axes
and long knives, a blanket to sleep in at night, and a tin pannikin;
while between them they had a kettle for boiling water, a camp oven, two
large canvas water-bags, a store of tea, salt and pepper, some flour in
a bag, with a thick piece of canvas for kneading it, while sugar and all
other luxuries were dispensed with.

Their dresses were red shirts, thick duck trousers, broad-brimmed hats,
blucher boots, and leggings, with a strap round the waist to hold the
axe and pouch containing matches, knife, and other small articles.
Their course was to be towards the west and north-west. The first four
or five days they were to travel together, after this they were to
separate, the captain keeping a little to the northward of west and then
circling round to the southward; and Mr Hayward travelling to the
southward of west and circling round to the northward; and then to
return towards the spot from whence they had started. They would thus
explore a wide extent of country, and would, they hoped, find a suitable
spot for forming a fresh location.

The boys were in high spirits, forgetting all their previous troubles.
The expedition they were undertaking was exactly what they had often
talked about doing alone, without any grown-up person. However, Mr
Hayward always made himself so completely one of them that they were
glad of his society.

The country they passed over during the first two days they were well
acquainted with, and they met with no adventures. The first night they
stopped at a hut on their most remote out-station. Beyond this they
reached a lofty range, on the opposite side of which their explorations
were to commence. As it rose in the distance it appeared to be no
formidable barrier, but as they got near, lofty cliffs or precipices,
and steep slopes covered with brushwood, seemed to rise out of the
plain, such as must present an almost insuperable obstacle to the
progress of the horses. Hector declared that no human being could
surmount them.

"We must get up somehow or other, and with our horses too," answered
Captain Berrington, laughing.

In a short time they found a dry channel down which a torrent had made
its way, and by this they proceeded, still keeping in their saddles. At
length, however, they had to dismount to climb a steep slope among rocks
and trees. Now they turned to the right, now to the left, now they had
to descend a shoulder of the mountain, now to ascend again, the captai