that this brilliant appearance is mainly occasion- : But a week after he has been bawling himself | the distance, even to the horizon, it seems an ocean of hoarse in the noisome atmosphere of Westminster fire-and the distant waves, breaking, give out a light of Hall, he may be detected in eating pátés de cha-inconceivable beauty."-vol. i. p. 36. mois on the Simplon, or dancing reels in the He- "It must not be for a moment conceived that the light brides, or gliding in a carriole amidst the gloom described as like to a sea of liquid fire,' is of the same of a Norwegian forest; nay, by skilful manage-lightning, or meteors. No: it is the light of phosphorus, character as the flashes produced by the volcano, or by ment, he may re-appear at Michaelmas with a budget of good stories from Moscow or Constan- or very pale yellow, casting a melancholy light on obas the matter truly is, pale, dull, approaching to a white tinople-or even bring back with him from Jeru-jects around, only emitting flashes by collision. To read salem a legitimate claim to the style and title of by it is possible, but not agreeable; and, on an attempt Hadgi. Even the parish clergyman may occa- being made, it is almost always found that the eyes will sionally command a furlough, and enlarge and not endure the peculiar light for any length of time, as strengthen his attachment to his own country and headaches and sickness are occasioned by it."-p. 38. calling by a few months' perambulation of less favoured regions. But the country doctor is a complete fixture; nay, it is considered as the most hazardous thing in the world, even for the first rate physician or surgeon of London, to absent himself for a fortnight on end, even at the dullest season of the year, from the habitual scene of his exertions. We believe a Halford or a Brodie would no more dream of spending an August at Töplitz or Baden, than a Pemberton or a Follett of passing a winter at Washington or St. Peters- "Late at night the mate of the watch came and called burgh. In short, patients are apt to regard and me to witness a very unusual appearance in the water, resent it as a positive injury, when they are com- which he, on first seeing, considered to be breakers. On pelled, by the absence of a first confidant, to make arriving upon the deck, this was found to be a very broad their delicate discoveries to a second. On every direction from east to west as far as the eye could reach: and extensive sheet of phosphorescence, extending in a account, then, the young Esculapian, if he has the luminosity was confined to the range of animals in any ambition to "survey mankind with extensive this shoal-there was no similar light in any other direc view," ought to make carpe diem his motto. tion. I cast the towing-net over the stern of the ship, Mr. Bennett's title page has this defect--that as we approached nearer the luminous streak, to ascer it does not prepare us for finding a considerable tain the cause of this extraordinary and so limited phe. portion of his book occupied with observations nomenon. The ship soon cleaved through the brilliant made neither in New South Wales, nor Batavia, mass, from which, by the disturbance, strong flashes of nor China, but on ship-board, while far enough light were emitted; and the shoal (judging from the time from any land whatever. This part of the work the vessel took in passing through the mass) may have is, however, about the most interesting; and no been a mile in breadth: the passage of the vessel through wonder-for here he has had time and opportunity them increased the light around to a far stronger degree, to test his first-sight impressions by subsequent re-illuminating the ship. On taking in the towing net, mark and experiment, much more largely than was found half filled with pyrosoma atlanticum, which shone with a beautiful pale greenish light-and there with respect to any of the announced scenes of were also a few small fish in the net at the same time; his "Wanderings." The mass of facts which he after the mass had been passed through, the light was has brought together concerning the oceanic birds, still seen astern until it became invisible in the distance, in particular, appears to be highly curious. We and the whole of the ocean then became hidden in darkshall not, however, in this place, consider criti-ness as before this took place. The scene was as novel cally what additions he has made to the materials as it was beautiful and interesting, more so from having of science strictly so called-we mean as to the ascertained, by capturing the luminous animals, the cause addition of species, if not of genera, to the zoolo- of the phenomenon."