se nuts, we might,
with the aid of the cabbage-palms, and the leaves of a species of sorrel
and other plants we met with, have been able to support existence on a
vegetable diet.

On examining our stores one evening, as we sat in our camp, we found
that we had between us not more than half-a-dozen charges of powder and
shot. We had still some pemmican, but our biscuit had long been
exhausted; and we had but a few pinches of tea, although we had for some
time been enjoying that refreshing beverage in a very diluted state.

"We must not despair," said Mudge,--"we have been preserved hitherto;
and we must trust to Him who has all along taken care of us, to enable
us to reach our journey's end in safety. We must husband our powder and
shot; we must live on pemmican and sorrel on alternate days, unless we
can make sure of hitting the game we meet with; and I trust that we
shall thus run no risk of starving, for a week to come."

The cheerful way in which Mudge spoke revived my spirits; and the next
morning we trudged courageously on, determined not to be daunted by
anticipated difficulties. Still, we were sorely tried when we missed
two kangaroos which we made sure of hitting. At length, having expended
several charges of powder and shot on as many small birds, we found, one
evening, that our ammunition had come to an end.

"Cheer up, Godfrey!" exclaimed Mudge, after I had been silent for some
time; "I'll sing you a song, to show you that I am still in good heart,
as you ought to be;" and he began trolling forth a sea-ditty which he
had often sung on festive occasions on board the _Heroine_.

He had got through three or four verses, when we were somewhat startled
by hearing an English hail. Soon after we had replied to it, having
sprung to our feet, a voice exclaimed, "Hallo, mates! where have you
dropped from?" and we saw emerging from the gloom the figure of a white
man, in the rough dress of a shepherd, with a gun in his hand and a
brace of pistols in his belt. As I caught sight of him, the thought
crossed my mind that he was a bushranger; but we rushed forward,
notwithstanding, without asking who or what he was, and grasped him by
the hand, when a few words sufficed to tell him what he wanted to know.

"And have we really got near the settlements?" asked Mudge eagerly.

"The nearest, I suppose, you would call a settlement, is not more than
about five miles away to the southward," answered the man; "but mine a