48 



IN AUSTRALIAN WILDS 



difficulty dry wood was at a premium and, drenched 

 to the skin, we crouched around it like a band of Red 

 Indians, each with a sack over head and shoulders. 

 Hot tea, and tobacco smoke cheered us a little, and we 

 turned in for the night. But it was cold inside the 



PARK RANGER AND EMU. 



tent, a few yards from the fire, and we huddled to- 

 gether for warmth. 



The morning scene was depressing. No ray of 

 sunlight penetrated the canopy of fern fronds and 

 Lilly-Pilly boughs, while the fire was a heap of wet 

 ashes. After a hasty meal, we caught the horses and 

 scrambled out of the Gully. A long ride through the 

 rain, and we reached a cottage on the isthmus side of 

 the boundary fence, where we camped in comfort for 

 the night. 



