xlii Proceedings, fyc. 



gave a still more dazzling lustre ; the color resembled the flower 

 of a tree, which his wife had gathered for their young ones, the 

 color being of a light yellow. He stooped down, and gathered a few of 

 the glittering particles, being about the size of his smallest nail. In a 

 moment he thought, " let me try it," and placing the larger particle 

 between his teeth, to his surprise, he left the impression on the smooth 

 surface — " Surely this was not like sand and gravel. But," added 

 his passing thought, "this cannot appease hunger;" and he made a 

 movement for throwing this trifle back into the noisy waters, when 

 he remembered his little ones, and folding the new substance in a 

 leaf, he placed it in his bag of monkey-skin, used for carrying a pro- 

 vision of stones, the only missiles known for procuring food from the 

 bush. His wife had been more successful that day; she had killed 

 a great lizard. On the arrival of the husband, they, with the children, 

 partook of the reward of the troubles of the day. After the meal, 

 the father placed the leaf with the yellow particles in his wife's 

 hands, who gave them to the children. These yellow, shiny little 

 objects may be supposed to be the first particles of gold discovered. 



Time passed on, and as the first discovery led to the finding of 

 some more of the singular matter, it was gathered, and though of no 

 apparent use, yet, all the members of the family liked to look at the 

 " soft yellow sand," which served as a toy for the children. 



The rainy season had set in, heavy thunderstorms were frequent. 

 A kind of shelter had been made of branches from fallen trees and 

 some large leaves ; hides of several animals serving the purpose of 

 sheltering and also that of protecting the youngest of the family. 

 One morning before daybreak, after a continued thunderstorm, which 

 had prevailed during the night, the couple were awakened by a 

 noxious smell, and on the day becoming lighter, a thick vapour now 

 and then enveloped the shelter. All rose to avoid the suffocating fog ; 

 on advancing towards the place wherefrom the unknown visitor seemed 

 to appear, a sight was perceived, which, seen for the first time, must have 

 produced feelings of astonishment. Lightning had struck and set fire 

 to a large tree, which, with very little flame, produced dense smoke, 

 by the natives viewed as a most disagreeable cloud, until this 

 moment having had no idea whatever of fire and its effect on com- 

 bustible matter. The surprised observers were acquainted with the 

 lightning ; but until then they knew not its power of igniting, 

 and the consequences of the phenomenon was to them un- 

 precedented. This most singular incident occupied their thoughts 

 for a long while, which led to contemplations on " the benefit which 

 might be derived from the unexpected artificial heat." Until then 

 the sun had been the only known source of heat, though to a small 

 degree compared with what they now had before them. The family 

 were the whole day occupied in gathering branches and half-decayed 

 trees to support the fire. Fire was also applied to many lofty trees, 

 with the view of subduing them. Thus, this new-born flame, given 



