birds; we may as well carry as much food as we
can into the mountains, in case we should find none there."

I followed Mudge's advice; and looking about, soon caught sight of a
magnificent cockatoo, at which I let fly and brought it to the ground,
the echoes of the report reverberating down the valley. "If our black
friend is in the neighbourhood he must have heard that shot," I
observed. Returning with my prize, we packed up our traps, stuffing the
roast pigeons into our kettle, which Mudge carried, while I hung the
unplucked bird outside my pack.

"Forward!" cried Mudge, and we turned our faces up the mountain.

We soon got into a region very different from any we had as yet met
with. Wild, rugged, and barren rocks rose around us, and a stunted
vegetation alone appeared in the gorges along which we made our way.
Still we pushed on, steering by our compass, which told us that we were
keeping a pretty direct course to the southward. Fortunate it was that
we had brought food with us, for not a bird appeared, nor did we see an
animal at which we could get a shot. We, of course, carefully noted the
way, not only that we might know it again, but to judge whether it could
be easily traversed by animals. As yet we agreed that a sure-footed
horse could easily get along, rugged as the way was, and steep in some
places. At length we came to the steep side of a mountain, over which
we ourselves, laden as we were, might be able to make our way, though it
was very certain that no horse could either ascend or descend it with
safety. I proposed, notwithstanding, that we should climb it.

"We'll not do that if it can be avoided," answered Mudge. "It may take
us less time to get over it, but it will be more advantageous to our
friends if we can make our way either to the right or left."

We looked about and soon found a route to the right, which appeared
practicable, as far as we could see; but where it would lead us to, we
could not tell.

"There's nothing like trying," observed Mudge; "and a perpendicular
precipice alone should stop us."

He was right; and after proceeding about a mile to the eastward, we
descended again into a valley which led in the direction we wished to
take. A cascade which came tumbling down the rock tempted us to stop,
although no trees from the bark of which we could form a hut were to be
seen. The shrubs, however, which grew in the neighbourhood of the fall
afforded us a supply of firewood