194 MAKRIAN CREEK. 



deeply interested in my being of the " old country;' 7 

 " but for you, yes, sir, we had been here all night, or 

 may be been obliged to leave our traps behind us. 

 Going to Pike's Peak, you are, no doubt, yes, sir ? " 



" No, I am not ; I am out for a hunt," I rejoined. 



" What ! " he exclaimed, in still greater surprise; 

 "come all this way fora hunt may be for buffalo? 

 Guess that is a notion, yes, sir, surelie ! " He then wish 

 ed me good luck, and kept muttering to himself, " From 

 the old country out for a hunt wall, I guess he is 

 come fur away ! " When, leaving him to his consider 

 ations in this matter, I joined my waggons in their 

 progression, and on coming to a slightly rising undu 

 lation could see around me for at least an area of twenty- 

 five miles, without so much as a tree, bush, or living 

 thing to vary the monotony of the russet garb of the 

 silent and solitary plain. On reaching a creek called 

 " Marrian," we encamped for the night. Mr Canterall 

 was very ill ; George also was ill, and the same with 

 several of my men ; but not one of them would take the 

 strong doses of calomel I suggested. Slight pills they 

 did take, but to effect any permanent good very large 

 doses of calomel were the only remedies, succeeded by 

 similar quantities of quinine. 



On the morning of Thursday, the 29th of September, 

 the weather was still bright and fine for the morning's 

 start, but up to noon the heat was mitigated by a fine, 

 fresh air, which enabled myself and Chance to range by 

 the line of march for several hours. The bag of game 

 this day amounted to sixteen grouse and a quail or part 

 ridge, and, to my intense amusement, I killed the very 

 same species of dotterel that, in the preceding winter, 

 had puzzled us all at home at Christchurch as to what sort 



