第9章

BothonhispassagefromEngland,andsincehisarrivalhere,hisconducthasbeenirreproachable.Heisappointedhigh-constableofthesettlementofRoseHill,apostofsomerespectability,andcertainlyoneofimportancetothosewholivehere.Hisknowledgeofmen,particularlyofthatpartofthemintowhosemorals,mannersandbehaviourheisorderedespeciallytoinspect,eminentlyfithimfortheoffice.

Icannotquithimwithoutbearingmytestimonythathistalentspromisetobedirectedinfuturetomakereparationtosocietyfortheoffenceshehasheretoforecommittedagainstit.

ThenumberofpersonsofalldescriptionsatRoseHillatthisperiodwillbeseeninthefollowingreturn.

AreturnofthenumberofpersonsatRoseHill,3rdofDecember1791

Quality.|Men.|Women.|Children|||of10years|of2years|under2years

Convicts*13361330917

Troops949152

CivilDepartment70000

SeamenSettlers30000

FreePersons07212

Totalnumberofpersons144014931521

[*Theconvictswhoarebecomesettlers,areincludedinthisnumber.]

OfmySydneyjournal,Ifindnopartsufficientlyinterestingtobeworthextraction.Thisplacehadlongbeenconsideredonlyasadepotforstores.Itexhibitednothingbutafewoldscatteredhutsandsomesterilegardens.Cultivationofthegroundwasabandoned,andallourstrengthtransferredtoRoseHill.Sydney,nevertheless,continuedtobetheplaceofthegovernor"sresidence,andconsequentlytheheadquartersofthecolony.

Nopublicbuildingofnote,exceptastorehouse,hadbeenerectedsincemylaststatement.Thebarracks,solongtalkedof,solongpromised,fortheaccommodationanddisciplineofthetroops,werenotevenbegunwhenIleftthecountry;andinsteadofanewhospital,theoldonewaspatchedupand,withtheassistanceofonebroughtready-framedfromEngland,servedtocontainthesick.

Theemploymentofthemaleconvictshere,asatRoseHill,wasthepubliclabour.Ofthewomen,themajoritywerecompelledtomakeshirts,trousersandothernecessarypartsofdressforthemen,frommaterialsdeliveredtothemfromthestores,intowhichtheyreturnedeverySaturdaynighttheproduceoftheirlabour,astipulatedweeklytaskbeingassignedtothem.Inamoreearlystage,governmentsentoutallarticlesofclothingreadymade;but,byadoptingthepresentjudiciousplan,notonlyapublicsavingiseffected,butemploymentofasuitablenaturecreatedforthosewhowouldotherwiseconsumeleisureinidlepursuitsonly.

Onthe26thofNovember1791,thenumberofpersons,ofalldescriptions,atSydney,was1259,towhich,if1628atRoseHilland1172atNorfolkIslandbeadded,thetotalnumberofpersonsinNewSouthWalesanditsdependencywillbefoundtoamountto4059.*

[*AveryconsiderableadditiontothisnumberhasbeenmadesinceIquittedthesettlement,byfreshtroopsandconvictssentthitherfromEngland.]

Onthe13thofDecember1791,themarinebattalionembarkedonboardHisMajesty"sshipGorgon,andonthe18thsailedforEngland.

CHAPTERXVII.

MiscellaneousRemarksonthecountry.Onitsvegetableproductions.

Onitsclimate.Onitsanimalproductions.Onitsnatives,etc.

Thejournalscontainedinthebodyofthispublication,illustratedbythemapwhichaccompaniesit(unfortunately,thereisnomapaccompanyingthisetext),are,Iconceive,sodescriptiveofeverypartofthecountryknowntous,thatlittleremainstobeaddedbeyondafewgeneralobservations.

Thefirstimpressionmadeonastrangeriscertainlyfavourable.

