ATTEMPT TO SHOOT PIGEONS. 371 
left at their encamping places. The bark is peeled 
off the young roots of the eucalyptus dumosa, put 
into hot ashes until nearly crisp, and then the dust 
being shaken off, it is pounded between two stones 
and ready for use. Upon being chewed, a farina- 
ceous powder is imbibed from between the fibres of 
the bark, by no means unpleasant in flavour, but 
rather sweet, and resembling the taste of malt ; how 
far a person could live upon this diet alone, I have 
no means of judging, but it certainly appeases the 
appetite, and is, I should suppose, nutritious. 
April 7. — Another sleepless night from the intense 
cold. Upon getting up I put a mark upon the 
beach to guide the overseer to our camp on his 
return, then weighed out flour and baked bread 
for the party, as I found it lasted much better 
when used stale than fresh. 1 tried to shoot some 
pigeons with small gravel, having plenty of powder 
but no shot. My efforts were, however, in vain, 
for though I several times knocked them over, and 
tore feathers out, I killed none. The day being 
very clear, I ascended the highest sand-hill to obtain 
a view of what had appeared to us to be a long 
point of land, stretching to the south-west. It was 
now clearly recognisable as the high level line of 
cliffs forming the western boundary of the Great 
Bight, and I at once knew, that when we left our 
present position, we could hope for no water for at 
least 140 or 150 miles beyond. 
The weather on the 8th and 9th suddenly became 
2 b 2 
