 
 great geologist. Sir Roderick Murchison, when he 
 examined the specimens of rocks, and heard the 
 a<^0'ants of the eminent traveller, Count Strze-
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 46^^ 
 
 lecki, was struck with the resemblance of the for> 
 mer to those of the Ural mountains, which jou 
 know supply Russia with gold ; and he then fore- 
 told that we should, sooner or later, meet with tho 
 precious metal in our territory. Still no seaxch 
 was made. Now it is known that u.n old shepherd 
 actually brought several pieces of gold for sale at 
 Sydney, and on being questioned as to where he 
 had procured them refused to give any information. 
 Strange to say, that although it was known he 
 came from the district of Bathurst, no one followed 
 to see from what spot he dug the treasure ; in 
 fact, no pains were taken to profit by his discovery. 
 At last, a Mr. Hargreaves returned from Cali- 
 fornia, with nothing but experience in gold-finding 
 as the result of his visit to those regions. He 
 applied his knowledge to Bathurst and Wellington, 
 and after riding over some hundi-eds of miles, he 
 gave tidings of a rich harvest of gold in the Crowi. 
 lands. He made arrangements with the Govern- 
 ment, went to Bathurst, assembled the principal 
 inhabitants of that place at an inn, showed them 
 four ounces of gold which he had procured after 
 three days' labour, and succeeded in awakening 
 them to a search for more. From that time the 
 golden mania has been raging, and weekly increas- 
 ing in strength ; the emigration from the British 
 empire, which had languished, is now beginning to 
 flow again, and hundreds have arrived, and still
 
 464 AUSTRALIAN W A N D E K E 1\ S . 
 
 come ; our new towns have been in a measure de- 
 serted, and two thousand persons were in one week 
 known to go to Bathurst, consisting of all classes, 
 and various ages. I can scarcely describe to you 
 the condition to which some of the settlements 
 have been redaced ; respectable clerks have throAvn 
 up valuable situations, even men of substance have 
 not disdained the enterprise, apprentices have bro- 
 ken their indentures, tillage has been neglected, 
 not even seed sown for future crops, buildings sus- 
 pendetl, sheep have wandered about without shep- 
 herds, and in Adelaide the famous copper-mines 
 have stopped working for want of miners. 
 
 You will readily suppose that such a sudden 
 change in everything, such a sudden rupture of 
 the bonds which link society together, have pro- 
 duced strange results, and laid the foundation for 
 much after inconvenience, if not suffering. The 
 regular supplies derived from our crops must fail, 
 the prices of most things will be raised, our exports 
 stopped, our flocks and herds will have irrecoverably 
 strayed, it will be difficult to reduce the enormous 
 wages given to those who have remained faithful 
 to their duties, and the fair, the refined, and the 
 delicate have been, and may be again, forced to 
 perform those offices for which they are unfitted 
 by health or education. These seem to me quite 
 enough to think of, without troubling myself with 
 the financial changes which such an influx of gold
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 465 
 
 may occasion in other parts of the world. Various 
 are the surmises and speculations on this head-, 
 but who can tell ? 
 
 As these mountain ridges which contain g'^ld 
 generally assume a meridional direction, fresh '^:^- 
 plorations took place to the south, and now still 
 more prolific deposits are found in the province of 
 Victoria. A native shepherd in the service of Dr . 
 Kerr, at Louisa Creek, fifty miles from Bathurst, 
 stumbled upon a spot which yielded 4240Z. ster- 
 ling to his master. A party of diggers, six in 
 number, procured 900^. worth in one day. One 
 man, seeing his neighbour about to wash a tin dish- 
 ful of slate-coloured clay, at a venture ofiered 50L 
 for it, the possessor asked 151., this was refused; 
 and the owner had reason to rejoice, for it yielded 
 100?. The value of 350?. was dug up in a few 
 hours, from earth which had lodged round the root 
 of a tree. A blacksmith, in one hole, found the 
 worth of 440?. ; and a poor man met with 81bs. of 
 gold in one spot, after the labour of only a few 
 minutes, which he compared to digging potatoes. 
 All these occurred in the Sydney deposits. At 
 Mount Alexander, in Victoria province, a party of 
 four men from Adelaide, after working for a few 
 days, returned home with 11,600?. 
 
