146 Kennedy's expedition. 



breakfast at claylig'ht^ and dinner when we had com- 

 pleted our day's work^ and camped. The time for 

 dinner was therefore irregular^ depending" on the 

 nature of the countr^^ over which we travelled. 

 Some days we dined at one o'clock^ on others not 

 till dark. Whenever any birds were shot, they were 

 boiled for supper j but as yet we had killed very 

 few. 



Mr. Kennedy appeared to be^ in every respect, 

 admirably fitted for the leader of an expedition of 

 this character. Althoug-h he had innumerable dif- 

 ficulties and hardships to contend with, he always 

 appeared cheerful, and in good spirits. In travelling* 

 through such a country as we were in, such a dis- 

 position was essential to the success of the expedi- 

 tion. He was always diverting the minds of his 

 followers from the obstacles we daily encountered, 

 and encouraging them to hope for better success j 

 careful in all his observations and calculations, as 

 to the position of his camp, and cautious not to 

 plunge into difficulties, without personal observation 

 of the country, to enable him to take the safest 

 path. But having decided, he pursued his deli- 

 berate determination with steady perseverance, 

 sharing in the labour of cutting through the scrub, 

 and all the harassment attendant on travelling* 

 through such a wilderness, with as much (or greater) 

 alacrity and zeal as any of his followers. It was 

 often grievous to me to hear some of the party 

 observe, after we had passed over some difficult 



