

ON THE MAMMALIA OF THIS DISTRICT. 197 



joke. However, there was no help for it; so, 

 taking a fellow with me who said he knew the 

 way, we started. Night set in before we had got 

 half way. So far we had a little daylight, and all 

 went well; but darkness came on, and found us 

 in a thick forest, when it turned out that my guide 

 knew the way no better than myself. I knew very 

 little of the lay of the country, but I have found from 

 old experience that, when once bushed in the dark, 

 it is little good wandering about to try to hit off 

 the lost path ; the best plan is either to camp up 

 at once, or strike out one certain direction and 

 keep it, for sooner or later it must bring you up 

 somewhere ; whereas if you keep wandering round 

 and about, you tire yourself without making the 

 least headway. An old trapper once remarked to 

 me, that when you are lost at night in a forest, 

 nine cases out of ten, your tent is sure to lie 

 directly in the opposite direction from which you 

 fancy it does, and this I have found correct. The 

 night was thick and cloudy, or the stars might 

 have guided us; a drizzly rain was coming on, 

 and the prospect of camping out on such a night 

 was annoying. I heard a waterfall in the distance, 

 and this I was determined to make for. I fancied 

 if I got to the side of a stream I should know 

 better where I was. The fellow I had with me 

 was moreover an arrant cur ; so I struck out my 