--vol. i. p. 39, 40. gical system; but afford the general reader some specimens of the style in which he describes those incidents of his life at sea which he has turned to and dolphins will follow a ship, Mr. Bennett gives Of the length to which albicores, bonitos, sharks, solid account in the technical sections of his Ap-been wounded on the back by some sharp instru us many striking instances. One albicore having pendix. We begin with a paragraph or two on that wellment, leaving a noticeable scar, first caught his known phenomenon which has so long perplexed continued to recognise it almost daily as far as attention on this voyage, 3° north latitude, and he and divided our philosophers,—the peculiar phos-latitude 11° south-a distance of eight hundred phoric light given out by the ocean, more espe- and fifty miles. The length of aerial voyages cially and more brilliantly in tropical regions, during the absence of the sun's rays. Mr. Ben-accomplished by the huge albatross and other nett had one splendid opportunity of witnessing oceanic birds is even more extraordinary. In rethis effect when traversing the bay of Manilla. Viewing Earle's residence at Tristan d'Acunha, a few numbers back, we extracted some curious details as to the habits of the albatross when on "The wake of the vessel is one broad sheet of phos-shore; but that writer said nothing of the real roc phoric matter, so brilliant as to cast a dull, pale light over on the wing. Mr. Bennett says:-the after-part of the ship; the foaming surges, as they gracefully curl on each side of the vessel's prow, are similar to rolling masses of liquid phosphorus; whilst in He thus writes: "It is pleasing to observe this superb bird sailing in the air in graceful and elegant movements, seemingly excited by some invisible power-for there is rarely any movement of the wings seen, after the first and frequent impulses given, when the creature elevates itself in the air-rising and falling as if some concealed power guided its various motions, without any muscular exertion of its own-and then descending and sweeping the air close to the stern of the ship, with an independence of manner, as if it were monarch of all it surveyed.' It is from the very little muscular exertion used by these birds that they are capable of sustaining such long flights without repose."-p. 45. The largest albatross shot by Mr. Bennett during this voyage measured fourteen feet, but we have seen distinct accounts of specimens reaching across the wings to full twenty feet. He proceeds to say:— "When seizing an object floating on the water, they gradually descend with expanded or upraised wings, or sometimes alight, and float like a duck on the water while devouring their food; then they skim the ocean with expanded wings, as they run along for some distance, until they again soar in mid-air, and recommence their erratic flights. It is interesting to view them, during boisterous weather, flying with, and even against, the wind, seeming the gayest of the gay' in the midst of howling winds and foaming waves. 6 "To watch the flight of these birds used to afford me much amusement, commencing with the difficulty experienced by them in elevating themselves from the water. To effect this object, they spread their long pinions to the utmost, giving them repeated impulses as they run along the surface of the water. Having, by these exertions, raised themselves above the wave, they ascend and descend, and cleave the atmosphere in various directions, without any apparent muscular exertion. How then, it may be asked, do these birds execute such movements? The whole surface of the body in this, as well as, I believe, most, if not all, the oceanic tribes, is covered with numerous air-cells, capable of a voluntary inflation or diminution, by means of a beautiful muscular apparatus. By this power, the birds can raise or depress themselves at will; and the tail, and great length of the wing, enable them to steer in any direction. Indeed, without some provision of this kind to save muscular exertion, it would be impossible for these birds to undergo such long flights without repose as they have been known to do; for the muscles appertaining to the organs of flight, although large in these birds, are evidently inadequate in power to the long distances they have been known to Hly, and the immense length of time they remain on the wing, with scarcely a moment's cessation. the same time, but I never observed the former degrees to molest the latter. Pars; 66 Attending the shark is seen that beautiful little fish, the gaste rosteus ductor, or pilot-fish; which first approaching the bait returns as if to give notice, when, immediately after, the shark approaches and seizes it. It is a curious circumstance that this elegant little fish is seen only in attendance upon the shark. After the shark is hooked, the pilot-fish still swim about, and for some time after he has been hauled on deck; they then swim very near the surface of the water, and at that time I have seen them taken by a basket from the chains of the ship. When the shark has been hooked and afterwards escapes, he generally returns, and renews the attack with increased ferocity, irritated perhaps by the wound he has received.”