CHAPTER I 
Lbttbr I. RocKHAMPTON.-*On a tca of gUfis-^Ia the mountains to 
Towoomba — ^A fine view^A kangaroo-bunt — ^Art and discomfort on 
the S.S. Afarmtoa — Rockhampton — On the road — ^Wild cattle — ^Mount 
Morgan Mine^The Murray Lagoon— Mackay—'* The Rocks ''--A 
glorious view-^Snakes^^Rest 
R0CKHAMPTON9 Queensland. 
We are at last really on our way to Thursday Island. 
I find that a steamer leaves here for the South early 
to-morrow, so if my letter is rather disjointed and shaky, 
you must put it down to my sea journey; for you 
know as of old that "a life on the ocean wave" is 
about the last that I would choose. I cannot, however, 
grumble, for, so far, we have sailed on a sea of glass for 
days— -not even a ripple upon the water — and I have 
been dreaming the sunny days away, while we skimmed 
past the numerous islands, too lazy even to read or to 
do anything but Mratch the sea-birds passing and the 
porpoises chasing each other ; now and then a turtle 
basked on the top of the water, or a black and yellow 
sea-snake lay coiled asleep, but at the sound of the 
engine, like a flash, it disappeared. Then there was 
the endless amusement of silently studying one's fellow- 
passengers — ^the lucky digger with his universal " shouts" 
to all on board, the woman with the ubiquitous infant, 
the fussy old party whom nothing satisfies, the new 
Digitized by LnOOQ IC 
