s of
hunger, and then mounting our horses made, as we thought, in the
direction of the station. We felt especially vexed with ourselves for
losing our way, and causing Bracewell the anxiety he would naturally
feel on our account, though he would guess pretty clearly what had
happened from the report old Bob would give him on his return.

We had gone some distance, when we caught sight of a fire and a column
of smoke rising, in the morning air.

"Perhaps that is the camp of some people Bracewell has sent out to look
for us," said I.

"It may be that of bushrangers," observed Guy. "It will be prudent, at
all events, to approach it cautiously."

Riding on, we caught sight of a black figure with his back towards us,
seated before a small fire at which he was apparently engaged in cooking
something. His attention absorbed in his occupation, he did not observe
us. The delicate morsel he was preparing for his meal was, we
afterwards discovered, a large snake. When his ear at length caught the
sound of horses' feet, he started up, and seizing the half-roasted
snake, scampered off. Had we not made signs to him that we wished to be
friends, he would soon have been out of sight. Seeing, however, that we
did not unsling our rifles, he gained courage and returned to the fire.

We beckoned to him to continue roasting his snake, and then endeavoured
to make him understand that we wanted a guide to conduct us to the
station. He seemed determined not to understand our wishes. However,
we waited patiently, hoping that when he had eaten his snake he might be
more inclined to act as our guide. Finding that we had no intention of
molesting him, he took things leisurely. The snake being roasted, he
began to stow it away.

"I wonder he doesn't offer us some, though I'm not inclined to eat it,"
I observed.

"He is a perfect savage, and has no wish to part with his dainty fare,"
replied Guy.

We thought that the fellow would soon come to an end of the meal, and
that then he would pack up the rest of the snake and carry it with him.
To our surprise he did not stop until he had swallowed the whole of it,
and when we again made signs to him that we wanted him to guide us, he
stroked his stomach and signified that he should prefer sleeping by the
side of his fire.

Guy at length, losing patience, gave a flourish with his stock whip,
when an idea seemed suddenly to strike the black, and getting up he made
signs to us to follow