ing myself a good deal
by the tremendous splash I made, and meeting reproving glances; and nine
heads were shaken violently at me.

Nothing could be more beautiful than the winding banks of this creek,
fringed with large ferns in endless variety; it was delightful to see
the sun and sky once more overhead, but I cannot say that it was the
easiest possible walking, and I soon found out that the cleverest thing
to do was to wade a little way behind the shortest gentleman of the
party, for when he disappeared in a hole I knew it in time to avoid a
similar fate; whereas, as long as I persisted in stalking solemnly after
my own tall natural protector, I found that I was always getting into
difficulties in unexpectedly deep places. I saw the bushmen whispering
together, and examining the rocks in some places, but I found on inquiry
that their thoughts were occupied at the moment by other ideas than
sport; one of them had been a digger, and was pronouncing an opinion
that this creek was very likely to prove a "home of the gold" some day.
There is a strong feeling prevalent that gold will be found in great
quantities all over the island. At this time of the year the water is
very shallow, but the stream evidently comes down with tremendous force
in the winter; and they talk of having "found the colour" (of gold) in
some places. We proceeded in this way for about three miles, till we
reached a beautiful, clear, deep pool, into which the water fell from
a height in a little cascade; the banks here were well trodden, and
the hoof-prints quite recent; great excitement was caused by hearing a
distant lowing, but after much listening, in true Indian fashion, with
the ear to the ground, everybody was of a different opinion as to the
side from whence the sound proceeded, so we determined to keep on our
original course; the compass was once more produced, and we struck into
a dense wood of black birch.

Ever since we left the clearing from which the start was made, we had
turned our backs on the river, but about three o'clock in the afternoon
we came suddenly on it again, and stood on the most beautiful spot I
ever saw in my life. We were on the top of a high precipice, densely
wooded to the water's edge. Some explorers in bygone days must
have camped here, for half-a-dozen trees were felled, and the thick
brush-wood had been burnt for a few yards, just enough to let us take
in the magnificent view before and around us. Below roared an