ACCIDENTS. 
33 
't would soon be burnt through, and that the tree would 
fall ; but the black had no such fears, and, ascending; to 
the highest branch, he watched anxiously for the poor little 
wretch he had thus surrounded with dangers and devoted to 
destruction ; and no sooner did it appear, half singed and 
half roasted, than he seized upon it and threw it down to 
us with an air of triumph. The effect of the scene in so 
lonely a forest, was very fine. The roaring of the fire in 
the tree, the fearless attitude of the savage, and the asso- 
ciations which his colour and appearance, enveloped as he 
was in smoke, called up, were singular, and still dwell on 
my recollection. We had not long left the tree, when it 
fell with a tremendous crash, and was, when we next 
passed that way, a mere heap of ashes. 
Shortly before it commenced raining, the dogs started an 
emu, and took after it, followed by M‘Leay and myself. 
We failed in killing it, and I was unfortunate enough to 
lose a most excellent watch upon the occasion, which in re- 
gularity was superior to the chronometer I had with me. 
As there was no hope of the weather clearing up, I sent 
M'Leay and one of the blacks with the flour to the river 
with directions to pile it up and cover it with tarpaulins 
as soon as possible, remaining myself to bring up the 
drays. It was not, however, until after 4 p.m. that we 
gained the river-side, or that we were enabled to get into 
shelter. Fraser met with a sad accident while assisting the 
diivei of the teams, who, accidentally, struck him with the 
end of the lash of his whip in the eye, and cut the lower 
VOL. II. 
D 