 I will not weary you with further statements of 
 success, nor will I trouble you with the losses, 
 which appear but trifling in comparison ; sucb
 
 466 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 Iodises are, however, not rare. Government has 
 assumed the conduct of these diggings, and each 
 persoTi must take out a license, which costs 1^. 10s. 
 p3r month, and which entitles the holder to appro- 
 priate the produce of a certain portion of land, 
 called a ' claim.' These claims not unfrequently 
 curn out to be wholly destitute of gold, and the 
 Darties do not even repay their expenses. These 
 uncertainties are easily explained by the suppo- 
 sition that quartz is the matrix of the gold ; this 
 has been broken or disturbed by some great con- 
 vulsion, and the shattered fragments are rolled 
 from their original bed ; sometimes arrested by an 
 insignificant obstacle, and accumulating, and at 
 others passing over, and leaving the course bare. 
 This theory also accounts for the presence of the 
 metal in other formations, such as blue clay and 
 clay slate ; and the fissures of slaty rocks have 
 presented most lumps or nuggets (as they are 
 called), they having, as it were, caught the quartz 
 as it has rolled along. It is asserted that in Ar- 
 gyle, granite is the matrix, and thus stones con- 
 taining gold have been applied to the building of 
 bridges, and used for pavements. Does not this 
 remind you of the stories told in former times of 
 the streets of Timbuctoo being paved with silver ? 
 Stories which we can now beat, without exaggera- 
 tion, by tJie assertion, that Bathurst is paved with
 
 AUSTRALIAN '^/>rnETlERS. 467 
 
 After long exemption, at length Fred and 1 
 were seized with the aniversal fever ; but when we 
 owned its influence to my father, he shook his 
 head, and as our men stole off to the diggings, we 
 felt it would be very hard upon him to deprive him 
 of Qur help. At length St. John came, fully de- 
 termined on tempting us to join him in an excur- 
 sion to the diggings. Mary came with him, to 
 remain with our father and mother during our ab- 
 sence ; it was not a busy time just then^ and at 
 length the project received approbation. We per- 
 suaded our neighbour, young Montague, to com- 
 plete the number of four, which is sai ! to form the 
 most convenient party ; and promising high wages 
 to two of the men who had remained with us, we 
 first started for Sydney. At one time we wished 
 to have Harry Blunt with us, but he wisely pre ■ 
 ferred staying to take care of the farm ; saying, 
 that a love of gain had once led him into evil, and 
 he would never put himself in the way of tempta- 
 tion any more. 
 
 At Sydney, we bought the rough dresses which 
 were to stand the water and hard labour, which we 
 knew we had to encounter ; we provided ourselves 
 with a tilted cart, which held us all, and to which 
 we harnessed two horses from the farm. We had. 
 pick-axes, spades, buckets, tubs, files, wedges, 
 scales and weights, tin dishes and cradles. We 
 did not forget our mattresses, plenty of thick blan-
 
 ibO AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 I:ets, a tent, cooking apparatus, and a stock of 
 provisions carefully selected by my mother and 
 Ma'-y. We arrived in safety, left the care of our 
 property and the cooking to the men, and helped 
 each other to dig, to wash, to rock the cradles, &c. 
 It was even rougher work than any we had hith- 
 erto encountered, for there must be no relaxation, 
 and no shrinking from wet garments. 
 
 I must not forget to tell you, that we took Lion, 
 the mastiff, with us ; and the dear old dog was one 
 of our most useful auxiliaries. When a suspicious 
 character approached the tent, he gave the alarm, 
 and as we were well armed and slept lightly, it was 
 scarcely possible to take us by surprise. 
 
