BUSH ENCAMPMENT. 113 



rustic meal ; and it would be well for fasti- 

 dious people, who, having every luxury at their 

 command, are contented with nothing, to be- 

 come bush travellers in Australia for a short 

 period, in pursuit of health and contentment, 

 and there can be no doubt but they would return 

 better in both respects. Tea, sugar, a tin-pot, 

 and a blanket, are the requisites for a bush tra- 

 veller, other necessaries being left to Providence, 

 or to be supplied at the stations he may occa- 

 sionally meet with. 



Ourselves and horses having had an agree- 

 able feed, we travelled on until about six p.m., 

 when we " brought up" at the " Round Swamp," 

 and encamped on a hill for the night : the horses 

 were hobbelled and turned out to graze, while we 

 occupied ourselves in collecting fuel, of which a 

 sufficient supply was soon procured from the 

 quantity of dried wood that was strewed about. 

 Having lighted our fire, chopped down several 

 small trees, forming with their branches a rude 

 hut, as a temporary shelter, and fern and small 

 shrubs made a rough but not uncomfortable 

 bed. The only drawback to the comfort of 

 sleeping in the bush is the fall of heavy rain ; 

 we had a little during the night, but, fortu- 

 nately, it ceased before sufficient had fallen to 

 penetrate our leafy hut. 



VOL. I. I 



