402 VISIT RAPID BAY. 



They now swam in, followed by other natives, 

 who, by throwing stones and splashing the water, 

 frightened the fish, and prevented them from getting 

 out. 



Leaving Encounter Bay, we for some distance fol- 

 lowed the left bank of the Inman, when the road 

 turned off to the westward. The country was good 

 in patches, till we made a cattle-station of Mr. 

 Hacks, near Yankalilla Bay ; when, instead of a 

 succession of forested hills and dales, we passed over 

 extensive treeless downs, contrasting- strikinglv in 

 appearance wdth the woody country around. Here 

 we pitched our tents for the night : and next morning 

 were deprived of the company of His Excellency, 

 who was obliged to return to Adelaide ; whilst 

 Messrs. Macfarlane, Burr, and myself, who were 

 mounted from the station, went to Rapid Bay, lying 

 about fifteen miles S. W. by W. As there was some 

 difficulty in catching the horses, it was 10 a.m. be- 

 fore we got aw ay . I was by no means pleased with my 

 mount ; I had suspected that all was not right by 

 an exchange of looks, I caught the overseer and 

 stockman indulgfing: in, as I threw mv leof over as 

 ugly a hammer-headed, standing-over brute as ever 

 man crossed ; but with the aid of a severe bit and 

 a sharp pair of spurs I kept him alive, and he only 

 came down twice during the journey, — which, al- 

 though over a very hilly country, was performed in 

 four hours. After taking some refreshment, we 