 It was a curious sight to see so many hundred 
 tents together, looking more like a vast fair than 
 a military encampment ; and from the number of 
 those who had preceded us, it was difficult to choose 
 our claims, or establish our temporary dwelling. 
 We exerted all our thought and skill, and being a 
 party of brothers, as it were, our experiment turned 
 out well ; for in six weeks we, between us, realized 
 15,000Z., beside some extra gains, (which we gave 
 to our men for their faithful conduct to us,) and 
 the selling of our claims Avhen we left the ground. 
 We every week sent our gold by the armed escort 
 provided by the government, to Sydney ; so that 
 we never had any great accumulation by us, and
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 469 
 
 thus we did not know how much we had realized 
 till we returned to the capital. 
 
 It was not a life that tempted us to remain long, 
 and we were glad to return to our homes. St. 
 John and Montague, being lately settled, find their 
 portions advantageous to their farms and stock. 
 Fred's has enabled him to become independent, 
 and mine is thrown into the common purse between 
 me and my father. 
 
 You will probably think that I kave given you 
 too favourable an idea of the scenes which we wit- 
 nessed, and of the hardships which we encountered. 
 With regard to the latter, it must be recollected, 
 that they came lighter to us as settlers, than to 
 those who pass their lives at the desk, or in pro- 
 fessional employments. The health of many gave 
 way under the toil and exposure, and probably 
 many will, all the rest of their days, feel the ef- 
 fects of their exertions and.exposure. With re- • 
 spect to the former, the day was quite enough, for 
 most of those present were devoted to their all- 
 absorbing occupation ; but at night, the return of 
 so many lawless characters to the camp, of neces- 
 sity produced some frightful scenes. Such a din 
 of firing guns, shoutings, frightful oaths, drunken 
 quarrels, and barkings of dogs ! Robberies are 
 frequent, and murders are sometimes committed ; 
 and it requires incessant watching to retain youi 
 horses and other property. Still all these are 
 40
 
 470 AUSTRALIAN WANDEKEA^. 
 
 nothing to the horrors which we hear of in Cali- 
 fornia ; and as police and military force are being 
 established, still greater order will prevail. One 
 thing struck us very forcibly, which was the observ- 
 ance of the Sabbath ; and perhaps this, as well as 
 some forbearance from evil, may be ascribed to 
 the sprinkling of gentlemen who come to share the 
 chances of the rest. It is true that such enter- 
 prises are great levellers of caste ; nevertheless, 
 superiority of mind, morals, and acquirement, must 
 exercise an influence wherever it may abide. 
 
 There is an abundant attendance of those who 
 seek to gair a more certain profit by the exercise 
 of different callings necessary to the wants of such 
 a multitude ; and they do not fail to take advan- 
 tage of the necessity which arises for their labours. 
 The charges for washing are enormous ; a trifling 
 derangement of your tools, or damage to your 
 cart, cannot be remedied without incurring heavy 
 expense, and you are forced to submit to the most 
 extortionate demands. Provisions are decidedly 
 cheap. I have not yet described the cradle, which 
 is so named on account of its resemblance to that 
 accompaniment of childhood, in its outward form. 
 A square box is fitted into its head, at the bottom 
 of which is a sheet of iron, pierced with holes the 
 diameter of my little finger, like a sieve. Across 
 the bottom of the cradle are three thick iron bars, 
 one of which is placed at the lower end, and the
 
 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 'Vl 
 
 Dther two divide the cradle into three equal parts. 
 An upright bar of wood fixed on one side forms the 
 handle, and by means of this one person violentl-. 
 rocks the machine with his left hand, while tnj 
 right, with a stick, stirs or bsats the soil put int:; 
 the iron sieve. A second person dashes w.ici 
 upon it. The cradle is put in a slanting positioTi 
 in which the sieve is the highest ; the particles of 
 gold fall to the bottom, where they are arrested 
 by the bars, and the muddy water runs off at the 
 foot. This gold is afterwards put into the tin dish 
 which I have already mentioned, and carefully 
 separated from the pieces of iron stone, and other 
 heavy substances, by further washing. 
 
 If you will join us. dear Spencer, we will make 
 a second expedition, and turn our steps towards 
 the Victoria diggings. It is true that the disor- 
 ganization of Melbourne is beyond my powers to 
 describe, if all be true that we hear. Robberies 
 are committed in the streets by daylight, and 
 nothing but superior force is an efficient protection. 
 You, however, are not one to shrink from hardship 
 or danger ; come then and make your fortune. 
 
