32 DIGGING FOK ROOTS. 



caressed me ! During our journey he would amuse 

 himself with climbing the trees to search for gum, 

 which he was very fond of; sometimes he dis- 

 covered honey in the crevices of the rock, or in 

 hollow trees. At other times he would dig for 

 roots, and seemed particularly fond of a kind which, 

 unluckily for him, I also found extremely good and 

 refreshing, and persisted in partaking with him. 

 Kees was artful, and if he happened to find any of 

 this root when I was at a distance from him, in 

 order to prevent my coming in for my share, would 

 eat it up with the greatest eagerness, fixing at the 

 same time his eyes ardently on me, and seeming to 

 calculate, by the distance I was at, the time I should 

 be getting to him. I observed his haste was ever 

 in proportion to the danger he supposed he ran of 

 losing part of his prize, and in general he was too 

 quick for me. 



" He had a very ingenious method of coming at 

 these roots, which used to amuse me extremely. 

 He took the tuft of leaves between his teeth, then, 

 bearing upon his forepaws, forced back his head, 

 and generally drew out the root to which they ad- 

 hered. When this means failed, he again took hold 

 of it closer to the earth, and giving a sudden spring, 

 never failed to draw it up with him. In our walks, 

 when he found himself fatigued, he would mount 

 upon the back of one or other of my dogs, who 



