horse led out,
and shot on the spot. It was not out of vengeance that he did so, for
he was not aware at the time of the dangerous state you were in; but
he said that the horse would be the cause of death to some one yet. It
was from a kind motive he did so, but it was a sad blow to me. I will
never see the like of Units again."

It was arranged that Alice and I were to be married in the following
September.

"You were a sad truant," said my aunt, "to go from Dublin after the
cautions I gave you; but I give my full pardon under the
circumstances."

I had a silent but powerful, advocate near me.

Shortly after my recovery, I went to London, for the purpose of making
necessary arrangements for my marriage. When there, I called upon
Thomson, and narrated to him the entire events.

"You are a very lucky fellow!" he said. "I look upon this horse
'Units' as having been your guardian angel. I told you you were
deficient in 'Constructiveness,' and your story proves it. Had it not
been that you got your head broken, or some other fortuitous event
occurred, you would have remained a bachelor to the end of your
days."

RESEARCH AND ADVENTURE IN AUSTRALIA.[15]

The confident mariner, spreading his canvass to the fickle gale, and
launching forth upon unknown seas in search of uncertain shores, to
combat the kraken and fish the pearl, scarcely exhibits more daring,
or braves greater perils, than the hardy landsman, who, on horse's
back or dromedary's hump, or his own mocassined feet, plunges into
tangled jungle and pathless prairie, adventuring himself, a solitary
pioneer, thousands of miles from the abodes of civilisation. If shoal
and squall and treacherous reef, pirates and storms, and tropical
calms scarce less terrible, when parched lips blacken for thirst in
the midst of boundless waters, await the seaman, dangers equally
imminent and inevitable, and more incessant beset the path of the
wanderer in the desert. The sailor has his days and weeks of safety
and repose and rude luxury, whilst the stately ship scuds merrily
before favouring breezes over a summer sea, and the light routine of
duty is but sufficient to give zest to the junk ration, the grog kid,
and the tobacco pipe. The storm over, he swings easily in his hammock,
recruiting strength for fresh exertion; and even when the winds howl
their worst, give him a tight ship and sea-room, and he holds himself
safe and laughs at the tempest. The explorer of tr