 My father and Fred write you all family news, 
 and therefore I have noAv only to subscribe myself 
 your faithful friend, George Onslow. 
 
 Captain Spencer wisely thought it very possible 
 that he might mar, instead of make his fortune by
 
 472 AUSTRALIAN WANDERERS. 
 
 going to the diggings, and declined the ahove in- 
 vitation, remaining perfectly satisfied with the 
 majority which he had just attained. The great 
 extension of steamhoat navigation soon, however, 
 enabled him to have more frequent intercourse 
 with his friends, and to be a personal witness of 
 their prosperity. 
 
 THE END.
 
 List of Books Recently Published 
 
 BY 
 
 LEE & SHEFAED, 
 
 149 Washington Street, Boston. 
 
 EUROPEAN TRAVEL. 
 
 OVER THE OCEAN, OR SIGHTS AND SCENES IN 
 FOREIGN LANDS. By Curtis Guild, editor Boston 
 Commercial Bulletin, i vol. Crown 8vo. Price, $2.50. 
 
 This bright and vivacious book of foreign travel has received 
 the most flattering encomiums from the press all over the 
 country. 
 
 The New York Trihtme says ; — 
 
 "Guild's choice of topics is excellent; the interest of his descriptions never 
 flags. No virtuous American with the hope of a Parisian heaven before his 
 eyes should fail to remember this volume while packing for the voyage." 
 The New York A Ibion says : — 
 
 _" This is certainly a collection of some of the most perfect pen-pictures of 
 Sights and Scenes in Foreign Lands we have ever read." 
 
 Rev. H. W. Bellows says, m \\i^ Liberal Christian : — 
 
 " It is one of the best books of foreign travel ever pubhshed in this 
 country." 
 
 Rev. Edward Everett Hale, says : — 
 
 " I read it with constant interest — and I read but few books of travel." 
 
 AN AMERICAN WOMAN IN EUROPE. Thejoumalof two 
 
 weeks' sojourn in France, Switzerland, Italy, and Ger- 
 many. By Mrs. S- R. Urbino, author of " The Princes, 
 of Art." i2mo. Cloth. $1.50. 
 The Providence Press says • — 
 
 " A pleasant gossip with an intelligent person who has just returned from 
 Europe, and all the little details of daily life, combined with the cost of every- 
 thing, is given with an ease and grace which is charming." 
 The Phila. Journal of Connnercc says : — 
 
 "A remarkably pleasant and chatty book of travel." 
 The Chicago Commercial says : — 
 
 "A pleasant break m the monotony of stories of European trips. 
 "She tells you the best and cheapest way to travel, the shortest and pleas- 
 antest routes, the best sights to see, the best hotels to live in, and just how 
 much it costs to travel, see, or live in the far countries she describes."
 
 Lee &> Shepard''s Recent Publications. 
 
 NEW JUVENILE BOOKS. 
 
 THE DICK AND DAISY SERIES. By Miss Adelaide 
 
 F. Samuels. Four vols. Illustrated. Per vol., 50 cts. 
 
 "A very pretty box of small books for the juveniles. There are four vol- 
 umes, of a hundred pages each. We have first the Early Days of Dick and 
 Daisy, ' Adrift in the World ; ' their City Life, ' Fighting the Battle ; ' their 
 Proteges, ' Saved from the Street ; ' and their Reward, or ' Grandfather Mil- 
 ly's Luck.' This is a charming collection, written by Miss Adelaide F. Sam- 
 uels, of whom, judging from these volumes, the world will hear more here- 
 after." — American Baptist. 
 
 SINGULAR CREATURES ; Being Studies and stories from 
 the Domestic Zoology of our Parish. Bv Mrs. George 
 CUPPLES, author of " Driven to Sea," &c. i6mo. Illus- 
 trated. Cloth. $1.50. 
 
