reservoir, which were mercilessly sacrificed for the purpose, and
furnished our table abundantly for some days. They succeeded the
cassowary, which had supplied us very seasonably: its flesh tasted like
beef, and made excellent soup.

But to return to the fountains. Ernest suggested the idea of ornamenting
the end of the perpendicular pipe, which brought the water to the basin,
with shells; every sort might be collected on the shore, of the most
brilliant colours, and curious and varied shapes. He was passionately
devoted to natural history, and had made a collection of these,
endeavouring to classify them from the descriptions he met with in the
books of voyages and travels. Some of these, of the most dazzling
beauty, were placed round the pipe, which had been plastered with clay;
from thence the water was received into a _volute_, shaped like an
antique urn, and again was poured gracefully into the large
turtle-shell; a small channel conveyed it then out of the pavilions. The
whole was completed in less time than I could have imagined, and greatly
surpassed my expectations; conferring an inestimable advantage on our
dwelling, by securing us from the heat. All honour was rendered to
Master Francis, the inventor, and _The Franciade_ was written in large
letters on the middle arch; _Fritzia_ and _Jackia_ were written in the
same way over the pavilions. Ernest alone was not named; and he seemed
somewhat affected by it. He had acquired a great taste for rambling and
botanizing, and had communicated it also to Fritz, and now that our
labours were ended at Tent House, they left us to nurse our invalid, and
made long excursions together, which lasted sometimes whole days. As
they generally returned with some game, or some new fruit, we pardoned
their absence, and they were always welcome. Sometimes they brought a
kangaroo, sometimes an agouti, the flesh of which resembles that of a
rabbit, but is richer; sometimes they brought wild ducks, pigeons, and
even partridges. These were contributed by Fritz, who never went out
without his gun and his dogs. Ernest brought us natural curiosities,
which amused us much,--stones, crystals, petrifactions, insects,
butterflies of rare beauty, and flowers, whose colours and fragrance no
one in Europe can form an idea of. Sometimes he brought fruit, which we
always administered first to our monkey, as taster: some of them proved
very delicious. Two of his discoveries, especially, were most v