Adventures in Australia | Page 8

he would have been severely wounded. Turning round
however he dealt it so heavy a blow on the head with his riding-whip
that it staggered, and Guy firing brought it to the ground. The natives,
whom we recognised as our friends of the morning, now came up and
claimed the prize. Bracewell gave them to understand that we must first
cut out as many steaks as we required. When this was done we handed
the body over to them. They appeared highly delighted and especially
struck by the moderate quantity we claimed. We had now to turn back

to where we had left Toby in charge of the baggage animal. I had some
secret apprehensions that, if not honest, he might bolt with our traps
and be received with open arms as a wealthy man among some of his
countrymen. I was not aware at the time that he belonged to a tribe
regarded as hereditary enemies by the people inhabiting the country we
were travelling through, and that he was as likely to lose his life at
their hands as any white man would be. We looked about in all
directions and at length, to our no small satisfaction, espied him still
standing by the horses and wondering what had become of us. We had
lost considerable time by our hunting, though we had obtained a good
dinner, and of course had been delayed also by one of the party having
to proceed on foot.
While we were seated round our camp-fire Bracewell said--
"I scarcely like to make the proposal I am about to do, and yet perhaps
you will not object. If you will consent to remain in camp here and
allow me to take one of your horses, I will ride forward and bring a
couple of fresh ones from my station. Should you not do this I must
insist on walking, though I shall of necessity delay you. I confess also,
that I am anxious to give notice that the bushrangers are abroad, or
they may be visiting my hut or some of my neighbours, and carry off
arms and ammunition, which is chiefly what they come after, for they
don't find much else than food in the shepherds' huts."
"Pray do as you think best," said Guy, "I am sure Maurice will agree
with me that we should not at all mind remaining stationary for a few
hours, nor will our other horses, which require rest."
I thought the plan a good one, and before the day had actually broken,
Bracewell mounted my horse and away he rode at a rate which assured
us that we should not be long alone. As Toby had plenty of food, he did
not grumble at the delay, but sat himself down contentedly at the fire
which he promised to keep alight, while we took our guns and went to
shoot some birds or a kangaroo if we could see one.
The great drawback to a traveller in a hot country is the impossibility
of preserving fresh meat, which exposed to the sun quickly becomes

uneatable. What we killed one day was therefore unfit for food the next,
and we had each morning to shoot some more game, or content
ourselves with damper and tea.
We had already become pretty skilful in baking damper, which consists
simply of flour and water, kneaded on a board, and baked in the form
of a large biscuit under the ashes.
We saw several kangaroos, but they bounded away before we could get
near enough to shoot them, and had to content ourselves as before with
a couple of parrots and as many pigeons, which was an ample supply,
for although the over-high kangaroo meat did not suit our palates,
Toby had no objection to it.
We had been shooting for some time, and were making our way back to
camp, when we caught sight in the distance of three horsemen, their
heads and those of their steeds, occasionally appearing above the
brushwood. They appeared to be coming towards us.
At first we thought that they must be Bracewell and two companions;
but as we could make out no led horses, and they were not approaching
from the direction he would appear, we concluded that they must be
strangers.
"What if they should be bushrangers?" said Guy. "If they catch Toby
alone they are certain to carry off our baggage and horses, and will
probably shoot him to prevent him giving information."
"The sooner we get back to camp the better," I answered.
We hurried on, keeping ourselves concealed as much as possible. "It
would be prudent to load our guns with ball," said Guy; "the fellows
won't know that we suspect them, and may think that they can stick us
up with perfect