not acquainted
with their language. Hence all foreigners, of whom, especially Germans
and Chinese, there are a great many in the colony, who have not a
thorough knowledge of the English tongue when they come to the country,
acquire this peculiar phraseology.

I fear I must crave the pardon of many of my friends for having
introduced into my book some little episodes in their personal history
which they may not have desired to have had laid before the world. But,
though such may be recognisable to themselves, I feel safe in expressing
my confidence that to the public they will remain hid by the veil of
fiction.

LONDON, _1st May 1862_.

CHAPTER I.

"Sister, farewell: I must to Coventry;
As much good stay with thee, as go with me."

RICHARD II., _Act_ 1, _Sc._ 2.

"Good-bye, Kate, I can't help leaving you at least for a time; and if we
can make any settlement with Smithers for any of his country, you know
I'll soon be back for you: so don't make me disheartened by seeing you
so melancholy. John has started some time since with the pack-horses,
and seeing you had run away from the parlour while the governor was
talking to me, I have followed you to see you look cheerful, and get
another kiss before we part. My mother thinks me already on the road,
and Joey is only strapping on my valise to the saddle."

"I shall be so lonely, Will, when you are gone; I'll have no one to ride
with, and as for kangaroos, I am sure I shall not see one until you
return, for you know Papa never cares about going out with the dogs. You
may as well take the poor things with you, for they will be of no use
here; they will be company and afford amusement to you."

"Oh, never mind them, Kitty, I'm for work not sport; but come now dry up
your tears, and while I am away be sure and make yourself a proficient
in housekeeping, because you know, if we succeed in forming a station,
as soon as we can get up a decent sort of a 'humpie,' and comfortably
settled, I will come and fetch you; and know thou, my Kitty darling, if
you do not make your brothers as contented as they in their gracious
will shall desire, they will publish throughout the length and breadth
of the land the short-comings of their pert little sister; and the
decree once gone forth that our Kitty is a useless little baggage, and
not fit to be a squatter's wife, what will she do then?"

"She will tell her brothers' friends that she is t