FEAST ON A TOUTISE. 
145 
and the country, although, as I have already remarked, it 
was depressed, and undulated. 
I walked to some distance from the river, across a valley, 
and started several kangaroos ; but I was quite alone, and 
could not, therefore, secure one of them. Had the do°s 
O 
been near, we should have had a fine feast. The soil of 
the interior still continued sandy, but there was a kind of 
s hort grass mixed with the salsolaceous plants upon it, that 
indicated, as I thought, a change for the better in the vege- 
tation ; and the circumstance of there being kangaroos in 
the valleys to the westward was also a favourable sign. 
Beneath the cliffs hereabouts, the river was extremely broad 
and deep. My servant thought it a good place for fishing, 
and accordingly set a night-line, one end of which he fasten- 
ed to the bough of a tree. During the night, being on guard, 
he saw a small tortoise floating on the water, so near that he 
struck it a violent blow with a large stick, upon which it 
dived : to his surprise, however, in the morning, he found 
that it had taken the bait, and was fast to the line. On 
examining it, the shell proved to be cracked, so that the 
have blow must been a severe one. It was the largest we 
had ever seen, and made an excellent dish. The flesh was 
beautifully white, nor could anything, especially under our 
circumstances, have been more tempting than it was when 
cooked ; yet M'Leay would not partake of it. 
The prevailing wind was, at this time, from the S.W. 
It blew heavily all day, but moderated towards the evening. 
I was very anxious, at starting on the 3rd, as to the 
VOL. II. 
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