Heseesgentlyswellinghillsconnectedbyvaleswhichpossesseverybeautythatverdureoftrees,andform,simplyconsideredinitself,canproduce;

buthelooksinvainforthosemurmuringrillsandrefreshingspringswhichfructifyandembellishmorehappylands.Nothinglikethosetributarystreamswhichfeedriversinothercountriesarehereseen;

forwhenIspeakofthestreamatSydney,Imeanonlythedrainofamorass;

andtheriveratRoseHillisacreekoftheharbour,whichabovehighwatermarkwouldnotinEnglandbecalledevenabrook.WhencetheHawkesbury,theonlyfreshwaterriverknowntoexistinthecountry,derivesitssupplies,wouldpuzzleatransientobserver.Heseesnothingbuttorpidunmeaningponds(oftenstagnantandalwaysstill,unlessagitatedbyheavyrains)whichcommunicatewithit.DoubtlessthespringswhichariseinCarmarthenmountainsmaybesaidtoconstituteitssource.

Tocultivateitsbankswithinmanymilesofthebedofthestream(exceptonsomeelevateddetachedspots)willbefoundimpracticable,unlesssomemethodbedevisedoferectingamound,sufficienttorepeltheencroachmentsofatorrentwhichsometimesrisesfiftyfeetaboveitsordinarylevel,inundatingthesurroundingcountryineverydirection.

ThecountrybetweentheHawkesburyandRoseHillisthatwhichIhavehithertospokenof.Whentheriveriscrossed,thisprospectsoongivesplacetoaverydifferentone.Thegreenvalesandmoderatehillsdisappearatthedistanceofaboutthreemilesfromtheriverside,andfromKnightHill,andMountTwiss,*thelimitswhichterminateourresearches,nothingbutprecipices,wildsanddeserts,aretobeseen.Eventhesesteepsfailtoproducestreams.Thedifficultyofpenetratingthiscountry,joinedtothedreadofasuddenriseoftheHawkesbury,forbiddingallreturn,hashithertopreventedourreachingCarmarthenmountains.

[*LookattheMap.(Thereisnomapaccompanyingthisetext)]

LetthereadernowcasthiseyeontherelativesituationofPortJackson.

HewillseeitcutofffromcommunicationwiththenorthwardbyBrokenBay,andwiththesouthwardbyBotanyBay;andwhatisworse,thewholespaceofinterveningcountryyetexplored,(exceptanarrowstripcalledtheKangarooGround)inbothdirections,issobadastoprecludecultivation.

ThecourseoftheHawkesburywillnextattracthisattention.

TothesouthwardofeverypartofBotanyBaywehavetracedthisriver;

buthowmuchfartherinthatlineitextendsweknownot.Henceitschanneltakesanortherlydirection,andfinishesitscourseinBrokenBay,runningatthebackofPortJacksoninsuchamannerastoformthelatterintoapeninsula.

Theprincipalquestionthenremainingis,whatisthedistancebetweentheheadofBotanyBayandthepartoftheHawkesburynearesttoit?

Andistheintermediatecountryagoodone,ordoesitleadtoonewhichappearancesindicatetobegood?TofutureadventurerswhoshallmeetwithmoreencouragementtopersevereanddiscoverthanIandmyfellowwanderer[s]did,Iresigntheanswer.Inthemeantimethereaderisdesiredtolookattheremarksonthemap(thereisnomapaccompanyingthisetext),whichweremadeinthebeginningofAugust1790,fromPyramidHill,whichboundedourprogressonthesouthernexpedition;when,andwhenonly,thispartofthecountryhasbeenseen.

ItthenfollowsthatfromRoseHilltowithinsuchadistanceoftheHawkesburyasisprotectedfromitsinundations,istheonlytractoflandweyetknowof,inwhichcultivationcanbecarriedonformanyyearstocome.Toaimatformingacomputationofthedistanceoftime,ofthelabourandoftheexpense,whichwouldattendformingdistinctconvictsettlements,beyondtheboundsIhavedelineated;

orofthedifficultywhichwouldattendasystemofcommunicationbetweensuchestablishmentsandPortJackson,isnotintendedhere.

Untilthatperiodshallarrive,theprogressofcultivation,whenitshallhaveoncepassedProspectHill,willprobablystealalongtothesouthward,inpreferencetothenorthward,fromthesuperiornatureofthecountryinthatdirection,astheremarksinsertedinthemapwilltestify.

