The Australian 'Bush. 



43* 



can starve, even if he is bushed for a month, for I presume he will 

 never leave his tent without his gun and his regular ammunition j 

 and as it is very rarely that he can wander for thirty-six hours in 

 any part of the bush without falling in with a creek or water-hole 

 of some kind, and a quart of water, with care, will last a man a 

 day, there is little fear, if he always has his canteen to fall back 

 upon, of his suffering inconvenience from the most bitter of all 

 pangs, that of thirst. This canteen is never to be resorted to except 

 in cases of real emergency, for it contains what may keep a man 

 alive for many days in case his ordinary ammunition has run out. 

 I may here remark that water is often scarce in the bush, and the 

 Australian creeks and water-holes are often so hidden in the scrub, 

 that a man may easily pass by one. If, however, he sees a little 

 patch of tea-tree scrub standing alone on a wide plain, he may be sure 

 there is a water-hole in it ; or a cattle-track through the scrub will 

 almost always lead to water 5 and the cheery " ching-ching" of the 

 little bell-bird, which may be heard at an immense distance in the 

 pure clear air of this country, cries "water water," as plain as the 

 bird's language can speak. 



To sum up all, there is little danger or trouble attendant upon a 

 bush life in Australia j and, with a couple of good mates, I know 

 no life in the colony which I would prefer to it. 



With a good mate, as long as his health stands, I do consider the 

 shooter's life one of the happiest and most independent in the colony. 

 A good waterproof tent, properly put up, with a fly on the roof 

 and a turf chimney, is by no means a bad residence, and quite as 

 as warm and comfortable as half the weather-boarded houses that 

 are knocked up here. The shooter is generally camped amongst 

 the most beautiful scenery, close to a good water-hole or creek, with 

 plenty of wood at hand. He has few artificial wants, and the real 

 necessaries of life are easily and cheaply obtained. His meat, of 

 course, he procures by his own gun ; and a bag of flour, a little 

 tea sugar, salt, and tobacco, fill his larder. His cooking is simple, 

 his furniture home-made, his time is fully occupied, and not an hour 

 hangs heavily on his hands. His method of life is laid down by no 



