228 COLLECTOR'S KAMBLES 



and, although occasionally there were terrific thunder- 

 showers in the mountains, the valleys and plains near 

 the coast were very dry. 



It is at this time that the natives set fire to the grass 

 (which will readily burn), in order to better get at the 

 kangaroos and wild pigs that are so abundant. We 

 were present at one of their hunts, and a description of 

 it may prove interesting. 



The grass had been burned over a large tract of 

 country ; but patches, of several acres in extent, had 

 purposely been left, in which the game was very 

 plentiful, it being their only hiding-place and feeding- 

 ground. 



Early one morning, Shelley and I started off to the 

 Lalloki River for birds. As the natives were hunting, 

 we stopped on the way to watch the performance. 

 Some two hundred men surrounded one of these un- 

 burned patches, and commenced beating the grass with 

 their spears, throwing stones, and shouting, to frighten 

 the animals toward the centre of the patch ; gradually 

 closing in on the game, till all the animals, which had 

 originally occupied hundreds of acres, were confined 

 in a space of one or two ; a line of men, armed with 

 spears, surrounding them. The pigs were the first to 

 make a break for liberty, rushing at their foes, who 

 everywhere walled them in. 



The men did not throw their spears as usual, but 

 waited until the animals were near enough to run 