—vol. ii. p. 266. The shark, Mr. Bennett says elsewhere, is more wary of taking the bait when unaccompanied by the pilot-fish; he will then come close, and withdraw again, several times before he ventures to seize it; but when the little pilot is in company, it hazards the first advances to the rancid beef or bacon, reconnoitres carefully, and at length reports the result at head-quarters, upon which the huge monster is seen at once to plunge onward, and makes his snap at the bait without hesitation. which is met with in all cold-blooded animals, is well That which is termed muscular irritability, and exemplified in the shark, which perhaps possesses it to a greater degree than other kinds of fish. I have seen a shark transfixed with a harpoon after it had been hooked, deck, when, after a quarter of an hour had elapsed, the so as to cause the viscera to protrude; it was hoisted on lower part was separated from the upper-the detached lower portion for a long time displayed great powers of vitality;-when the head and upper portion were aftermoved as in the action of swimming. How long this wards thrown into the water, the pectoral fins were irritability continued I cannot say, (but from other instances that I had seen I should consider for a long period,) as it soon went astern of the ship. I have frequently seen the animal hauled on deck, the whole of the viscera extracted, and the body when thrown overboard, swim for some distance in this mutilated state. Again, a shark has been hung up with the abdomen ripped open, the whole of the viscera extracted, and the cular irritability, remained for three hours from the time head detached; yet symptoms of vitality, or rather mus. of its removal from the water; and this frequently occa sions the spectators to consider that the animal is in a "When several species of the albatross, as well as petrels and other oceanic birds, are about the ship at the that we meet with this to such an extent; in the warmstate of suffering. It is only in the cold-blooded animals same time, no combats have been seen to take place be-blooded animals it occurs, but in a very slight degree.”— tween them; but on the death of une, the others soon fall upon and devour it.”—vol. i. pp. 46, 47. Ibid, pp. 270-272. Blumenbach, in his Manual of Natural History, Another great source of amusement was sharkfishing-of which sport Captain Hall's enthusi- says, "The extraordinary strength of the reproastic details must be in every reader's recollec-ductive power in several amphibia, and the as tion: tonishing facility with which the process is carried on, depend, if I mistake not, on the great "The capture of one of these voracious animals often magnitude of their nerves and the diminutive beguiles a tedious hour during a long voyage. Its strug-proportion of their brain. The former parts are, gles, when brought on deck, are very great, but a few severe blows on the nose soon disable it from further exertion. When seizing any object the animal turns on the side, not (as is generally supposed) on the back. The shark, judging by an European palate, is not good eating: the fins and tail are very glutinous, and are the portions most relish. ed by the scamen; when dried, they form an article of commerce to China, where they are used in soups. I have seen several sharks and bonitos about the ship at VOL. XXVI. APRIL, 1835-58 hence the whole machine has less powers of moin consequence; less dependent on the latter: tion, and displays less sympathy; the mode of existence is more simple, and approaches more nearly to that of the vegetable world than in the warm-blooded classes; but on the contrary, the parts possess a greater individual independent vitality. In consequence of this latter endow nately expanding and closing its pectoral fins." Our author says, "the structure of a fin is not that of a wing: the pectoral organs of the flyingfish are simply enlarged fins, capable of supporting, perhaps, but not of propelling, the animal." ment, stimuli which operate on one part, or on one system, do not immediately affect the whole frame by sympathy, as in warm-blooded animals; and hence it is that we are enabled to explain the peculiar tenacity of life which is displayed under various circumstances in this class-as, for example, how frogs still continue to jump through the water is the tail, and the fins direct their "In fish, the organ of motion for propelling them about after the heart has been torn out, and tur- course; in birds, on the contrary, the wings are the tles have lived for months after the removal of organs of motion, and the tail the rudder. The only use the whole brain from the cranium. The