LALLAL. 353 



and, upon looking upwards, beheld a very sinister-looking 

 countenance, crowned with a cabbage-tree hat, regarding my 

 operations from the summit of the granite edge ; and, to add 

 to my surprise and consternation, I observed that the indi- 

 vidual who addressed me held my own fowling-piece in his 

 hands, which he now and then pointed at me with a very 

 derisive gesture. I reflected that I was three miles from 

 the house, and in a very solitary and unfrequented part of 

 the station, that bush-rangers were known to be in the 

 neighbourhood, and that, if recognised in my magisterial 

 capacity, I not only ran the risk of being plundered (for 

 which indeed I cared nothing, having no money or valuables 

 about my person), but in all probability very roughly treated 

 into the bargain. I made up my mind at once that discre- 

 tion was the better part of valour, and my dress not evincing 

 any great indications of aristocracy, answered, that I had 

 only just commenced fishing, that I was employed by a 

 neighbouring squatter, and that when I had caught a few 

 more eels I would come up the bank, and, if he felt hungry, 

 we would have a broil together for breakfast ; to this he 

 assented with a grin, and remarking that he would try and 

 shoot a few parrots for second course, significantly pointed 

 to my gun, and left me to my reflections. 



I must own that I did not continue my fishing with the 

 zest I had commenced, and did not at all relish the adven- 

 ture, but, as I was completely at the man's mercy, I saw it 

 was quite necessary to go through with it. I caught several 

 more eels, larger than the first, and having been broken by 

 one that could not have been under eight or ten pounds 

 weight, I put up my tackle and prepared to return. Whilst 

 I was doing this my friend reappeared from above, and inti- 

 mated that he would point out to me a more convenient spot 

 for reascending the bank than the one I had come down by. 

 Accordingly, following the bed of the stream through many 



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