102 WEATHER-BOARDED HUT. 



present comfortable situation. The " Weather- 

 boarded hut" is a military station for a Serjeant's 

 guard, placed to escort prisoners of road and iron 

 gangs, as they are removed from one station to 

 another. It was formerly very unhealthy for the 

 troops, occasioned by the bad construction of their 

 habitations, and the bleakness of situation ; but 

 since more commodious dwellings have been 

 erected, fully capable of resisting, the severity of 

 the weather, it has become more healthy. 



We enjoyed a plentiful supper of tea, toast, 

 bacon, eggs, &c., but there was no milk ; the 

 excellent reason given for its absence being the 

 death of the cow a few days previous, not that 

 I was surprised at the animal's death, but only 

 how any living creature could subsist even for 

 a few days in such a place. When we asked 

 our attendant why he did not get another cow, 

 he replied, " Because it would not survive 

 long !" No wonder, thought I ; for where in this 

 desolate place could sufficient provender be 

 found for the unfortunate beast to sustain life ? 



After seeing our horses fed, and placed in a 

 warm and comfortable stable, with a good bed 

 for the night, (for in the stables at the colonial 

 inns, horses require as much to be looked after 

 when travelling as at home, for ostlers are in 

 this country much of the same species, or per- 



