iking contrast to it; many districts being rugged and slaty and
painfully difficult to traverse on foot. There were, however, many
interesting natural curiosities which beguiled the time in travelling.

Once I came across a certain kind of spider, whose web was so strong and
thick that it only broke under considerable pressure from the finger. The
spider itself was fully two inches or three inches long, and had
formidable claws. Inland fishing, too, I found extremely interesting. Of
course, the inland blacks have a very different method of fishing from
that adopted by the coast tribes. Often the inland people would build a
fire on the banks of the lagoon, and throw something into the water to
attract the fish to the surface. When the fish rose they would promptly
be speared. Some of them weighed as much as ten pounds, and proved
excellent eating. The blacks themselves never inquired how the fish came
into these inland holes; it was enough for them to know they were there
and were good eating. The usual fish-hooks were of bone; and although I
experimented with hooks of gold and copper I found them practically
useless, and, in the long run, reverted to articles of native
manufacture. In a certain limestone country, which I struck in the
course of my wanderings, I discovered some extraordinary caves with water-
holes, in which blind fish existed. They certainly had indications of
eyes, but these were hidden beneath a kind of permanent skin covering. In
any case they would have had no use for eyes, because the water-holes
were situated in the most profound darkness. In other caves I discovered
quantities of extraordinary animal-bones, probably of prehistoric origin.

If I have omitted to mention Bruno in connection with every incident
related in these pages, it must not be supposed that my faithful
companion did not play an important part in my daily life.

He was always with me; but it must be remembered that he was now growing
old, and the natives around me were by no means so keen to possess him as
the tribes of Carpentaria had been in the days gone by.

All kinds of extraordinary incidents befell me whilst on the
"walk-about." Many a time have I been deceived by mirage. One most
complete deception befell me one day whilst Yamba and I were tramping
over a stretch of low, sandy country. Suddenly I fancied I descried the
boundless ocean in the distance, and with my usual impetuosity rushed
frantically for