of
the trees hung down long and thin, with their edges upwards, and the
grass, though tall, was sparse, the blades growing apart from each
other.

In some places the ground was covered with heather, and with other
bright-coloured small flowers, but all without scent. This was
supplied, however, in abundance from the groves of acacia, near which we
passed. The birds with gay plumage, especially the parrots--parroquets
climbing from branch to branch or flying amid the trees--made us feel
still more that we had got into a new land.

The greatest excitement, however, was caused the first time we fell in
with a kangaroo, now so scarce near the settled districts. Jacob
seizing Charley White's gun said that he knew we should soon fall in
with some more, and going on cautiously ahead he very soon fired, and
then shouted to us to give chase. He had severely wounded but not
killed a large kangaroo; and the animal went leaping over the ground
with his long legs, leaving, however, a thick trace of blood behind him,
which showed that he could not run a long course. This encouraged us to
follow with greater zeal, and we enjoyed it the more as we dashed
through the forest after having been shut up so many months in our
little vessel. At last we got up close to the kangaroo, a huge fellow,
who turned round boldly to meet us. My son John, being close to the
animal, was going to strike him with a stick, when Jacob Rawdon cried
out to him to beware, and he had just time to spring back as the animal
struck at him with the formidable claw of one of his hinder feet.
However, it was his last effort before the animal sank exhausted from
loss of blood to the ground.

Jacob told us that he had seen many a dog killed when rushing in on a
kangaroo standing at bay, by being ripped up, and that John had had a
narrow escape. The countenance of the animal had so mild an expression
that we could scarcely believe that he could commit so much damage.

We at once set to work to cut him up, and then, each of us loaded with
the best parts selected by Jacob, we continued our journey. We slept at
the cottage of a settler, who received us very kindly. We feasted on
our kangaroo flesh, and were able to repay him with a portion of it.
The next night we camped out near a stream. Jacob Rawdon shot a number
of parrots, which we roasted for supper. The next morning we reached a
lightly timbered, undulating country, with a river running through it.
R