long-of the extended pectoral fins in the fish is for the purpose continued power of motion in parts which have been cut off from the body, as in the tail of the water-newt and blind worm, is to be explained upon the same principles." of supporting the animal in the air, like a parachute, after it has leaped from the water by some power which is possessed even by the whale. From the structure of the fin, I cannot consider it at all calculated for repeated The length of time during which this irritabi- percussions out of the water; while in that fluid it conlity exists in snakes has given rise to the opinion when brought into contact with the air, and the delicacy tinues its natural action uninjured; but it soon dries of the vulgar, that "if a snake is killed in the of the membrane between the rays would very readily morning, it will not not die before sunset." become injured, were the organ similarly exerted in that Among numerous instances of such irritability medium. The greatest length of time that I have seen even in the warm-blooded class, the human these volatile fish on the fin has been thirty seconds by heart, for some little time after death has taken the watch. Their usual height of flight is from place, may be stimulated to perform its natural two to three feet; but I have known them come on board action by being punctured; and in a limb after at a height of fourteen feet; and they have been well amputation, the muscles are excited to contract ascertained to come into the channels of a line-of-battle by the plunge of a scalpel. Of the effects of gal-ship, i. e. as high as twenty feet and upwards. But it vanism we need say nothing. must not be supposed that they have the power of elevat. Among other marine objects discussed in this ing themselves in the air, after having left their native chapter, we find "the Guinea-ship" of our old element: on watching them I have often seen them fall navigators-called, in the dialect of modern sail- much below the elevation at which they first rose from ors, the "Portuguese man-of-war"-that beautiful them raise themselves above that height: I therefore rethe water, but never in any one instance could I observe molluscous animal the physalia, of which La-gard the elevation they take to depend on the power of marck enumerates four species, all inhabiting the the first spring or leap they make on leaving their native tropical seas, but some of them seen occasionally element."-vol. ii. p. 31. in high latitudes during the summer months. They are, of course, more readily discerned in calm weather than in strong breezes, and have then a strong resemblance to a miniature vessel resting on the surface of the waters-whence "I cannot perceive any comparison-one being an their popular names, ancient and modern. The vulgar notion that the animal has the power of of the fish is hurried, stiff, and awkward. Its repeated elegant, fearless, and independent motion-whilst that voluntarily collapsing its bladder-sail, and sink-flights are merely another term for leaps." ing to the depths of the ocean, when danger ap The flight of these animals has often been spoken of as if it resembled that of birds; but our author says,- proaches, appears to have been for ever disposed Mr. Bennett laughs at the common talk about of by our author's observations. He found seve-the severe persecution to which these poor things ral thrown on the shore of New South Wales in are exposed: he says they are no worse off than tempestuous weather, the bladder portion still any other branch of the animated creation; but remaining inflated; and while at sea he frequent- surely he himself paints their situation, when he ly landed them on deck from his hand-net in the saw a great shoal of them near the Cape Verd same condition. The inflated membrane is evi- group, in December, 1832, as rather more distressdently meant merely to keep the creature buoyant ing than is usual with either birds or fishes-puron the surface, while its long tentacula are ex-sued through the waves by a host of bonitos, and tended below in search of prey. The bladder is whenever they rose into air, pounced on by a of a light azure hue, streaked with delicate sea-flock of gannets and boobies. The sight of this green, and the most brilliant crimson-nothing can double chasse, says the philosophical surgeon, be more beautiful; but the long purple appendages "afforded much amusement and interest to those below are dangerous instruments. They twine who beheld it.”