PERILS Of PIONEERING. 173 



this spot to Columbra station, which was used by the 

 mail-man, I determined to try and find it, but after 

 hunting a long while had to give it up, and then hav- 

 ing a pocket compass, I struck out towards the west, 

 having heard that this was the direction of the station. 

 About mid-day I caine to some scrub so dense that it 

 presented an impenetrable barrier, for the saplings 

 were so close as to make it impossible to get through 

 them. 



I then thought I would climb a tree, and soon came 

 to a regular giant, with a smaller one grow ing close to 

 it ; the latter I climbed, and from its top branches got 

 into the limbs of its taller brother, and by this means 

 got up to the very top branches, in the hope that some 

 signs of the station or other habitation might be 

 visible. 



In this I was again disappointed, for the tops of the 

 trees, as far as my eyes could reach, formed an ap- 

 parent even surface like the sea. I now began to give 

 up hope, but I thought it would be better to go back 

 to the river, as there would at least be water to drink, 

 which might sustain life till succour came, for there 

 was still a lingering hope that my brother might come 

 to my rescue. 



On my way back to the river I must have struck 

 more to my right hand than I intended, for suddenly, 



