YAS PLAINS 211 



I remained for the night at " Mittagong," and 

 on the afternoon of the 10th arrived at " Ar- 

 thursleigh," the extensive and beautiful farm, 

 the property of Hannibal M 'Arthur, Esq. ; I 

 passed here two very agreeable days in the so- 

 ciety of this gentleman and his friends. On 

 the 12th I arrived at " Goulbourn Plains," and 

 on the evening of the 14th at " Yas Plains." 



The plains still retained their verdant appear- 

 ance, although down the country vegetation was 

 much parched. The river had fallen consider- 

 ably since my previous visit. In the river, be- 

 sides the quantity of fish there is a small and 

 new species of lobster, which is also procured in 

 large quantities from the muddy ponds on the Yas 

 Plains ; they are delicious eating, and taken 

 readily by placing a piece of raw meat on a bent 

 pin : when one is felt at the bait, it is to be 

 dragged gently to the margin of the pond, (which 

 is very muddy, but not deep,) and taken on the 

 back by the hand : a number can thus be caught 

 in a short time. The aborigines call them "Mu- 

 rugonan." They burrow deep into the mud, 

 and the blacks capture them by thrusting the 

 hand into the holes, and dragging them out, 

 although they often extend to such a depth that 

 the whole length of the arm is inserted before 



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