Page:Tracks of McKinlay and party across Australia.djvu/227

 deep enabled those who could swim to indulge in that healthy exercise.

Orders to-night for three of the party to go after the dead bullock and get his hide, it being so very useful for hobbles or ropes; and in the event of being very hard up for grub, what can be better than bullock's hide well boiled!

A good deal of thunder, with indications of rain; hope it may come and cool the air. Hot wind blowing to-day, and very disagreeable. McKinlay found Frank, the native, asleep on his watch last night, for which he got severely reprimanded. He became impudent and sulky. It would have served him right had the governor given him a good tanning for his insolence. He said he would go no further, so McKinlay discharged him, giving him an order on the Commissioner of Crown Lands for his money. He has gone back to Perigundi, where is a young female, rejoicing in the name "Kintullah" (Anglice, "shedog") with whom this fellow had fallen deeply in love, as he told us some time before at Lake Buchanan. He said that he should when he returned marry this Kintullah—a nice name for a man's wife. I expect that she is the chief cause of his leaving; so wishing him a happy honeymoon, if they have moons of that description here, we will leave him to his own devices. Only a few drops of rain after all our expectations.