MARVELLOUS EFFECT OF RAIN 25 



shower or two of rain to cause them to spring into a 

 luxuriant growth which will quite change the aspect of the 

 country in a few days — I had nearly written in a few 

 hours. And that would scarcely be an exaggeration, so 

 rapid is the growth of the herbage on the mere taste of 

 water. Indeed, the grass and the ferns and the glorious 

 flowers come like magic when the first of the winter's rains 

 fall. It may sound strange to speak of winter being the 

 time of beauty and fruitfulness, and summer as that of 

 desolation and death ; but so it is in Australia — " The 

 Land of Anomalies," as it has been justly called. 



It was about mid-day when I reached the river bank at 

 a part which was quite unknown to me, and just as I did 

 so I sprang a small wallaby from a tuft of dead grass close 

 to my feet, and had the good fortune to kill it 



My heart was now filled with joy and courage, for the 

 river was life to me in more senses than one. It was the 

 guide to safety, and ensured a plentiful isupply of water 

 while I was wandering in this desert. As it was winter- 

 time, the river was rather full, and there was a considerable 

 number of water-fowl upon it — swans, ducks, ibises, rails, 

 and cranes, etc., so that I had the prospect of obtaining 

 food as well as drink from the life-giving stream. 



In fact, from this point both my fright and my real 

 troubles rapidly decreased. I had to live entirely on 

 animal food without salt and vegetables, and I endured 

 considerable suffering from the cold and damp at night, 

 for it rained heavily several times, which prevented my 

 making a fire. I contrived to cook a bird or two some- 

 times during the day, and thus I lived for nearly four days. 

 Probably I wandered a little from the direct road, and I 

 had difficulty sometimes in walking through the thick 

 grass. It seemed to me that I walked much more than 

 twenty miles a day, but it was not until the evening of the 

 fourth day that I reached the point where the station 

 ferry boat was kept, and my alarming adventure was over. 



Now I am an old and experienced bushman, and 

 should think little or nothing of such an experience as 

 that I have just narrated. It is a very rare thing for an 



