370 ROOTS OF THE GUM-SCRUB. 
him up for the night, resolved never to let him loose 
again. 
In the evening I noticed the native boys looking 
more woe-begone and hungry than usual. Here- 
tofore, since our mutton was consumed, they had 
helped out their daily half-pound of flour, with the 
roasted roots of the gum -scrub, but to-day they had 
been too busy to get any, and I was obliged to give 
to each a piece of bread beyond the regular allow- 
ance. It was pitiable to see them craving for food, 
and not to have the power of satisfying them ; they 
were young and had large appetites, and never 
having been accustomed to any restraint of this na- 
ture, scarcity of food was the more sensibly felt, 
especially as they could not comprehend the neces- 
sity that compelled us to hoard with greater care 
than a miser does his gold, the little stock of provi- 
sions which we yet had left. 
April 6. — The severe frost and intense cold of 
last night entirely deprived me of sleep, and I was 
glad when the daylight broke, though still weary 
and unrefreshed. After clearing out the well, and 
watering the horses, I sent one of the boys out to 
watch them, and gave the other the gun to try and 
shoot a wallabie, but after expending the only two 
charges of slugs I had left, he returned unsuc- 
cessful. At night we all made up our supper with 
the bark of the young roots of the gum-scrub. 
It appears to be extensively used for food by the 
natives in this district, judging from the remnants 
