108 OWLS AND RATS. [CH. V. 



imprinted with their feet; nevertheless, to our disappointment, 

 none of the natives appeared ; for a sight of our fellow-men, 

 the inhabitants of these " deserts idle/' had at length become 

 a subject of considerable curiosity. 



Owls were numerous in these desolate regions, and I no- 

 ticed many varieties. I observed two in particular, of a very 

 small description, not much larger than a thrush. It was 

 not unusual to find them half asleep sitting on branches, from 

 which they seldom stirred, until nearly caught by the men. 

 Rats and mice occurred in many parts under the surface in 

 small holes, which appeared filled with seeds of grass 

 and plants ; and the scarcity of the former in some places 

 seemed partly owing to the provident instinct of these little 

 animals. 



Feb. 5. — Proceeding on a bearing of 36° E. of N. we 

 made the line of marked trees, at a distance of about twelve 

 miles from the camp, where Mr. White remained with the 

 party. The weather being excessively hot, and our horses 

 tired, I halted at the ponds, which had formerly enabled the 

 party to quench their two days' thirst. Some fires of the 

 natives were burning, and three of their dogs, which were 

 very tame, hung about our camp, and would not be driven 

 away. 



Feb. 6. — We reached the camp, by nine a. m. and, I 

 learnt, that the natives had visited it, during my absence. 

 Burnett having shot a duck, was swimming for it to the 

 middle of the river, when a party of them suddenly apj)eared 

 on the high bank, opposite. The white figure in the water, 

 so novel to them, continued nevertheless to swim towards the 

 duck, until he seized it, apparently to their great amusement, 

 and they were afterwards prevailed on to cross the river. 

 They sat down, insisting that our men should sit also ; they 

 talked very much, and laughed at many things. They had 

 taken their seats in a place exposed to the sun's rays ; 

 and from this they did not stir until they had by signs ex- 

 pressed their wish to remove, which they then did, under the 