SuchismystatementofaplanwhichIdeeminevitablyentailedonthesettlementatPortJackson.InsketchingthisoutlineofitletitnotbeobjectedthatIsupposethereaderaswellacquaintedwiththerespectivenamesandboundariesofthecountryaslongresidenceandunweariedjourneyingamongthem,havemadetheauthor.Tohavesubjoinedperpetualexplanationswouldhavebeentediousanddisgusting.Familiaritywiththerelativepositionsofacountrycanneitherbeimparted,oracquired,butbyconstantrecurrencetogeographicdelineations.

Onthepolicyofsettling,withconvictsonly,acountryatoncesoremoteandextensive,Ishalloffernoremarks.WheneverIhaveheardthisquestionagitated,sincemyreturntoEngland,thecryof,"Whatcanwedowiththem!

Whereelsecantheybesent!"hasalwayssilencedme.

Ofthesoil,opinionshavenotdifferedwidely.Aspoteminentlyfruitfulhasneverbeendiscovered.Thattherearemanyspotscursedwitheverlastingandunconquerablesterilitynoonewhohasseenthecountrywilldeny.

AtthesametimeIamdecidedlyofopinionthatmanylargetractsoflandbetweenRoseHillandtheHawkesbury,evennow,areofanaturesufficientlyfavourabletoproducemoderatecropsofwhatevermaybesowninthem.Andprovidedasufficientnumberofcattle*beimportedtoaffordmanurefordressingtheground,nodoubtcanexistthatsubsistenceforalimitednumberofinhabitantsmaybedrawnfromit.Toimperfecthusbandry,anddryseasons,mustindubitablybeattributedpartofthedeficiencyofformeryears.Hithertoallourendeavourstoderiveadvantagefrommixingthedifferentsoilshaveprovedfruitless,thoughpossiblyonlyfromwantofskillonourside.

[*InmyformernarrativeIhaveparticularlynoticedthesuddendisappearanceofthecattle,whichwehadbroughtwithusintothecountry.Notatraceofthemhaseversincebeenobserved.Theirfateisariddle,sodifficultofsolutionthatIshallnotattemptit.Surelyhadtheystrayedinland,insomeofournumerousexcursions,marksofthemmusthavebeenfound.

Itisequallyimpossibletobelievethateithertheconvictsornativeskilledandatethem,withoutsomesignofdetectionensuing.]

Thespontaneousproductionsofthesoilwillbesoonrecounted.

Everypartofthecountryisaforest:ofthequalityofthewoodtakethefollowinginstance.The"Supply"wantedwoodforamast,andmorethanfortyofthechoicestyoungtreeswerecutdownbeforeasmuchwoodaswouldmakeitcouldbeprocured,thetreesbeingeitherrottenattheheartorrivenbythegumwhichaboundsinthem.Thisgumrunsnotalwaysinalongitudinaldirectioninthebodyofthetree,butisfoundinitincircles,likeascroll.Thereishowever,aspeciesoflightwoodwhichisfoundexcellentforboatbuilding,butitisscarceandhardlyeverfoundoflargesize.

Tofindlimestonemanyofourresearchesweredirected.Butafterrepeatedassayswithfireandchemicalpreparationsonallthedifferentsortsofstonetobepickedup,itisstilladesideratum.NordidmyexperimentswithamagnetinducemetothinkthatanyofthestonesItriedcontainediron.

Ihave,however,heardotherpeoplereportverydifferentlyonthishead.

Thelistofesculentvegetables,andwildfruitsistoocontemptibletodeservenotice,ifthe"sweettea"whosevirtueshavebeenalreadyrecorded,andthecommonorchisrootbeexcepted.Thatspeciesofpalmtreewhichproducesthemountaincabbageisalsofoundinmostofthefreshwaterswamps,withinsixorsevenmilesofthecoast.Butisrarelyseenfartherinland.EventhebanksoftheHawkesburyareunprovidedwithit.

Theinnerpartofthetrunkofthistreewasgreedilyeatenbyourhogs,andformedtheirprincipalsupport.Thegrass,ashasbeenremarkedinformerpublications,doesnotoverspreadthelandinacontinuedsward,butarisesinsmalldetachedtufts,growingeverywayaboutthreeinchesapart,theintermediatespacebeingbare;thoughtheheadsofthegrassareoftensoluxuriantastohidealldeficiencyonthesurface.Therareandbeautifulfloweringshrubs,whichaboundineverypart,deservethehighestadmirationandpanegyric.

