. As we could find no cave or hollow
for a sleeping-place, we cut down a quantity of boughs, and arranged
them so as to screen ourselves from the cool breeze which blew along the
valley; but, from the dry appearance of the grass, and our own previous
sensations, we judged that the place was hot enough during the day, when
the sun beat down into it.

We soon had our kettle boiling; and having eaten some of our cold
pigeons--which, by the way, were rather high by this time--we drank our
tea, and lay down to sleep, with our firearms by our sides. There was
not much chance of our being interfered with by natives, and we also
concluded that no dingos were likely to find their way into a region
destitute of all other animals. There is no country in the world,
indeed, in which a traveller can rest so securely at night, provided no
natives attack him, as in Australia. Perhaps I might except the risk
from snakes; but these are only to be met with in the hotter spots, and
even the venomous ones seldom bite unless attacked. Dreary as was the
aspect of the region in which we were encamped, compared with the
scenery to which we had been accustomed, we slept, however, without
fear; and the next morning, having taken a shower-bath in the waterfall,
we breakfasted, and set off in good spirits.

"No signs of Master Pullingo," observed Mudge. "He might have found it
difficult to track us over the rocky ground, even had he wished it; but
I suspect that he has gone away north with his friends, and that we
shall not again set eyes on him."

We trudged on along the bottom of the gorge, the heat as the sun rose
and beat down into it becoming greater and greater till it was almost
insupportable. The scenery became still wilder as we advanced, and much
more arid; often bare rocks alone were to be seen on either hand, with
only the most stunted vegetation, and no signs of water. We travelled
on till noon, when we stopped under the shade of a rock to eat our
frugal meal. We had, of course, filled our bottles in the morning, and
therefore did not suffer from thirst, though we had been compelled to
exhaust a large portion of their contents.

Hitherto the route we had fortunately hit upon was practicable for
horses, though in many places the riders would have to dismount in order
to proceed with safety. The day was well advanced when, as we were
making our way through a narrow gorge, we came upon the bones of a large
animal; which, upo