ortsmen; and when
Pullingo saw us setting off he followed at a respectful distance.
Whether he also intended to hunt or not, we could not tell; his only
weapons were a bundle of lances, and a piece of hard wood shaped
something like a scimitar--called, we found, a boomerang--which he
carried in his belt.

We had never failed to shoot as many birds as we required, but we were
anxious to kill some of the curious animals which Captain Cook called
kangaroos. They may be said to be the principal creatures of the
country. Their heads are something like those of deer, and their coats
are of the same colour. They are of all sizes, some being as high as a
man. They do not run, like other animals, for their front legs, which
they use as arms, are too short for the purpose; but they have very long
hind legs, and powerful tails, which enable them to bound over the
ground at an immense rate. It is wonderful what a succession of leaps
they can take.

We saw some animals like opossums, and flying squirrels, which we took
to be bats; and we occasionally caught sight of wild dogs or dingos,--
hideous, savage-looking creatures, though they always ran away from us
when we moved towards them or shouted.

We could not tell whether Pullingo understood our object; had we been
able to exchange ideas with him, he might have greatly assisted us by
showing us where game was to be found. He had conceived, I fancy, a
great respect for our firearms, and followed us for the sake of seeing
their effect.

We had gone farther into the interior than we had ever before been, in
the hope of finding some kangaroos, and found ourselves in an open
country free of trees, with low hills and rocks beyond. We were about
to turn back, believing that, as there was no shelter, we should be
unable to approach any game unperceived, when Doyle exclaimed,--"Arrah,
see that big bird which has just started up on its legs! Quick, quick!
or he'll be off. His meat would make a hundred parrot-pies, and some to
spare besides."

On turning round as Paddy spoke, I saw, about a hundred yards off, a
bird of enormous size--so it appeared to me; a bird certainly, for it
had two legs, was shaped like a bird, and was covered with feathers. It
could scarcely have been less than seven feet in height; was of a
lightish brown colour, with a long neck, a small head, and very long
powerful legs; but was destitute of wings, so far as I could see. The
creature looked at us w