n there--are too coarse in
fibre to be ever really Australians), always welcome with gladness the
sight of a gum-tree; and Australians in London sometimes gather in some
friend's house for a burning of gum-leaves. In a brazier the aromatic
leaves are kindled, the thin, blue smoke curls up (gum-leaf smoke is
somehow different to any other sort of smoke), and the Australians think
tenderly of their far-away home.

[Illustration: SURF BATHING SHOOTING THE BREAKERS. PAGES 23 & 73.]

One may meet gum-trees in many parts of the world nowadays--in Africa,
in America, in Italy and other parts of Europe; for the gum-tree has the
quality of healing marshy soil and banishing malaria from the air. They
are, therefore, much planted for health's sake, and the wandering
Australian meets often his national tree.

A very potent medicine called eucalyptus oil is brewed from gum-leaves,
and a favourite Australian "house-wives'" remedy for rheumatism is a bed
stuffed with gum-leaves. So the gum-tree is useful as well as beautiful.

CHAPTER VI

THE AUSTRALIAN CHILD

His school and his games--"Bobbies and bushrangers"--Riding to
school.

Australia is the child among civilized nations, and her life throughout
is a good deal like that of a child in some regards--more gay and free,
less weighed down with conventions and thoughts of rules than the life
of an older community. So Australia is a very happy place for children.
There is not so much of the "clean pinny" in life--and what wholesome
child ever really enjoyed the clean pinny and the tidied hair part of
life?

But don't run away with the idea that the Australians, either adults or
children, are a dirty people. That would be just the opposite to the
truth. Australians are passionately fond of the bath. In the poorest
home there is always a bath-room, which is used daily by every member of
the family. On the sea-coast swimming is the great sport, though it is
dangerous to swim in the harbours because of sharks, and protected baths
are provided where you may swim in safety; still children have to be
carefully watched to prevent them from going in for a swim in unsafe
places. The love of the water is greater than the fear of the sharks.
The little Australian is not dirty, but he has a child's love of being
untidy, and he can generally gratify it in his country, where conditions
are so free and easy.

I am sorry to say that the Australian child is rather inclined to