CHILDREN. 315 



settlers was the number of healthy, blooming 

 children seen on the farms in the interior ; their 

 little plump forms, with the prevailing flaxen hair, 

 cheerful and lively disposition, and rosy coun- 

 tenances, sufficiently indicated that bush fare 

 did not disagree with them : living in the midst 

 of excellent milk, and other wholesome food, with 

 exercise, theyare nevercloyed by thetrash usually 

 given to children in large towns. Sickness is also 

 rarer among the servants, from an inability to 

 become inebriated ; but tobacco is quite a ne- 

 cessary of life among them ; few can undergo 

 any labour without it, and many have told me 

 that they would rather give up their rations than 

 be deprived of tobacco ; consequently no gift is 

 more acceptable in the bush to a servant, for 

 any assistance he may render to the traveller, 

 than a present of tobacco, for money in the dis- 

 tant parts of the colony, is comparatively useless, 

 and they care little or nothing about it. 



On leaving " Lomebraes," the morning fol- 

 lowing, I proceeded some distance on my jour- 

 ney, when thinking I could reach " Mut, 

 mut, billy," sooner by taking a nearer cut 

 across the bush, I followed cattle-paths, until 

 I missed my way ; no trifle in the bush of 

 New South Wales, where many, having lost 

 themselves in the mazes of a forest, have 



