92 DANGEROUS TRAVELLING. 



below where Metra's yaraiig was. Mooldooyah, with 

 his wife and son, who accompanied us on the journey 

 as guides, now branched off to their own habitation ; 

 the rest of the party continuing the joui'ney over a 

 rough descent, which soon became most precipitous, 

 and indeed dangerous to inexperienced drivers. The 

 sledges flew down this at a frightful pace, frequently 

 running over the dogs ; and here strong nerves were 

 very useful, as a single false turn would have precipi- 

 tated us down a shelf, seventy or eighty feet high, 

 upon the ice. Reaching the bottom in safety, we 

 made a short detour over a frozen inlet, and then up 

 the opposite bank to that just quitted, which brought 

 us directly in ' front of Metra's yarang, to which we 

 immediately repaired. This yarang was very much 

 larger than any we had before visited, the compart- 

 ments higher and broader, and infinitely cleaner than 

 the disgustingly dirty habitations we had hitherto seen 

 at Woorel ; nor were vile odours perceptible, such as 

 there assailed our nostrils. We entered the part of 

 the dwelling appropriated to Metra and his wife, 

 which was kept in beautiful order — a credit to the 

 untiring diligence of the matron, Caymgliche, Metra's 

 wife, suffered I think greatly from ill health, and seldom 

 left her yarang, preferring also, I believe, the charms 

 of her household duties to the rather doubtful 



