A QUICK TRIP THROUGH " THE BUSH:' 323 



head, and pours a flood of fragrant incense into the night, 

 closino: ag-ain at early dawn. 



The silence of the prairies oppressed us. for not a bird's 

 note disturbs these solitudes ; although later we found 

 that there icere plenty of winged beauties on the conti- 

 nent — but of that and the odd waj- in which we became 

 convinced of it, later. 



We saw many kangaroos, but without harming them; 

 even the natives seeming to have been touched by the 

 death of our little captive. They are timid, graceful 

 animals, of great variety of size, and should only be 

 killed when their excellent meat is needed. 



I passed my days adding to my herbarium and collec- 

 tion of insects, and my rifle hung, a useless ornament, 

 at my saddle-bow. One of these peaceful mornings, I 

 was riding along with m}^ party, when I noticed occasional 

 glances of alarm cast over his shoulder l^y our leading 

 bushman. The day had opened clear and bright, when, 

 suddenly and without warning, the wind began to rise 

 and blow in a most threatening way through the trees, 

 bending their lofty trunks, and tearing the leaves from 

 the branches. 1 was old enoug^h woodsman to understand 

 why the Australians looked anxious and turned their 

 horses toward the denser forest, where the trees would 

 shelter us from the approaching cyclone. Great black 

 clouds scurried across the sky. and showed us we must 

 hurry to reach any shelter Ijefore tlie storm should break. 



'' We still have a few minutes' lee-way," said our host, 



