392 
SHOOT AN EAGLE. 
however rapidly disappearing whilst we were idling in 
camp, the horse-flesh was all consumed, and to-day 
we had commenced upon the mutton, so that soon 
we should be compelled to go, whether it rained or 
not. Month after month however had passed away 
without any fall of rain, and the season had now 
arrived when, under ordinary circumstances, much 
wet might be expected ; and though each day, as it 
passed without gratifying our hopes, but added to 
our disappointment, yet did every hour we lingered 
give us a better chance of being relieved by showers 
in our route round the last cliffs of the Bight. The 
evening set in mild but close, with the wind at north- 
east, and I had great hopes that showers would fall. 
April 25 . — During the night dense clouds, ac- 
companied by gusts of wind and forked lightning, 
passed rapidly to the south-west, and this morning 
the wind changed to that quarter. Heavy storms 
gathered to seawards with much thunder and 
lightning, but no rain fell near us ; the sea appearing 
to attract all the showers. The overseer shot a very 
large eagle to-day and made a stew of it, which was 
excellent. I sent the boy out to try and shoot a 
wallabie, but he returned without one. 
In the evening, a little before dark, and just as 
we had finished our tea, to my great astonishment 
our two runaway natives made their appearance, the 
King George’s Sound native being first. He came 
frankly up, and said that they were both sorry for 
what they had done, and were anxious to be received 
