s of their wealth, in which labour of love they were eagerly
assisted by the flying-foxes during the night, whilst any that had
escaped these nocturnal depredators became the spoil of two or three
idle boys, who loafed about all day, seeking mischief, and, as always
happens, succeeding in finding it, even in this sequestered region.
From this it will be seen that my efforts in the direction of husbandry
were attended with some difficulty, and, despite a real liking for the
animal world, I had imbibed a holy hatred of that particular section of
its society which insisted on devouring my substance under my very
nose, only retreating to the nearest tree until my back was turned, and
then resuming operations with unblushing effrontery. By way of a mild
vengeance, I had got into the habit of coming out every morning
directly I awoke, with my gun, and easing off both barrels amongst the
cockatoos, wallabies, or whatever particular class of robbers happened
to be afield at the moment--a practice which served as a safety-valve
for my injured feelings, whilst at the same time it provided me with a
cockatoo pie, or a good bowl of kangaroo-tail soup.

Once, in my indignation at finding my palings broken down, and some
sugar-cane, that I had been most carefully rearing, rooted up and
destroyed, while the author of the mischief, a huge sow, innocent of
the restraining ring (I would have hung the ring of the 'Devastation's'
best bower-anchor to her snout, had I been allowed to follow out my
wishes), stood gloating over the havoc she had caused. Then, in my
wrath, I had hastily loaded a carbine with a handful of salt, and
prematurely converted a portion of my enemy's flank into bacon; but
even this just act of retribution was not to be accomplished without
further loss to myself, for on receipt of my hint to move on, her
sowship dashed straight ahead, and brought down a whole panel of my
fence about her ears, owing to which the village cows, which I had
often observed throwing longing glances over the paling at my bananas,
doubtless apprised of their opportunity by the evil-minded and
malicious sow, took a mean advantage of the weakness of my defences,
and on the same night devoured everything in the garden that they
thought worthy of their attention.

Though I had now become hardened to the many injuries thus heaped upon
me, and had almost discontinued all attempts at cultivation, I still
retained the habit of stepping out into th