kinds of shells on this part of the coast, and among them he recognised Cypreæ, Coni, Volutes, and Patellæ, also some enormous Venus's Ears,* one of which he formed into a drinking cup, and another into a strainer; from the former he twisted off the holes through which the inhabitant thrusts its tentacula, and filed the edge quite smooth. That same night a large meteor crossed the sky out at sea, leaving a long train of light behind it, and exploded into a shower of star-like sparks. Numerous Petrels of different species hovered about, and the next morning a large flight of Gannets, extending many yards in length and breadth, passed along at the rate of at least thirty miles the hour. They were evidently going to the south, and some thousands must have been there, for they were an hour and a half in their passage over the spot where Captain Spencer was. Charlie sat on the top of the cliff staring up at them, and muttering to himself, and when the last was gone, he burst into a loud "Ha! ha! ha!"

From this point the party proceeded along shore at the foot of the deep red cliffs, till the truth of the mirage was proved, and they reached the mouth of a wide inlet, through which a river was flowing to the ocean.

Haliotes gigantea.

CHAPTER IV.

Captain Spencer ascends a ravine.-Flying Foxes.-Green Ants. Hawks, Pelicans, Parrakeets, and Cranes.-Mullet.--Porpoises.Pandanus. -- Nutmegs. - Pigeons, &c.-Mosquitoes.--Sand-flies. -Hears natives.-Dangerous attack.-Captain Spencer kills a man. -He is wounded by a spear.-Beautiful plain and lake.--Waterlilies, &c.-Residence on the top of a hillock.--Native graves.— Sees Kangaroos.-Tiger loses a shoe.-Oats.-Kangaroos.-Skin prepared.-Mocassins made.-Frilled lizard.-Gipsy nearly killed by a Python. Kites and other birds.--Cranes.—Bitterns.-Owls, &c. Sow-thistle.-Falcon. -Shrike.-Cuckoo.-- Captain Spencer rides to native huts.-Spear-heads.-Circiles of stones.-Bowerbird.-Gourd.-Cray-fish.--Captain Spencer rides over the hills.--Caves like temples.--Paintings.-Vampire Bats.-Carved head.-Kangaroo.-Gouty tree.-Vitex.-Crabs.-Reed.--Beetles.-Fireflies. Storm. Provisions collected for journey.--The grass hat. -A fresh start.

To ascend the inlet at which he had now arrived on one side, till he could cross the river flowing through it, and then return towards the coast on the other, seemed to Captain Spencer to be the only feasible plan which he could pursue; for although he, Gip, and Tiger could swim well, the current was immensely strong, and the bed of the river full of rocks, so that he would have found it difficult to resist being carried out to sea by the force of the water, and certainly the light Gipsy, and Tiger with his burthen, could not get across. The idea of being taken by this ravine into a new part of the country would have caused no regret, had he not

F

reflected, that as yet he had made but little way in the many leagues of distance which he had to traverse; but there was no help for it, and he consoled himself with the prospect of seeing the interior of a country which he knew to be beautiful, but which had not as yet presented many of its charms to his eyes. He retreated for the night to a distance from the Mangroves, and only unpacking what was absolutely necessary to allay thirst and hunger, he wrapped himself in his cloak, and, sheltered by the cliffs, the whole party slept for a few hours.

The next morning, even before the sun had risen high enough to light up the western ocean, Captain Spencer was ready for starting. The sea was calm, but a heavy tide rolling in shore, gave it that long, heavy swell, which conveys an idea that the whole of our planet must more or less partake of the vast movement. None but a very rugged path could be found between the banks of the river and the high cliffs which bordered them, but Tiger picked his way through, Gip leaped from stone to stone, and for a time Charlie rode in his usual place on the top of the baggage, as if afraid to trust himself out of sight in a new scene. In their passage close to the Mangroves, they disturbed numbers of those bats which are called flying Foxes,* and which his Malays had told him were good eating; but he had never tried them, and now, as they flew past and around him, their musky odour rendered him still more unwilling to convert them into food. With his Indian dislike to Mangroves, he hastened on, and was well pleased, after walking for two hours, to find that they altogether disappeared, thereby leaving him a

* Pteropus edulis.

wider path, skirted on one side by the rushing, tumbling river, and on the other by a thick belt of trees of various kinds, which, in their abundance frequently spread their branches across the way, to the discomfort both of master and horse; for when they knocked against them, a swarm of green Ants, which built their nests among the leaves, dropped upon them and bit them severely. According to his usual custom, when anything annoyed Tiger, his master sought to relieve him from it, but there was no kind person to perform such an office for himself; and the painful attacks of these little creatures, made him rejoice in the brim of his grass hat. The ears of Tiger, however, suffered so much, that he stamped and kicked, and Captain Spencer contrived, when he rested for the night, to make coverings for them out of one of his handkerchiefs, and hanging from each was a long shred of the same material, which he hoped would also keep off the flies.

The height of the cliffs and the dense vegetation rendered the air less fresh than above, but it was far from disagreeable; these heights were still composed of coarse ferruginous and siliceous sandstone, and from the foliage numbers of beautiful Parrakeets rushed out, pursued by black-shouldered Hawks, and from the former Captain Spencer did not hesitate to derive two or three meals. Now and then a row of Pelicans, with their solemn looks, told him that fishes were to be had in the river, but these heavy birds slowly flew away at his approach, wheeling off in circles near the ground, and then soaring upwards. Large Cranes* also came to feed by the water side, and with their accustomed fearlessness of man, would probably have suffered him to go by without being disturbed;

* Ardea antigone, Native companion.

but when Tiger appeared he was too much for their courage, and they flew away as if unwilling to go. Plenty of Mullet in the river explained the presence of these birds, as well as that of some wild Ducks, resembling Teal, and he determined to follow their example of baving fish for dinner. Unloading Tiger he prepared a line and hook, which he took from one of his jacket pockets, and cutting a pole from one of the trees for a fishing-rod, he baited the hook with one of the unknown insects hovering over the water, and seating himself on a fragment of rock, he soon captured a plentiful supply, and as he drew them out, he observed that they were of a much paler red than when they inhabited the ocean. Experience had not taught them to avoid man, and they seized on his bait with avidity; but on hearing a great splashing at some distance, they darted away with the utmost rapidity. A shoal of porpoises had just arrived from sea, and rapidly advancing, overtook the hindmost; and then Captain Spencer knew it would be in vain for him to compete with his finny rivals; so while Tiger browsed on the herbage growing between the pieces of fallen stone, he made his fire, roasted his Mullet, and he and Gipsy enjoyed an excellent repast.

*

The trees under the cliffs were of various kinds, but the Pandanus, having the air of a Palm-tree with simple fronds, and Nutmeg† were the most abundant; the traveller tasted some of the fruit of the latter, and found it very insipid, but it was still very young, and in this sheltered ravine was probably never out of fruit and flower. The brightest and most exquisitely coloured Parrots and Parrakeets, displaying all the most brilliant plumage which could be conceived, filled the air with their cries. + Muristica insipida.

* Pandanus pedunculatus.