OUT-OF-DOOR LIFE. 229 



from forest poison. The settler can range the land 

 day and night, over hills, downs, prairies, and bush, 

 sleeping in waggons or on the sward, without any 

 fear of malaria to blight the healthy, or insidious fogs 

 to undermine the delicate." 



As to sleeping in the open air, except just in the rainy 

 season, the bushman thinks nothing about it, if he has 

 but a few matches and tobacco (and what bushman is 

 without these) ? But lighting a roaring fire, he throws 

 himself down before it, with a saddle or game-bag for 

 his pillow, and tumbles off to sleep as sound as in a 

 favourite "four-poster." Night after night have I come 

 in wet through from flight-shooting, and thrown myself 

 down in my wet clothes on the tent floor for a few hours' 

 nap till it was time to start for the morning's shot ; and 

 as for my old mate, he was a perfect water-dog, and when 

 he came in wet I never knew him change his clothes, 

 but he just sat before the fire till he was dry. All con- 

 stitutions are certainly not alike ; but I can only say that 

 I never had a day's illness in the colony except it was 

 brought on by my own imprudence, and I am certain no 

 one led a harder or more exposed life. 



The real Australian summer and winter are of short 

 duration ; the spring and autumn long, and the pleasantest 

 seasons of the year. There is little or no twilight in the 

 evening, and night sets in as soon as the sun sinks into 

 the west one deep crimson streak 



Of intense glory in the horizon's brim, 

 "\Yhile night o'er .all around hangs dark and dim. 



