the wind was south-west, and the sky wild and lowering in
that direction. During the forenoon light rain fell, but scarcely more
than sufficient to moisten the grass; it would, however, probably afford
our deserters a drink upon the cliffs. Towards evening the sky cleared,
and the weather became frosty.

On the following day we still remained in camp, hoping for rain;--a
single heavy shower would so completely have freed us from the danger of
attempting to force a passage through the great extent of arid country
before us, that I was unwilling to move on until the very last moment.
Our rations were however rapidly disappearing whilst we were idling in
camp, the horse-flesh was all consumed, and to-day we had commenced upon
the mutton, so that soon we should be compelled to go, whether it rained
or not. Month after month however had passed away without any fall of
rain, and the season had now arrived when, under ordinary circumstances,
much wet might be expected; and though each day, as it passed without
gratifying our hopes, but added to our disappointment, yet did every hour
we lingered give us a better chance of being relieved by showers in our
route round the last cliffs of the Bight. The evening set in mild but
close, with the wind at north-east, and I had great hopes that showers
would fall.

April 25.--During the night dense clouds, accompanied by gusts of wind
and forked lightning, passed rapidly to the south-west, and this morning
the wind changed to that quarter. Heavy storms gathered to seawards with
much thunder and lightning, but no rain fell near us; the sea appearing
to attract all the showers. The overseer shot a very large eagle to-day
and made a stew of it, which was excellent. I sent the boy out to try and
shoot a wallabie, but he returned without one.

In the evening, a little before dark, and just as we had finished our
tea, to my great astonishment our two runaway natives made their
appearance, the King George's Sound native being first. He came frankly
up, and said that they were both sorry for what they had done, and were
anxious to be received again, as they found they could get nothing to eat
for themselves. The other boy sat silently and sullenly at the fire,
apparently more chagrined at being compelled by necessity to come back to
us than sorry for having gone away. Having given them a lecture, for they
both now admitted having stolen meat, not only on the night they were
detected but previ