Ofthevegetableproductionstransplantedfromotherclimes,maizeflourishesbeyondanyothergrain.Andasitaffordsastrongandnutritivearticleoffood,itspropagationwill,Ithink,altogethersupersedethatofwheatandbarley.

Horticulturehasbeenattendedinsomeplaceswithtolerablesuccess.

AtRoseHillIhaveseengardenswhich,withouttheassistanceofmanure,havecontinuedforashorttimetoproducewellgrownvegetables.

ButatSydney,withoutconstantlydressingtheground,itwasinvaintoexpectthem;andwithitasupplyofcommonvegetablesmightbeprocuredbydiligenceinallseasons.Vinesofeverysortseemtoflourish.

Melons,cucumbersandpumpkinsrunwithunboundedluxuriancy,andIamconvincedthatthegrapesofNewSouthWaleswill,inafewyears,equalthoseofanyothercountry."ThattheirjuicewillprobablyhereafterfurnishanindispensablearticleofluxuryatEuropeantables",hasalreadybeenpredictedinthevehemenceofspeculation.Otherfruitsareyetintheirinfancy;butoranges,lemonsandfigs,(ofwhichlastindeedIhaveeatenverygoodones)will,Idarebelieve,inafewyearsbecomeplentiful.Applesandthefruitsofcolderclimesalsopromisetogratifyexpectation.Thebanana-treehasbeenintroducedfromNorfolkIsland,whereitgrowsspontaneously.

Norwillthissurprise,ifthegenialinfluenceoftheclimatebeconsidered.

Placedinalatitudewherethebeamsofthesuninthedreariestseasonaresufficientlypowerfulformanyhoursofthedaytodispensewarmthandnutrition,theprogressofvegetationneverisatastand.

ThedifferenttemperaturesofRoseHillandSydneyinwinter,thoughonlytwelvemilesapart,afford,however,curiousmatterofspeculation.

Ofawellattestedinstanceoficebeingseenatthelatterplace,Ineverheard.Attheformerplaceitsproductioniscommon,andonceafewflakesofsnowfell.ThedifferencecanbeaccountedforonlybysupposingthatthewoodsstopthewarmvapoursoftheseafromreachingRoseHill,whichisatthedistanceofsixteenmilesinland;

whereasSydneyisbutfour.*Again,theheatsofsummeraremoreviolentattheformerplacethanatthelatter,andthevariationsincomparablyquicker.ThethermometerhasbeenknowntoalteratRoseHill,inthecourseofninehours,morethan50degrees;standingalittlebeforesunriseat50degrees,andbetweenoneandtwoatmorethan100degrees.

Toconveyanideaoftheclimateinsummer,Ishalltranscribefrommymeteorologicaljournal,accountsoftwoparticulardayswhichwerethehottestweeversufferedunderatSydney.

[*Lookatthejournalwhichdescribestheexpeditioninsearchoftheriver,saidtoexisttothesouthwardofRoseHill.AtthetimewefeltthatextraordinarydegreeofcoldwerenotmorethansixmilessouthwestofRoseHill,andaboutnineteenmilesfromthetheseacoast.

WhenImentionedthiscircumstancetocolonelGordon,attheCapeofGoodHope,hewonderedatit;andowned,that,inhisexcursionsintotheinteriorpartsofAfrica,hehadneverexperiencedanythingtomatchit:heattributeditsproductiontolargebedsofnitre,whichhesaidmustexistintheneighbourhood.]

December27th1790.WindNNW;itfeltliketheblastofaheatedoven,andinproportionasitincreasedtheheatwasfoundtobemoreintense,theskyhazy,thesungleamingthroughatintervals.

At9a.m.85degreesAtnoon104

Halfpasttwelve1071/2

Fromonep.m.until20

minutespasttwo1081/2

At20minutespasttwo109

AtSunset89

At11p.m.781/2

[ByalargeThermometermadebyRamsden,andgraduatedonFahrenheit"sscale.]

December28th.

At8a.m.86

10a.m.93

11a.m.101

Atnoon1031/2

Halfanhourpastnoon1041/2

Atonep.m.102

At5p.m.73

Atsunset691/2

[Ataquarterpastone,itstoodatonly89degrees,having,fromasuddenshiftofwind,fallen13degreesin15minutes.]