—(p. 35.) themselves instantly round their natural prey, or the hand of the rash captor, and inflict pungent and intolerable pain by means of their acrid exudation. Mr. Bennett appears to have subjected himself to a day of great agony by one of these experiments. For what purpose a similar property has been affixed to certain vegetable tribes is one of nature's mysteries. But we must now get ashore, and attend Mr. Bennett in some of those "Wanderings in New South Wales" which occupy more than half of his book. He seems to have made good use of the time which his captain's stay at Sydney enabled him to bestow according to his own inclinations-in short, to have performed several long and laborious journeys to different points of On the "flying-fish" Mr. Bennet bestows seve-the colony; exploring, to the best of his ability, ral interesting pages; and he seems to have suc- the manners of all classes of its inhabitants, cessfully combated the notion of Cuvier, that rational and irrational. On colonial politics he "the animal beats the air during its leap, alter-does not say much; and here we shall follow his example. It is, however, his well-considered they appear, indeed, to be very many degrees opinion, after all that he saw and heard, that below even the worst of the New Zealanders ; convicts should no longer be sent to New South we mean morally and intellectually, for, as to Wales otherwise than "for the purpose of being physical structure, the New Zealanders are a very employed on the public works," and that free handsome race, these among the most hideous of emigration ought to be strenuously encouraged. all the living caricatures of humanity. They We are much inclined to believe that the time is have, however, like all degraded human beings, come when the society of this colony should be their share of cunning; and we could not but delivered, if possible, from further influx of moral smile at Mr. Bennett's account of his meeting pollution, and a new penal settlement established with one of them, who took his black coat for an on some other part of that vast continent. The indication of the clerical profession, and immepopulation of the existing colony is now a large diately advanced a claim for a shilling, on the one; and it is the duty of government to give it ground that government gives an annual grant the best chance of entirely shaking off the lament- of five hundred pounds for the promotion of able taint of its original formation, which it can Christianity in this quarter, of which, by conscarcely be expected to do so long as a constant versing for a few minutes with the stranger "white succession of fresh blackguardism is infused into feller" in the said black vestment, this shrewd the system. Who can doubt that this is a country" black feller" considered himself to have fairly which must make a great figure in the world, earned a portion. Mr. Bennett explained the either for good or for evil, before three generations gentleman's mistake, and was curious to hear more shall have passed away? or contemplate what his notion of a clergyman might really without alarm the existence of a powerful nation amount to. The answer brought out his pregnant born and reared amidst such a moral atmosphere definition :— as at present shocks every new visitant of Sydney, and is but too apt to corrupt and harden the whole being of any one who protracts his residence there? We believe that, if it were consistent with our feelings of duty to lay before our readers a detailed picture of real life, as it exists even of General Macquarie's attempt to induce the naamong the upper classes of society in that colony, tives to cultivate the ground, by a distribution of of the domestic crimes and tragedies which have seeds and implements:been brought to light there even within the last few years; it would be readily allowed that no fiction could surpass the horrible truth of such a statement. The exceptions are, we well know, many; and we consider them as among the most honourable exceptions in the world; but the prevalent tone of that society in which incidents that we might particularise could have taken place, must be something quite beyond the reach of an unsophisticated English imagination. "He white feller belonging to Sunday, get up top o' waddy, pile long corrobera all about debbil, debbil, and wear shirt over trowsel." He retails elsewhere an old but not a bad story "Among the packets of seed sent for distribution were some which contained fish-hooks: these, together with the seeds, were given by the governor to the sable monarch, King Bungaree. Some time after the governor enquired of him whether the seeds had yet come up? 