cewell was a much better shot than either
of us; and, taking my gun, in a few minutes he killed a small kangaroo
which he found as it was about to spring out of the bush where it had
spent the night, scarcely a hundred yards from the camp. Having skinned
it in the most scientific fashion, the joints were put on to roast. We
had now an abundance for our noon-day meal; for, as the animal was about
four feet long, including the tail which was nearly half its length, it
afforded us a good supply of meat. We should have preferred starting at
day-break, but without food we none of us felt inclined to commence our
journey. Toby indeed gave us to understand that he could not think of
leaving while so much good meat remained to be eaten. Having given him
as much as we all three consumed, we packed up the remainder in our
saddle-bags and then--I insisting that Bracewell should mount my horse
while I walked--we set off for the native village which we caught sight
of a short distance to the north of our camp. The inhabitants were
lying about in front of it, evidently enjoying the _otium cum
dignitate_. The men mostly stretched on the ground surrounded by their
dogs, while the women were squatting outside their leafy bowers. The
huts, if so they can be called, were placed in a semi-circle, and were
formed by thick boughs stuck in the ground joining at the top on which
other boughs were lightly thrown. They were scarcely more than four
feet in height and might be described rather as screens than huts, as
their only object appeared to be to keep off the wind from the
inhabitants and the small fires which burnt before them. On the outside
were stuck their spears ready for instant use. Except some pieces of
opossum skin round their loins, the men wore no garments, though several
of them had fillets bound round their brows. Two or three were smoking
short clay pipes obtained from shepherds or hut-keepers with whom they
had come in contact. Several of the men started up, and seizing their
spears advanced as they saw us approach, but the greater number lay
gorged with food on the ground, not apparently noticing us. Bracewell,
who could speak Toby's lingo, told him to say to the black fellows, that
we wished to be their friends; that their corroborree had afforded us a
good deal of amusement; and that if we could kill a kangaroo we would
give it to them to make another feast the next night.

As soon as Toby had translated what