udible. We grilled our birds, and made
our tea. Whilst we were having a smoke, a truly magnificent white-headed
fish eagle lit on the top of a dead tree, three hundred yards away--a
splendid shot for a rifle. It remained for some minutes, then rose and
went off seaward. Joyce told me that the bird and its mate were very
familiar to him for a year past, but that he "hadn't the heart to take a
shot at them"--for which he deserved to be commended.

Presently, seeing me cutting some young supplejack vines, my new
acquaintance asked me their purpose. I told him that I meant to make a
light raft out of dead timber to save me from swimming after any ducks
that I might shoot, and that the supplejack was for lashing. Then, to my
surprise and pleasure, he proposed that I should go on to his "humphy,"
and camp there for the night, and he would return to the swamp with me
in the morning, join me in a day's shooting and fishing, and then come
on with me to the township on the following day.

Gladly accepting his offer, two hours' easy walking brought us to
his home--a roughly-built slab shanty with a bark roof, enclosed in a
good-sized paddock, in which his old pack horse, several goats and a
cow and calf were feeding. At the side of the house was a small
but well-tended vegetable garden, in which were also some huge
water-melons--quite ripe, and just the very thing after our fourteen
miles' walk. One-half of the house and roof was covered with scarlet
runner bean plants, all in full bearing, and altogether the exterior of
the place was very pleasing. Before we reached the door two dogs, which
were inside, began a terrific din--they knew their master's step. The
interior of the house--which was of two rooms--was clean and orderly,
the walls of slabs being papered from top to bottom with pictures from
illustrated papers, and the floor was of hardened clay. Two or three
rough chairs, a bench and a table comprised the furniture, and yet the
place had a home-like look.

My host asked me if I could "do" with a drink of bottled-beer; I
suggested a slice of water-melon.

"Ah, you're right But those outside are too hot. Here's a cool one," and
going into the other room he produced a monster. It was delicious!

After a bathe in the creek near by, we had a hearty supper, and then sat
outside yarning and smoking till turn-in time.

Soon after a sunrise breakfast, we started for the swamp, taking the
old packhorse with us, my host leaving