rounding gloom, but without success; not a gleam was
visible, and not a sound, save the rumbling of the thunder and the heavy
pattering of the rain, broke the solemn monotony of the storm.
Disappointed and nearly disheartened, he communicated to his master
below the ungrateful intelligence that nothing was perceptible; but
preparatory to his descent, he gave a loud "cooey," in the faint hope
that it might attract the attention of some human being. As we proceed,
we may as well describe to the reader the nature of this signal. A
"cooey" is, as its name implies, a call having the sound its orthography
indicates; with a prolonged dwelling upon the first syllable, and a
sharp determined utterance in its termination. This sound, which is
peculiar to the Australian bush, uttered with the intonation and force
of healthy lungs, can be heard at a surprising distance; and often, when
used by one lost in the nemoral labyrinths of the country, is the means
of attraction; and consequent deliverance from danger and probable
death.

It was, then, one of these efficient signals of distress that was
uttered by Joey, with a lustiness that would have done credit to La
Blache; and great was his joy when, after a few moments of listening,
his ear caught the sound of a dog's barking. The canine infection spread
rapidly over the settlement, and once started kept up an unceasing
chorus from the throats of a whole pack; and guided by the friendly
notice, our travellers were enabled to discern in which direction Barra
Warra lay. They mounted their horses with stiff and weary limbs, though
with lightened hearts, and proceeded for about a hundred yards in the
direction whence echoed the barking; when, to their no little
astonishment, they came upon the line of fence enclosing the paddocks
attached to the house, and immediately struck the track leading to the
station. By this they had the mortification to discover, that if they
had been enabled to continue their course for a few minutes before the
storm thickened, they would have, long ere then, been comfortably
sheltered from the inclemency of the weather. However, they were not in
a disposition to indulge in any vain regrets; and shortly arriving at
the house, they presented themselves in their sad plight. The noise of
the dogs had attracted the attention of the people of the place, who,
imagining the cause, were expecting to see the approach of some
traveller; so, when John and William made thei