84 IN AUSTRALIAN WILDS 



Standing on a knoll, I gazed over miles of uncultivated 

 land, green foliage everywhere, glimmering beneath a 

 sky of burnished blue. The Mallee is most beautiful 

 in spring, when wonderful shades of green mingle 

 through the scrub, and dew lingers after sunrise ; when 

 the air thrills with bird song, and all the world is 

 young. In summer birds and blossoms delight one, 

 but the foliage loses its magical tints, morning its 

 freshness, and the sun becomes a burden. Still, the 

 Mallee must be seen in both these moods, for each is 

 beautiful. 



After lunch we followed a line of surveyor's pegs 

 to the edge of the unknown. It was strange to stand 

 beside the last post, and try to realise that between it 

 and the Murray there was only trackless bush. I 

 did not venture far into the undiscovered country, for 

 it is easy to become "bushed" in the Mallee. Exploring 

 the scrub on either side of the survey line, we found 

 many traces of Emus and Kangaroos, but saw none 

 of the animals themselves. Under nearly every clump 

 of Mallee there was a slight hollow in the sand, the 

 resting place of a Kangaroo, while Emu tracks were 

 noted around the Quandong trees. We were led astray 

 by the ventriloquial efforts of a Crested Bell-Bird 

 [Oreoica cristata]. Now the notes seemed to issue 

 from a bush close by, then they sounded from afar. 

 Finally, the bird was discovered perched on a bough 

 not a dozen yards from the survey track. The bell 

 note was musical, a dew drop of sound, and welcome 

 in that lonely spot. A Rufous-breasted Whistler 

 [Pachycephala rufiventris] favoured us with a song, 

 sweet and sustained ; and when we reached the buggy 

 a Yellow-plumed Honey-eater [Ptilotis ornata'] flew 

 over, with tuneful hail and farewell. 



It was now after noon, and no time was lost in 

 getting back to the road. An hour's drive brought 

 us to a selector's home, and after a brief rest, and a 

 drink of cool water, we set out for an uncleared block, 



