und them still continue unchanged, with the same level uninteresting
country behind. I had now accomplished all that I expected to do on this
excursion, by ascertaining the character of the country around the Great
Bight; and as our horses were too weak to attempt to push beyond the
cliffs to the next water, and as we ourselves were without provisions, I
turned homewards, and by making a late and forced march, arrived at the
place where we had left the bucket of water, after a day's ride of
forty-five miles. Our precaution as we had gone out proved of inestimable
value to us now. The bucket of water was full and uninjured, and we were
enabled thus to give our horses a gallon and a half each, and allow them
to feed upon the withered grass instead of tying them up to bushes, which
we must have done if we had had no water.

January 12.--In our route back to "Yeer-kumban-kauwe" we were lucky
enough to add to our fare a rat and a bandicoot, we might also have had a
large brown snake, but neither the boy nor I felt inclined to
experimentalise upon so uninviting an article of food; after all it was
probably mere prejudice, and the animal might have been as good eating as
an eel. We arrived at the water about noon, and the remainder of the day
afforded a grateful rest both to ourselves and to the horses.

January 13.--Our fire had gone out during the night, and all our matches
being wet, we could not relight it until noon, when the rays of a hot sun
had dried them again. Having eaten our slender dinner, I walked out to
water the horses, leaving the boy in charge of the camp. Upon my return I
found him comfortably seated between two of our friends the natives, who
had just returned from a hunting excursion, bringing with them the half
roasted carcass of a very fine kangaroo. They had already bestowed upon
the boy two very large pieces, and as soon as I made my appearance they
were equally liberal to me, getting up the moment I arrived at the camp,
and bringing it over to me of their own accord. The supply was a most
acceptable one, and we felt very grateful for it. Having received as much
of the kangaroo as would fully last for two days, I gave a knife in
return to the eldest of the men, with which he seemed highly delighted. I
would gladly have given one to the other also, but I had only one left,
and could not spare it. The natives remained in camp with us for the
night, and seemed a good deal surprised when they saw us re-roas