Myobservationsonthisextremeheat,succeededbysorapidachange,werethatofallanimals,manseemedtobearitbest.Ourdogs,pigsandfowls,laypantingintheshade,orwererushingintothewater.

Iremarkedthatahenbelongingtome,whichhadsatforafortnight,frequentlyquittedhereggs,andshewedgreatuneasiness,butneverremainedfromthemmanyminutesatoneabsence;taughtbyinstinctthatthewonderfulpowerintheanimalbodyofgeneratingcoldinairheatedbeyondacertaindegree,wasbestcalculatedfortheproductionofheryoung.Thegardenssufferedconsiderably.Alltheplantswhichhadnottakendeeprootwerewitheredbythepowerofthesun.

Nolastingilleffects,however,arosetothehumanconstitution.

Atemporarysicknessatthestomach,accompaniedwithlassitudeandheadache,attackedmany,buttheywereremovedgenerallyintwenty-fourhoursbyanemetic,followedbyananodyne.Duringthetimeitlasted,weinvariablyfoundthatthehousewascoolerthantheopenair,andthatinproportionasthewindwasexcluded,wascomfortaugmented.

ButeventhisheatwasjudgedtobefarexceededinthelatterendofthefollowingFebruary,whenthenorth-westwindagainsetin,andblewwithgreatviolenceforthreedays.AtSydney,itfellshortbyonedegreeofwhatIhavejustrecorded:butatRoseHill,itwasallowed,byeveryperson,tosurpassallthattheyhadbeforefelt,eitherthereorinanyotherpartoftheworld.Unluckilytheyhadnothermometertoascertainitspreciseheight.Itmust,however,havebeenintense,fromtheeffectsitproduced.Animmenseflightofbatsdrivenbeforethewind,coveredallthetreesaroundthesettlement,whencetheyeverymomentdroppeddeadorinadyingstate,unablelongertoenduretheburningstateoftheatmosphere.Nordidthe"perroquettes",thoughtropicalbirds,bearitbetter.Thegroundwasstrewnwiththeminthesameconditionasthebats.

WereIaskedthecauseofthisintolerableheat,Ishouldnothesitatetopronouncethatitwasoccasionedbythewindblowingoverimmensedeserts,which,Idoubtnot,existinanorth-westdirectionfromPortJackson,andnotfromfireskindledbythenatives.ThisremarkIfeelnecessary,asthereweremethodsusedbysomepersonsinthecolony,bothforestimatingthedegreeofheatandforascertainingthecauseofitsproduction,whichIdeemequallyunfairandunphilosophical.Thethermometer,whencemyobservationswereconstantlymade,washungintheopenairinasouthernaspect,neverreachedbytheraysofthesun,atthedistanceofseveralfeetabovetheground.

Myotherremarksontheclimatewillbeshort.ItischangeablebeyondanyotherIeverheardof;butnophenomenasufficientlyaccuratetoreckonupon,arefoundtoindicatetheapproachofalteration.

Indeed,forthefirsteighteenmonthsthatwelivedinthecountry,changesweresupposedtotakeplacemorecommonlyatthequarteringofthemoonthanatothertimes.Butlunarempireafterwardslostitscredit.

ForthelasttwoyearsandahalfofourresidingatPortJackson,itsinfluencewasunperceived.Threedaystogetherseldompassedwithoutanecessityoccurringforlightingafireinanevening.

A"habitd"ete",ora"habitdedemisaison",wouldbeinthehighestdegreeabsurd.Clouds,stormsandsunshinepassinrapidsuccession.Ofrain,wefoundingeneralnotasufficiency,buttorrentsofwatersometimesfall.

Thunderstorms,insummer,arecommonandverytremendous,buttheyhaveceasedtoalarm,fromrarelycausingmischief.Sometimestheyhappeninwinter.Ihaveoftenseenlargehailstonesfall.

Frequentstrongbreezesfromthewestwardpurgetheair.Thesearealmostinvariablyattendedwithahardclearsky.Theeasterlywinds,bysettinginfromthesea,bringthickweatherandrain,exceptinsummer,whentheybecomeregularsea-breezes.The"auroraaustralis"

issometimesseen,butisnotdistinguishedbysuperiorbrilliancy.

