Page:Once a Week Dec 1861 to June 1862.pdf/710

700 were rushing out in myriads. By the time S had somewhat recovered his equanimity, I too had received a share of their attention. I never had a red hot darning needle thrust into my flesh, but I imagine it must be very like a sting from one of these pests. The pain for the moment is intense, but happily it soon wears off, and is seldom followed by any ill effects. A million or so to two, however, is rather long odds; so holding discretion to be the better part of valour, we fairly ran away, lit another fire, destroyed the dozen or two of ants which still clung pertinaciously to our clothes, and after giving our enemies time to return to their quarters, formed ourselves into a foraging party, advanced, seized the several delicacies comprising our supper, and retired in good order, dragging with us the temporary shelter we had erected, first making a breach in the citadel with one of the oars. It did not take us long to sup, erect a fresh quamby, roll ourselves in our blankets on the soft, peaty ground—the very idea of such a thing now gives one the rheumatism—and wander away into the land of dreams. Towards morning we were awakened by a beating of the water off the shore, as by paddle wheels, and a flock of black swans, some five hundred strong, rose from the bay, and with outstretched necks flew over our heads, emitting their plaintive cry. In native language the swan was called "Cournawarra," a designation evidently derived from its note; so the crow was i named "Wāng," the Menura superba of naturalists, or native pheasant, "Bullen-bullen,," [sic] and a bird known to the colonists as the More-pork, "Whuck-whuck." As day broke, the flight of swans, ducks, pelicans and cranes became for a time incessant. They all headed up the bay, and we let them go, for powder and shot was to us as gold and silver.

And now we heard in the gum-tree forest hard by, the first chuckling notes of a bird, sometimes called "The Settler's Clock," but more appropriately the Laughing Jackass. The early bird of Australia does not catch the worm, but turns his attention to snakes. There, of all the feathered tribes, the Laughing Jackass is the first abroad, if we except a few dissipated varieties which turn night into day, and go to roost when all decent, well-conducted birds are thinking of turning out to look after their breakfasts. Many causes tend to render the Jackass a favourite with bushmen; first there are his snake-destroying habits, then he is a punctual time keeper; but perhaps the quality of all others for which he is held in especial favour, is his mirth-moving notes.

As the first blush of sunlight was bringing out in strong relief the straggling branches of the gum-trees, near us, we could distinguish on the bare boughs, several uncouth~looking creatures, with beaks out of all proportion to the size of their bodies. One after another they leisurely stretched their legs and wings alternately, and a sound as of subdued laughter fell on our ears, repeated again and again at short intervals, for all the world like a party of old gentlemen enjoying a racy joke over their wine. By-and-by one, unable longer to control his risible propensities, burst out into a side-splitting peal, which made the old woods ring again. Other old gentlemen, many of them suffering from asthma, seemed suddenly to comprehend the joke, and joined in chorus. So the fun grew fast and furious, until we were constrained to add our shouts of laughter to the general uproar. Whether the presence of strangers was disagreeable, or the leader of the assembly was struck with apoplexy, we never clearly made out, but in a moment the mirth subsided, and a dead silence ensued.

By this time the morning had unfolded, and the sun shone in his splendour from a sky without a cloud. Our first business. after breakfast, was to look about us for a convenient locality for the erection of a hut. After a fatiguing tramp-for the ground was spongy where it was not muddy, and exceedingly difficult to get over—we came to a spot about four miles from Sandy Point, which bid fair to suit our purpose. The forest approached nearer to the bay than usual, and there was a good supply of straight tea-tree polls growing at hand. More important still, every appearance indicated a supply of fresh water without having to sink very deeply for it. This was of course the first consideration, so we erected a landmark by flying a piece of white rag from the bough of a tree, and returned for the boat. Having brought her round—catching a few fish, schnappers and flat-heads, by the way, we came in on the top of the tide, and very soon transferred all our valuables to the spot on which we purposed building, thus reversing the order of things in this old-fashioned country where furniture and stores are usually brought to the house, not the house to them. Having first protected our goods from all accidents likely to befal, we set to work well-sinking. The base of a sand-hill, about four hundred yards from the stores, appeared the most promising spot, and at about six feet from the surface a small puddle of water appeared. Hurrah! it was sweet and good, though rather gritty just then. I had commenced a spell with the spade in order to make good another foot in depth, when, in the most insidious manner in the world, the bottom of the hole gradually contracted. and held my legs as if in a vice, and presently I found myself up to the middle in quicksand, and utterly helpless, so far as being able, unassisted, to extricate myself from the dilemma. For some minutes S could not help me for laughing, and when he did, and by our united exertions, I was again on terra firma, my only pair of boots were left behind, and there they remained for the night. During the succeeding day, however, all these disasters were remedied—the boots were recovered—we completed the well after another cave in, and it bid fair to render us an ample supply of water for the present. True, it was the rainy season, and as summer advanced we might find ourselves deficient, but bushmen are not given to meet difficulties half way. We had enough and to spare for the present, so we thanked God for that, and trusted to Him and to our own right arms for the future.

Will the reader pardon me for enlarging on the seemingly trivial occurrences with which I have hitherto endeavoured to engage his attention? Desiring to give a general idea of life on a solitary island, these are but the first little touches in the picture, which I hope to set before him as a whole. G. H. H.