Our New Path Was Very Similar To The
Last One, Seeming To Come To An Abrupt Termination, But Really Shooting
Off
at an angle, and leading down to a bay, which opened out to our view about
five o'clock, and
Did not present nearly so pretty an appearance as the one
we had just left, for the ground seemed swampy, and the beach was a nasty
muddy mangrove-flat. We were also disappointed in not finding any blacks;
but as there is nothing so bad that it has not some redeeming quality, so
this dreary-looking swamp had its advantages, for the trees were loaded
with Torres Straits' pigeons, and sea-crabs were abundant. This would
enable us to lay in an extra day's provisions, and to extend our search, if
necessary, before visiting the 'Daylight', from which vessel we were now
separated by more than twenty miles of unknown country, inclusive of a
mountainous range. We determined not to shoot any pigeons that night, for
they would only keep the less time; and having lit our fire by the side of
a small creek, we had supper, and were soon sleeping the sleep of the
weary, the watch having instructions to call us at an early hour for the
purpose of replenishing our larder before the birds took their departure
for the mainland.
A pint pot of tea swallowed - what a blessing it is that this glorious
beverage is so portable that abundance can always be carried - three of us
sallied forth with our carbines, from which we had extracted the bullets
and substituted shot, each taking a different direction, the troopers
guaranteeing a crab breakfast, and Lizzie cutting and peeling wooden
skewers to roast the game on; for in this climate nothing will keep beyond
a few hours, unless partially cooked.
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