Tosumup:notwithstandingtheinconvenienceswhichIhaveenumerated,Iwillventuretoassertinfewwords,thatnoclimatehithertoknownismoregenerallysalubrious*,oraffordsmoredaysonwhichthosepleasureswhichdependonthestateoftheatmospherecanbeenjoyed,thanthatofNewSouthWales.Thewinterseasonisparticularlydelightful.

[*Tothiscause,Iascribethegreatnumberofbirthswhichhappened,consideringtheageandothercircumstances,ofmanyofthemothers.

Womenwhocertainlywouldneverhavebredinanyotherclimatehereproducedasfinechildrenaseverwereborn.]

Theleadinganimalproductioniswellknowntobethekangaroo.

Thenaturalhistoryofthisanimalwill,probably,bewrittenfromobservationsmadeuponitinEngland,asseverallivingonesofbothsexes,havebeenbroughthome.Untilsuchanaccountshallappear,probablythefollowingdesultoryobservationmayproveacceptable.

ThegenusinwhichthekangarooistobeclassedIleavetobetternaturaliststhanmyselftodetermine.Howitcopulates,thosewhopretendtohaveseendisagreeintheiraccounts:nordoweknowhowlongtheperiodofgestationlasts.Prolificitcannotbetermed,bringingforthonlyoneatabirth,whichthedamcarriesinherpouchwherevershegoesuntiltheyoungonebeenabledtoprovideforitself;andeventhen,inthemomentofalarm,shewillstoptoreceiveandprotectit.

Wehavekilledshe-kangarooswhosepouchescontainedyoungonescompletelycoveredwithfurandofmorethanfifteenpoundsweight,whichhadceasedtosuckandafterwardswererearedbyus.Inwhatspaceoftimeitreachessuchagrowthastobeabandonedentirelybythemother,weareignorant.Itisbornblind,totallybald,theorificeoftheearclosedandonlyjustthecentreofthemouthopen,butablackscore,denotingwhatishereaftertoformthedimensionofthemouth,ismarkedverydistinctlyoneachsideoftheopening.Atitsbirth,thekangaroo(notwithstandingitweighswhenfullgrown200pounds)

isnotsolargeasahalf-grownmouse.IbroughtsomewithmetoEnglandevenless,whichItookfromthepouchesoftheoldones.

Thisphenomenonissostrikingandsocontrarytothegenerallawsofnature,thatanopinionhasbeenstartedthattheanimalisbroughtforthnotbythepudenda,butdescendsfromthebellyintothepouchbyoneoftheteats,whicharetheredeposited.OnthisdifficultyasIcanthrownolight,Ishallhazardnoconjecture.Itmay,however,benecessarytoobservethattheteatsareseveralincheslongandcapableofgreatdilatation.AndhereIbegleavetocorrectanerrorwhichcreptintomyformerpublicationwhereinIassertedthat,"theteatsofthekangarooneverexceedtwoinnumber."Theysometimes,thoughrarely,amounttofour.Thereisgreatreasontobelievethattheyareslowofgrowthandlivemanyyears.Thisanimalhasaclavicle,orcollar-bone,similartothatofthehumanbody.Thegeneralcolourofthekangarooisverylikethatoftheass,butvarietiesexist.

Itsshapeandfigurearewellknownbytheplateswhichhavebeengivenofit.

Theeleganceoftheearisparticularlydeservingofadmiration.

Thisfarexceedstheearofthehareinquicknessofsenseandissoflexibleastoadmitofbeingturnedbytheanimalnearlyquiteroundthehead,doubtlessforthepurposeofinformingthecreatureoftheapproachofitsenemies,asitisofatimidnature,andpoorlyfurnishedwithmeansofdefence;thoughwhencompelledtoresist,ittearsfuriouslywithitsforepaws,andstrikesforwardveryhardwithitshindlegs.

Notwithstandingitsunfavourableconformationforsuchapurpose,itsswimsstrongly;butnevertakestothewaterunlesssohardpressedbyitspursuersastobeleftwithoutallotherrefuge.Thenoisetheymakeisafaintbleat,querulous,butnoteasytodescribe.

