PERILS OF PIONEERING. 177 



took with us) swam over to the island. It was with 

 different feelings that 1 now breasted the current to 

 return to the island to those experienced on leaving it, 

 and it now was just a mud bank, looking very deso- 

 late and dirty. We soon espied the portmanteau high 

 up in the tree, and this time the mail-man went up, 

 and we soon had it down. Then, strapping it on the 

 horse, we made him swim back to his companions, 

 ourselves following. 



Having dressed, and mounted our steeds, we ran the 

 river Mackenzie, up to where we expected to see my 

 brother. He was already there, and was glad to hear 

 of the safety of his wife's portmanteau and its 

 contents. 



Having told me to proceed on the morrow to our 

 station (Oakey Creek), a distance of thirty-four miles 

 from Columbra, and bring back a buggy or express 

 waggon in which he and his wife might go home as 

 soon as they could cross the river, we bade each other 

 good-bye, and while he returned to his camp, I and 

 my companion returned to Columbra, and my kind 

 hostess took the things (which sadly needed attending 

 to) from the portmanteau. 



Next day, with a borrowed horse, I started for Oakey 

 Creek, and excepting that the horse gave out when 

 about two-thirds over the journey, and having to 