 The London papers thus speak of the authoress : — 
 
 " Of the miscellaneous articles, none are more charming than those by Mrs. 
 Geo. Cupples. . . . Her stories are for all readers, whether few or many 
 years oid." — Lotidon Times (^TIu Thunderer). 
 
 " Mrs. Geo. Cupples, who is already very favorably known as the writer of 
 any number of capital stories for juveniles, has succeeded in this instance in 
 producing a charming story." — Scotsman. 
 
 "We shall be mistaken if these well-written stories do not commend them- 
 selves to the good judgments of our readers." — New Monthly Magazine- 
 
 "Very interesting, and will afford many hours of amusement. " — Observer. 
 
 "Very charming and attractive." — Loftdon Record. 
 
 " Nicely and freshly written, perfectly healthy in tone, and remarkable for 
 a pleasant flow of human kindness." — Lo7ido7t Illustrated News. 
 
 THE AMERICAN HOME BOOK of Indoor Games, Amuse- 
 ments, and Occupations. By Mrs. Caroline L. Smith 
 
 (Aunt Carrie). i6mo. Illustrated. $1.50. 
 
 "In compiling this 'American Home Book,' the author has admirably suc- 
 ceeded in mingling both work and play, and such amusements have been 
 selected, together with directions for useful and ornamental work, as can be 
 recommended to our young readers. Among its contents are: Amusements 
 for little boys and girls, musical and other games for little children, games of 
 memory, games for old and young, new games, material magic, head work, 
 answers to head work, amusements for Christmas holidays, Christmas, ven- 
 triloquism, gardening, flowers, house and home arts, the toilet, home reading, 
 die sick room, directions for making bread, yeast, &c. " — Eagle, Pittsfield.
 
 Lee &* Sheparcfs Publications. 
 
 NEW JUVENILE BOOKS. 
 
 AMONG THE BRIGANDS. By Prof. James De Mille. 
 i6mo. Illustrated. $i-50. 
 
 "We don't know that we need say any more of this book than to announce 
 its author, and evei^ybody will know at once that it is written in a wide-.awake. 
 dashing style. This tale is full of exciting scenes and hair-breadth escapes, 
 the location of which is in Italy, and the details of which afford an insight 
 into the characters to be found there, and the strange things to be seen, — 
 the brigands, the beggars, ruined and burned cities, &c., &c." — Lewiston 
 Journal. 
 
 FIRE IN THE WOODS. By Prof. James De Mille. 
 Uniform in style and price with "The B. O. W. C," "The 
 Boys of Grand Pre School," "Lost in the Fog," &c. 
 i6mo. Illustrated. $1.50. 
 
 "This book is the fourth in the B. O. W. C. series, and is fully equal to 
 the preceding volumes. The readers of Prof De Mille's books may be as- 
 sured at the outset that they will find no dull chapters to be waded through 
 or skipped, as shall best please each reader." — Meadville Jmirnal. 
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE CASCO. By Elijah Kellogg. 
 i6mo. Illustrated. $1.25. 
 
 "This volume is full of interesting and exciting adventures on sea and 
 land, with enough of fun to make it spicy and inviting. The storv illus- 
 trates how easily good persons may fall into bad company, and the influence 
 they exert when among those who are in the wrong path. Hence it teaches 
 an excellent moral lesson." — Webster Times. 
 
 THE TURNING WHEEL. By Paul Cobden, author of 
 "Who Will Win?" and "Going on a Mission." i6mo. 
 Illustrated. $1.25. 
 
 "This is a volume of the 'Beckoning Series.' It has a preface at once 
 unique and suggestive. 'There is a wheel that is always turning. It never 
 Stands still. To some, in its unceasing motion, it brings good ; to others, 
 evil. That it may bring to all the readers of this story what they most need, 
 is the earnest wisli of the writer.' These few words explain the title, and gr-vo 
 the hint to the story. It charmingly describes the turning of the wheel for its 
 own circle of characters, with the good and ill it brought." — Albany Jour. 
 
 AUNT MADGE'S STORY. By Sophie May, author of 
 "Little Prudy Stories," "Dotty Dimple Stories," &c. 
 Illustrated. 75 cents. 
 
