Australian Natural History. 1487 



solved to procure the aid of some blacks in the vicinity, in-order 

 thoroughly to beat the bush and have a grand field day. 



One morning I started for the bush in company with rather a distin- 

 guished character, known by the inscription upon a semilunar brass- 

 plate worn in front, to be " Tom, King of Dunmore." I could not 

 help being amused at the ridiculous figure cut by my royal friend. 

 He was entirely naked, with the exception of his back and part of the 

 shoulders, to cover which some one had given him the wreck of an 

 old shooting-coat — patches and streaks of white paint, the remains of 

 last night's " corrobory," ornamented his face and legs, and he carried 

 over his arm an old dragoon's carbine. At the encampment we fell in 

 with the males of his party ; one was searching for grubs in a rotten 

 stump, another had smoked a ring-tailed opossum out of a tree and 

 was skinning it, and the others had just returned from fishing. Round 

 the waist they wore a belt of emeu skin, the two ends of which, cut 

 into narrow strips, dangled down in front and behind. All were 

 painted more or less with red ochre, some had their hair like a huge 

 mop, others wore it tied up with grass in the form of a peak project- 

 ing backwards. Each man had several boomerangs and waddies in 

 his belt, and carried a bundle of spears. Tom, having explained my 

 business, a grand council w^as held on the edge of the brush, blankets 

 were spread upon the ground, and a fire lit close by. By the distri- 

 bution of some tobacco and the promise of more, I soon got into their 

 good graces, and they agreed to accompany me. Meanwhile the dogs, 

 of which there were many, were ranging about in the neighbourhood, 

 occasionally starting one of the animals 1 was in quest of, judging 

 from their barking. While I was waiting with great impatience un- 

 til my sable friends had finished their smoking bout, a fine pade- 

 melon was driven close to us by the dogs, and came in sight, clear- 

 ing the bushes in fine style, but, having my gun ready, I tumbled him 

 over while making a flying leap. The astonishment of the group of 

 natives seemed to know no bounds — they clapped their hands, laugh- 

 ed, and almost screamed with delight. By the time I had taken out 

 the entrails, the whole party had got into motion, and we proceeded 

 towards the centre of the brush. The dogs were running about in all 

 directions, and we stationed ourselves here and there along the path 

 made by the cedar-cutters many years ago. Every now and then I 

 could catch a glimpse of one of the kangaroos hopping along in the 

 thicket at which I was posted, halting occasionally, and sitting up- 

 right in the attitude of close attention. Now, a dog approached — 