'Oh, berry well, berry well,' exclaimed Bungaree, all make come up berry well, except dem fish-hooks; dem no come up yet." "-p. 338. Wherever men can be compared with women, we are pretty sure to find the moral advantage But to waive these grave matters; the common with the latter; and here, it seems, is no exception stories about the extreme severity of labour in to the rule. Mr. Bennett has one short story, the penal gangs are considered by Mr. Bennett which we shall allow to speak for itself-dismissas gross and wilful exaggeration. He saw a farming some flourishes with which, unlike himself, servant, who had for some misdeed been spending he introduces it :six weeks in one of the "iron gangs," on the day of his return to his usual employer's establishment. His fellow servants immediately remarked how much he had improved in appearance since he left them; and on being weighed, it turned out that the man had gained twenty pounds in the course of his unhappy six weeks. What sort of convict makes the best shepherd ? We venture to say no man could have guessed the fact, it is the London pick-pocket! He is the laziest of animals, and in that fine climate the shepherd's is the most indolent existence possible. The surgeon gives us many painful and disgusting details about the aboriginal savages of this region, but has not, we think, added much to the stock of valuable information. He evidently contemplates their utter disappearance at no very distant date; and, in truth, we see no reason to differ from him on this head. These scarcely human tribes must go, almost as surely as the wild animals, their sport and prey. All attempts at civilisation have utterly and completely failed; "A female of one of the aboriginal tribes in the Mur rumbidgee country cohabited with a convict named Tallboy, who, becoming a bush-ranger, was for a long time sought after by the police for the many atrocities he had committed, but always eluded pursuit. This female concealed him with true native ingenuity, and baffled his pursuers-she would fish and hunt for him, whilst he remained secluded in the retreat she chose. She often visited the stock-keepers' huts at the different stations, and whatever provisions she received from them were immediately conveyed to the unworthy object of her devoted attachment. Although many knew she was privy to his concealment, yet it was found impossible to elude her vigilance; neither promises of rewards-enough to excite the cupidity of any individual, but one in whom a higher feeling was paramount-nor threats, could induce her to acknowledge that she was acquainted with his place of concealment. The brute, however, manifested no kindred affection, but would frequently beat and illuse her. Whilst she administered to him the refreshing cup of kindness, he bestowed on her misery in return. Shortly after he had, in one instance, given way to his natural brutish disposition, by ill-treating the being who had done so much for him-he was on the verge of dis. covery-indeed had himself given up all hopes of escape: when she again saved him, by engaging to point out to the police his place of retreat, and led them away, under that pretence, in a contrary direction, affording her paramour time and opportunity to seek out a safer asylum. When she arrived with the police at the spot where she had informed them he last was, he of course was not there, and a strict search in the vicinity was equally unsuccessful: she then left them to continue their pursuit, pretending to know nothing further respecting him. At last he was captured by venturing out too boldly during her absence, was tried, condemned, and expiated his of fences on the scaffold at Sydney. She wished to follow him, on hearing he was a prisoner, but that was impossible; so, reclaimed by her tribe, she was obliged to become an unwilling wife of one of the blacks. "This unfortunate female was ordered by her husband, whose word is law, to follow him at a time when she was rendered incapable by illness: on her hesitating, he, with savage barbarity, struck her with his tomahawk over the head and legs so severely, that she fainted from loss of blood. She was found lying on the ground, and taken to the house of a settler residing on the banks of the Murrumbidgee river, and every kindness and attention shown her; but after lingering, suffering severe mental and bodily anguish, she expired." The dingos, or native dogs of New South Wales, are the wolves of the colony-they breed in the holes of rocks, attain great size and strength, commit grievous ravages among the herds and flocks of the settlers, and are hunted by whole packs of European dogs. The cunning of these animals, and the agony they will endure without any external indication of suffering, are favourite subjects with our author, and we must spare room for one or two of his anecdotes :- "One had been beaten so severely, that it was supposed all the bones were broken, and it was left for dead. After the person had walked some distance, upon accidentally looking back, his surprise was much excited by seeing master dingo rise, shake himself, and march into the bush, evading all pursuit. One, supposed dead, was brought into a hut, for the purpose of undergoing decortication;' at the commencement of the skinning process upon the face, the only perceptible movement was a slight quivering of the lips, which was regarded at the time as merely