. 





140 WILD BUFFALOES AND PONIES OF AUSTRALIA. 



spite of the danger of the avocation, as they find a 

 ready sale for them at most remunerative prices. 

 Gentlemen who are young and active, and desirous 

 of sport with a good spice of danger connected with 

 it, could doubtless find all these requirements obtain- 

 able by paying a visit to the water buffalo ranges 

 in the neighbourhood of Port Essington. 



Another animal was also introduced to that 

 locality by the government, and about the same 

 period. This last venture showed better wisdom, 

 but it has not, unfortunately, been quite so success- 

 ful — nevertheless, it has been su^ciently so to 

 prophesy benefit to the future co onists who may 

 fill up the country. It was turning loose upon the 

 shores of that little-known and unattractive land 

 that margins the shores of Carpentera Gulf, near 

 Alligator's River, a number of those high-couraged, 

 fast, enduring little beasts — viz., Timor ponies. I 

 have had a great deal of experience among the 

 small horses of the far East, and can assert, without 

 fear of contradiction, that all the various breeds — 

 excepting the Japanese— are perfect prodigies 

 among their race, although their average height 

 does not exceed thirteen hands. Java, the Philip- 

 pines, and Timor have each their respective repre- 

 sentatives, and are each worthy of any amount of 

 praise, but the Pegu pony " takes the cake." What 

 they will endure, the weight that they will carry, 

 and the precipitous country that they will traverse 

 with perfect safety, is truly marvellous. Their 

 appearance, moreover, is most attractive. The 

 Timor pony much resembles its Pegu relative, and 

 therefore cannot fail at an early date to be found a 

 most valuable acquisition to a new country. The 

 climate of North-West Australia evidently suits 

 them well, for it is estimated by the Government 

 employe's^ that there are now nearly two thousand 

 of them wandering in a perfect state of freedom 





