90 
MYOLA 
CHAP. 
and the sweet scent, so dear to an Australian, filled the 
whole of the surrounding air. The horses had to be 
hobbled some distance away for feed, as there was none 
here, and the rocks were too thick to take the buggy 
over, and I decided to go on riding next day with Joe 
and Jackey to the foot of the range. 
We started next morning at daylight upon a very 
rough road, climbing with our horses over breakneck 
rocks, and hunting in crack and cranny for flowers. We 
tethered the horses after a time when the rocks became 
too steep, and it was now a four-footed climb for all of 
us. Like a game of football the echoes of our voices 
were kicked back from rock to rock until the breath was 
fairly beaten out, and Jackey cooeed and hallooed his 
loudest, enjoying the fun of the match. Gliding over one 
of the rocks we saw a carpet snake about twenty feet 
long, which fled with lightning speed when he caught sight 
of us, and so did we. I found several grevilleas, and 
one or two other flowering plants quite new to me, and, 
with all my anticipations realised, we commenced our 
descent to the horses again. 
I don’t know what the thermometer was on those 
rocks, but my skin felt literally scorched and toasted to 
a nicety. I was horribly thirsty, but my inability to 
swallow that river water left the others free to apply 
their lips and finish the contents of the water-bottle. 
Slipping, sliding, rolling, stumbling, we at last got to 
the horses, and made our way back to the camp, which 
we reached at two. I felt amply repaid for my labours. 
Alas ! Mrs. S., with that cunning which literature attri- 
butes to the serpent, had extracted a bottle of brandy 
which we had brought in case of need, and which I had 
carefully hidden, and was now in a state of utter collapse, 
so we had to fasten her into the tent. It was no use 
worrying myself into a greater heat over it, so I took it 
