110 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST 
myself, left Melbourne on the 27th of last May, by the “S.S. 
Barrabool,” bound for North Queensland. 
We had a fine run to Sydney, which we reached on the 29th, 
left again next day, and arrived in Brisbane, where we transhipped 
into the ‘“ Keilawarra” on the first of June, started from there on 
the 2nd, and after calling at Maryborough, Rockhampton, and 
reached Townsville on the 9th. 
After purchasing a horse, pack-saddle, etc., we started for the 
bush, and pitched our first camp at Stewart’s Creek, which is 
about ten miles to the south-west of Townsville, aud when we had 
made everything snug for the night, we considered we had fairly 
started upon our new undertaking, and were really in the midst of 
the famous tropical birds. 
The novelty of our first night under canvas, prevented us from 
sleeping very soundly, but still we passed a fair night, and at 
daybreak next morning were up, and after birds. 
The country is not very thickly timbered about there, the greatest 
impediment to walking being a species of sword grass, which grows 
sometimes to a height of eight feet, and so thick, that you can 
hardly get through it. The owners of the land, generally burn it 
down twice a year, but it soon grows again as bad as ever. 
The birds we found rather hard to get at, but still before the day 
was over, we succeeded in shooting a fine specimen of the Plumed 
Hawk, Lepidogenys subcristatus, and three pairs of the Crimson- 
shouldered Lory, Aprosmictus erythropterus, a beautiful bird, in fact one 
of the handsomest parrots we came across during our trip. With these 
we returned to camp, and devoted the remainder of the day to skinning 
and preserving, the bodies of course being carefully put away for 
stews, in fact during the time we were at Stewart’s Creek, we lived 
upon bird stews and damper, as we could get no bread or meat 
without walking into Townsville. Damper making of course was 
new to us, and I regret to say they did not turn out well. At first 
we burnt them, then they were very doughy, but finally they were a 
great success, and we got to prefer them to bread. For the edification 
of future campists I may state that our experience goes to prove that 
damper laid in the ashes, without covering of any sort turns out 
best. 
During the night it came on to rain, which made things decidedly 
uncomfortable. Our tent kept out the water very well, so we 
managed to sleep through it. Our troubles commenced next day 
though, for as the rain continued, we were unable either to shoot 
birds or make damper, so had nothing to eat. However during the 
afternoon it cleared up, and after a little trouble we got a fire alight 
and cooked a rough sort of tea. 
Next day we shot some very good birds, including a pair of 
Moreton Bay Rosel!las, Platycercus Polliceps, and three of Leach’s 
