ved an
antipathy to the natives, whom they charged in warlike style, whenever
they had the chance. The aborigines held them in great respect, took
them for large dogs (bull-dogs of course), and had a wholesome fear of
their bite. These notions the travellers did not deem it advisable to
dispel.

Opossums and flying squirrels, kangaroos, (some standing nine feet
high,) and kangaroo rats, emus, ducks, and bronze-winged pigeons, were
the principal beasts and birds encountered during the journey.
Crocodiles were met with, and a few buffaloes. Fish of many kinds, now
and then turtles, were seen and caught in the pools, rivers, and
lagoons. Sand-flies, mosquitoes, and hornets, were very annoying, but
the cool night-breeze usually swept them away. The melodious note of
the glucking-bird, so named from the sound resembling "gluck, gluck,"
the noisy call of the "laughing jackass," the hoot of the barking owl,
the howlings of native dogs, and the screech of the opossum, were the
principal sounds that broke the stillness of the bush. Kangaroos were
a great article of provender; the travellers chased them with dogs, so
long as the dogs lasted, but these perished, little by little, until
at last only one remained,--Spring by name,--a useful and valiant
brute, covered with honourable scars. He was of the breed known as the
kangaroo-dog, was exceedingly stanch and valuable, and the means of
obtaining a vast deal of game. Of course, he was an immense
favourite, and his masters had reckoned on his accompanying them to
the end of their journey. They carried a calabash of water for his
private use, as they were frequently very long without meeting with
any, and this precaution more than once saved Spring's life. At last,
during the latter part of a toilsome day's march, poor Spring lagged
in rear and was forgotten. The next day two of the party returned to
seek him, and found him almost dead, "stretched out in the deep cattle
track, which he seemed not to have quitted even to find a shady place.
They brought him to the camp; and I put his whole body, with the
exception of his head, under water, and bled him; he lived six hours
longer, when he began to bark, as if raving." And Spring gave up the
ghost, to the great comfort and relief of the emus and kangaroos, and
to the deep distress of the worthy Doctor and his biped companions.

The party had been out but one month, when the scarcity of game, far
less abundant than had been expected,