PERILS OF PIONEERING. 155 



being clogged with black clay, up to the axles. The 

 day was spent in trying to buy another horse, which 

 we succeeded in doing ; but the time was so far gone 

 that we stayed another night. 



On the morrow we dragged heavily along ; the rain 

 still kept on, causing us to fear that the river Fitzroy 

 at Yaamba, twenty-five miles from Rockhampton, 

 would be flooded. Fortunately we succeeded in ford- 

 ing this large river just in time. The water, fast 

 rising, necessitated unloading the waggon, and pack- 

 ing the goods on the horses. The packages got par- 

 tially wet, but not much damaged. The township of 

 Yaamba supplied us with various necessaries of life, 

 and we thoroughly enjoyed a good dinner, after the 

 rough camping out in mud and water. 



Proceeding on our journey, we called on an old set- 

 tler, a Mr. Vickary, who, being exceedingly hospitable, 

 insisted on our stopping at his comfortable homestead. 

 We bought of him another horse and harness, and 

 yoked three in the waggon for future travelling. Our 

 progress was slow and tedious, owing to the soft state 

 of the country, the waggon leaving tracks like plough 

 furrows in the wet, black soil. 



We duly reached Marlborough township, sixty miles 

 from Rockhampton, the weather being still very un- 

 settled, and we feared floods in the next river which 



