CHARACTER OF CENTRAL PLAINS 21 



high and thousands of bright-coloured flowers render the 

 country beautiful and quite change its general appearance. 

 Such is the magical effect of a few inches of rain. 



Several of my friends owned extensive runs in this 

 district ; and I have lived there a good deal, and rambled 

 extensively in all parts of it. For several years it was my 

 pleasure to spend my holidays riding about the country 

 collecting specimens and learning what I could of the 

 habits of the strange wild creatures, which are so unlike 

 those of any other land. Though born in the country and 

 twenty-five years of age before I saw any other, I have 

 always been fully aware of the abnormal character of the 

 native fauna. Perhaps this is owing to the fact that I was 

 at an early age plentifully supplied with well-illustrated 

 works on natural science, and the forms and ways of 

 animals in all parts of the world were made known to me. 



Australia is not a land in which a traveller is likely to 

 meet with many exciting adventures. There are no 

 dangerous wild beasts to contend with ; and although the 

 " blackfellows " are apt to be cantankerous in some parts, 

 collisions with them are not often heard of. The most 

 exciting experiences are the sufferings occasioned by want 

 of water or food. 



One of the most trying accidents I ever met with 

 occurred during a ride across the country from Dubbo to 

 Cooper's Water-Hole, an outlying station on the Bogan 

 river, where I was at the time employed. The distance 

 was reckoned at a hundred and ten miles, and throughout 

 the road lay over a desolate plain, where I did not see half 

 a dozen men on the double journey. These were shepherds, 

 wandering, like the patriarchs of the early ages, in search 

 of fresh pastures : for some of the " runs " in this district 

 are nearly as large as English counties. 



We were short-handed at the station, which is a rule 

 among squatters : for these gentlemen, like the captains of 

 merchant vessels, generally like to run their ventures as 

 cheaply as possible. Consequently, I was sent to Dubbo 

 alone to transact some important business, and performed 

 the journey thither without incident, except that I thought 