 "The works of this writer for children have met with a hearty reception 
 from those for whom they were intended ; she knows just how to talk to the 
 little ones, and hur style is remarkably ada; ted to their com])rehension. 
 Aunt Madge's story is the third volume in ' Little Prudy's Flyaway Series,' 
 which is to be completed in six volumes, and every little one who has read or 
 heard read ' Little Prudy ' and the 'Dotty Dimple' stories, will be delighted 
 with this." — Naiioji, Bostotu
 
 Lee 6r» SheparcPs Recent Publications. 
 
 WORTHY PARTICULAR ATTENTION. 
 
 PENS AND TYPES. Hints and Helps to all who Write, 
 Print, or Read. By Benjamin Drew. i6mo. Cloth. 
 $1.50. 
 
 "'Pens and Types' is the title of a little book by Benjamin Drew, con- 
 taining such hints and guides for people who write for the press, and printers, 
 as long experience in the work of proof reading has taught him to be essen- 
 tial. There are two classes of people who never properly prepare their man- 
 uscript for publication — thosd who do not know how to do it, and those who 
 do not care whether (hey do it or not. The former may be benefited by these 
 hints ; the latter are incorrigible." — Boston Advertiser. 
 
 BEHIND THE BARS. i2mo. Cloth. $2.00. 
 
 " We have read it with no little interest. It treats of a class of persons 
 who, incapable of judging for themselves, should be the more carefully and 
 tenderly looked after by tlieir relatives, friends, and the State ; and should not 
 be confided to institutions, without continuous scrutiny and attention. We 
 have heard of some sad delinquency on the part of those to whose care such 
 sufferers have been committed." — Methodist Protestant. 
 
 " Many works upon the treatment proper for insane patients have been pub- 
 lished ; but never, we believe, until now, has one been produced so well cal- 
 culated by its details to promote the essential benefit of those whose state so 
 strongly appeals to the liveliest sympathies of mankind." 
 
 ART ; Its Laws and the Reasons for Them. Collected, con- 
 densed, and arranged for General and Educational Pur- 
 poses. By Samuel P. Long, Counsellor at Law, Student 
 of the English Royal Academy, and Pupil of the late 
 Gilbert Stuart Newton, R. A. i2mo. Cloth. With 
 Steel Engravings and Wood-Cuts. $3 00. 
 
 Hon. George B. Emerson, in a note to the author, says : — 
 
 " I believe that any person who shall carefully read it would so understand 
 the principles, and have his eyes opened to the beauties of art, that he would 
 never look upon a picture, a statue, or a noble building, without more interest 
 and a higher power of appreciating and enjoying it." 
 
 TILESTON'S HAND-BOOK OF THE ADMINISTRA- 
 TIONS OF THE UNITED STATES i6mo. Flexible. 
 With Photographs of the Presidents from Washington 
 to Grant. $1.50. Large paper copies (limited), $2.50. 
 
 " From this excellent be-inning to the conclusion, the book is replete with 
 the most interesting information. Each Administration receives its fair share 
 of outhne. When there have been messages or proclamations of importance, 
 they are given cither fuilv or in well-chosen extracts. Especial attention has 
 been given to Mr T.inco'n, and indeed, an epitome of the war is thus pre- 
 sented. Beside'; a histo.v in brief of each President and his policy, \ve find 
 lists of the different Cabinets, and an analysis of contemporaneous tiistory. 
 The style is clear and concise ; and the book forms an entertaining and useftii 
 manual. If the reader could remember its contents, he would be well in' 
 formed as to the entire history of this country." — Philadelphia Age.
 
 THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES. 
 
 IN SIX VOLUMES. 
 BY OLIVER OPTIC. 
 
 I. 
 THE S03L,r>IER BOY; 
 
 Or, Toin Somers in the -A.rm.y. 
 
 n. 
 THE ©JAILOR, I50Y; 
 
 Or, Jack Somers in the IN'avy. 
 
 III. 
 THE YOUIVG L.TEXJTE]V^]VT ; 
 
 Or, The Adventures of an A.vm.y Officer. 
 