muscular irritability: the man, after skinning a very small portion, left the hut to sharpen his knife, and returning found the animal sitting up, with the flayed integument hanging over one side of the face. "Another instance was that of a settler, who, returning from a sporting expedition, with six kangaroo dogs, they met a dingo, which was attacked by the dogs, and worried to such a degree, that finding matters becoming | serious, and that the worst of the sport came to his share, the cunning dingo pretended to be dead. Thinking he had departed the way of all dogs, they gave him a parting shake and left him. Unfortunately for the poor dingo, he was of an impatient disposition, and was consequently premature in his resurrection, for before the settler and his dogs had gone any distance, he was seen to rise and skulk away, but, on account of the rough treatment he had received, at a slow pace; the dogs soon re-attacked him, when he was handled in a manner that must have eventually prevented any resuscitation taking place a second time. "These instances may account for the fact why skeletons of the animals are not found in places where they have been left supposed dead. I have more than once been taken where one had been killed, as I desired to have a skeleton, but no remains of the beast were visi ble; and crows and hawks do not devour animals, bones and all, in this country. "The Australian dog never barks; indeed, it is remarked by Mr. Gardiner, in a work entitled The Music of Nature, that dogs in a state of nature never bark; they simply whine, howl, and growl: this explosive noise is only found among those which are domesticated.' Sonnini speaks of the shepherds' dogs in the wilds of Egypt as not having this faculty: and Columbus found the dogs which he had previously carried to America to have lost their propensity to barking. The barking of a dog is an acquired faculty-an effort to speak, which he derives from his associating with man." vol. i. p. 235. In this, of course, as in every book about New South Wales, the kangaroo claims right to fill a considerable space. The chase, by no means a very safe amusement, of the "old man kangaroo," as the blacks call the full-grown male, seems to have found great favour with Mr. Bennett, and he sketches some scenes which, as he himself says, might have deserved to be immortalised by the pencil of a Landseer. We content ourselves, however, with one or two of his lighter pages. An Irishman of his acquaintance had a favourite dog, who rashly pursued a large kangaroo into a water-pool, and was ducked almost dead for his pains: "Pat, in a great rage at the threatened death of his dog, would have shot the kangaroo, but his gun missed fire; he then entered the water-hole to bate the brains of the baste out' with the but-end of the gun; but the baste,' not fancying to be thus treated, turned from the soused and now senseless dog to his more formidable adversary, and a struggle took place, in which the man was often thrust under water, and victory was promising much in favour of the kangaroo, when some of Pat's companions fortunately coming to his assistance, attacked and killed the animal with clubs, and rescued him in almost an insensible condition. I asked him how he felt when the beast hugged him; he replied, Not very comfortable-he tumbled me about famously; they are mighty strong bastes, and don't seem to like being meddled with.' Indeed, many persons when alone are afraid to face a large old man' kangaroo. A man, recently arrived in the colony, was sent after cattle; he returned in great terror, having come suddenly on the ranges upon a kangaroo, as large,' he said, 'as a horse.' I asked him the colour of the animal; he replied, that he did not recollect it; he only wished to get away from the beast, and, running down the hill, was glad when he saw the animal warn't following him. It is probable, when he went down one part of the range, the animal, equally, if not more frightened, descended another."—vol. i. pe 286. "The part of the kangaroo most esteemed for eating is the loins; but the tail, which abounds in gelatine, furnishes an excellent and nourishing soup: the hind legs are coarse, and usually fall to the share of the dogs. The natives (if they can be said to have a choice) give a preference to the head. The flesh of a full-grown animal may be compared to lean beef, and that of the young to veal: they are destitute of fat, if we except a little occasionally between the muscles and integuments of the tail. The colonial dish, called a steamer, consists of the flesh of this animal dressed with slices of ham. The liver, when cooked, is crisp and dry, and is considered a substitute for bread."-Ibid. p. 289. The passion of the aborigines for hunting kangaroos, opossums, and so forth, appears to be inextinguishable, but to be much more intimately |