visions from the boat to our own backs and trudge
on foot over nearly two miles of rough and partly swampy ground to the
forest where Brand had his hut, in which we intended to camp that night.
It was fairly late in the afternoon when we reached the hut, and we were
not sorry to relieve ourselves of our burdens and partake of food.

It was a rough camp, and as wild a situation as one could find, and it
was a rough-looking lot of men that night who occupied it, in the depth
of a black pine forest with the glaring light of a huge fire
illuminating the recesses of the overhanging trees and dense underwood,
increasing the darkness beyond, with the ominous cry of the mawpawk and
laughing jackass only breaking the dead stillness. We were soon rolled
in our blankets around the fire, and slept like men who had earned their
rest.

The following day we rested and prepared for our excursion into the new
country, and expecting to be absent two days took with us enough food
for so long. In addition to our blankets we carried each a bag of ship
biscuits, some tea, sugar, and cooked mutton, with a small kettle and
two tin panakins.

The first day we proceeded nearly five miles up the valley, which was
from 1/2 to 3/4 mile wide, much of it swampy and scored by deep-water
channels, many of which were now dry, but partly covered or concealed by
long tussock roots more or less burnt. On each side were low rugged
hills covered with dense scrub, some portions of which had been burnt by
fires which had crept up there from lower down the lake. Where the fire
had done its work the ground was a foot deep in ashes and charred bits
of timber, while studded about, or covered over with burnt debris were
innumerable half burnt stumps; altogether it was not a locality one
would select for a pleasant walk.

In some few places where rain had washed away the ashes the tussock
roots were beginning to sprout, and it was not difficult to see that in
course of time there would be an improvement in the land, but there was
not much of it on the flats, while the hills would be for years almost
impracticable. Besides, it was exceedingly difficult of access and stock
would in all probability require to be transported thither by boat.

We were now walking over country in its pure native wildness; the first
human beings, certainly the first civilised ones, who had ever trod upon
it. We spent two days exploring as far in every direction as we could
go, and as