 A SEQUEL TO "THE SOLDIER BOY." 
 IV. 
 
 TH:E YA^IVIiEE M:ii>r>Y; 
 
 Or, The Adve ntur-es of a N'aval OflEicer. 
 
 A SEQUEL, TO "THE SAILOR BOY." 
 V. 
 
 FTOH^TIIVO JOE; 
 
 Or, The Fortunes of a Staff- Officer. 
 
 A SEQUEL TO "THE YOUNG LIEUTENANT." 
 VI. 
 
 BH.WE OEr> .*^A.T^T5 
 
 Or, Life on the Qnarter-Deolt. 
 
 A SEQUEL TO "THE YANKEE MIDDY."
 
 'TTfF LTBEAKT 
 
 T rkC5 
 
 ANGELES
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
 
 Los Angeles 
 
 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. 
 
 DEC 1 7 1984 
 
 ormLO — 15m-10,'48(B10iJy)444 
 
 r our DooKs uy lOur iluicu dTin.i'iaiTi *>t»ii.i^. .^w 
 
 this series, which contains Adventures by Sea 
 
 and Land, Manly Sports of England, Boy 
 
 Life in English Schools, Fairy Tales and 
 
 Legeads, — all handsomely illustrated. 
 
 
 LEE k SHEFARD, Publishers, Boston. 
 
 the prairies. We are pleased to notice, that 
 in the new series of Frontier Tales, by Lee 
 & Sliepard. lliere is an agreeable absence of 
 sensational writing, of that maudlin sent! 
 mentality which make the generality of such 
 tales nauseous." — Standard. ; 
 
 LEE & SHEPARD, Publishers, Boston. 
 • «/eC
 
 ) MISS T.ouisR M. Thurston's 
 
 CHARLEY ROBERTS SERIES. 
 
 To be CO 
 
 Ho-w ( 
 caiE 
 
 Char 
 in 
 
 In prpR 
 PTH hflie' 
 jiivfiiilc 1 
 li /,*'<.! I>y 
 young, ■ 
 
 "They 
 of tlif yt 
 Kvu in a 
 and ih^y 
 aiiibitiou 
 
 3 1158 00997 7017 
 
 I 
 
 VAC 
 
 Si] 
 
 PR 
 
 4879 
 
 L505a 
 
 ROI 
 
 Six vof 
 
 The Great Rosy Diamond. 
 Daisy, or The Fairy Spectacles. 
 Violet, a Fairy Story. 
 Minnie, or The Little "Woman. 
 The Angel Childien. 
 Littlfc Blossom's Keward. 
 
 These are delightful works for children. Thej 
 lire all very popular, and have had a wide circula' 
 tioii. They are now presented in a new dress. 
 The stories are all amusing and instructive, ex- 
 hibiting human nature in children, and teaching 
 
 suuie very important practical lessons. 
 
 rated. Per volume, $i. 
 
 e Rope. 
 is's inavorite. 
 of the DasJia- 
 
 Spaniard. 
 Diok. 
 of Oxbo-w. 
 
 ' is the 7wm de plume of an 
 
 le yomig folks who possesses 
 iiliility, and has a thorough 
 way to interest children." — 
 
 of these books exceedingly, 
 ntl it to the notice of Wubbath 
 Ladies' Repo&itory. 
 
 'ARD, Publishers, Boston. 
 
 ig ant) Instrucfifac." 
 
 /ERB SERIES. 
 
 L Bradley and Miss 
 E J. Neelv. 
 
 tllust Per vol., $i. 
 
 ither. 
 
 9 do If ot make Fine 
 
 ;hat Handsome does, 
 nfeased is half Ke- 
 
 \Xt \J^*^\^\J^» 
 
 Actions speak louder than "Words, 
 
 UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 
 
 
 LEE & SHEPARD, Publishers, Boston. 
 
 will ne reao u_v [leinuim \ji an o^cc wiw. uttrp 
 
 interest, and afford instructive and entertaining 
 conversation with the children." — S. S. Journal. 
 
 L£t & SHEPARD, Publishers, Boston.
 
 iV.