PERILS OF PIONEERING. 161 



station, but the sun became obscured, and with noth- 

 ing to guide us, we were soon travelling over our own 

 tracks, when I knew it was hopeless to proceed. I 

 now regretted having left the river, and we sat down 

 on a fallen log, for the first time feeling dispirited. 



After some time a glimpse of the sun was seen, and 

 I at once took my bearings, and determined to return 

 to the river, thinking more succour was to be found 

 there than in the dreaded Briglow scrub. We were 

 soon rewarded by hearing the roar of the river 

 through the trees. Numerous tortoises jumped into 

 the river at our approach. We now travelled down 

 the course of the river, hoping to find some signs of 

 civilization along the banks, where cattle stations 

 were generally to be found. Our course was slow and 

 tedious; dense scrub had to be forced through, and 

 several creeks too deep to ford were met with ; these 

 had to be run up, and when shallow enough to cross, 

 we passed over, and returned back to the river on the 

 other side. A large lagoon was forded waist deep 

 and then, to our delight, we saw a bush track, leading 

 from the river to the scrub. Knowing that this must 

 lead somewhere we followed it for two miles, when 

 my wife was quite exhausted from fatigue and star- 

 vation. 



A hill before us invited us onwards, and the bridle 