Theyaresociableanimalsanduniteindroves,sometimestothenumberoffiftyorsixtytogether;whentheyareseenplayfulandfeedingongrass,whichaloneformstheirfood.Atsuchtimetheymovegentlyaboutlikeallotherquadrupeds,onallfours;butattheslightestnoisetheyspringupontheirhindlegsandsiterect,listeningtowhatitmayproceedfrom,andifitincreasestheyboundoffonthoselegsonly,theforeonesatthesametimebeingcarriedclosetothebreastlikethepawsofamonkey;andthetailstretchedout,actsasarudderonaship.Indrinking,thekangaroolaps.Itisremarkablethattheyareneverfoundinafatstate,beinginvariablylean.

Ofthefleshwealwayseatwithavidity,butinEuropeitwouldnotbereckonedadelicacy.Arankflavourformstheprincipalobjectiontoit.

Thetailisaccountedthemostdeliciouspart,whenstewed.

HithertoIhavespokenonlyofthelarge,orgreykangaroo,towhichthenativesgivethenameof"patagaran".*Butthereare(besidesthekangaroo-rat)twoothersorts.Oneofthemwecalledtheredkangaroo,fromthecolourofitsfur,whichislikethatofahare,andsometimesismingledwithalargeportionofblack:thenativescallit"bagaray".Itrarelyattainstomorethanfortypoundsweight.

Thethirdsortisveryrare,andintheformationofitsheadresemblestheopossum.Thekangaroo-ratisasmallanimal,neverreaching,atitsutmostgrowth,morethanfourteenorfifteenpounds,anditsusualsizeisnotabovesevenoreightpounds.Itjoinstotheheadandbristlesofarattheleadingdistinctionsofakangaroo,byrunningwhenpursuedonitshindlegsonly,andthefemalehavingapouch.

Unlikethekangaroo,whoappearstohavenofixedplaceofresidence,thislittleanimalconstructsforitselfanestofgrass,ontheground,ofacircularfigure,aboutteninchesindiameter,withaholeononesideforthecreaturetoenterat;theinsidebeinglinedwithafinersortofgrass,verysoftanddowny.Butitsmannerofcarryingthematerialswithwhichitbuildsthenestisthegreatestcuriosity:byentwiningitstail(which,likethatofallthekangarootribe,islong,flexibleandmuscular)aroundwhateveritwantstoremove,andthusdraggingalongtheloadbehindit.Thisanimalisgoodtoeat;butwhetheritbemoreprolificatabirththanthekangaroo,Iknownot.

[*kangaroowasanameunknowntothemforanyanimal,untilweintroducedit.

WhenIshowedColbeethecowsbroughtoutintheGorgon,heaskedmeiftheywerekangaroos.]

TheIndianssometimeskillthekangaroo;buttheirgreatestdestroyeristhewilddog,*whofeedsonthem.Immediatelyonhearingorseeingthisformidableenemy,thekangaroofliestothethickestcover,inwhich,ifhecaninvolvehimself,hegenerallyescapes.Inrunningtothecover,theyalways,ifpossible,keepinpathsoftheirownforming,toavoidthehighgrassandstumpsoftreeswhichmightbestickingupamongittowoundthemandimpedetheircourse.

[*Ioncefoundinthewoodsthegreatestpartofakangaroojustkilledbythedogs,whichaffordedtothreeofusamostwelcomerepast.

Marksofitsturnsandstrugglesonthegroundwereveryvisible.

Thishappenedintheevening,andthedogsprobablyhadseenusapproachandhadrunaway.Atdaylightnextmorningtheysaluteduswithmostdreadfulhowlingforthelossoftheirprey.]

Ourmethodsofkillingthemwerebuttwo;eitherweshotthem,orhuntedthemwithgreyhounds.Wewereneverabletoensnarethem.Thosesportsmenwhoreliedonthegunseldommetwithsuccess,unlesstheysleptnearcovers,intowhichthekangarooswerewonttoretireatnight,andwatchedwithgreatcautionandvigilancewhenthegame,inthemorning,salliedforthtofeed.Theywere,however,sometimesstoleninuponintheday-timeandthatfascinationoftheeye,whichhasbeenbysomeauthorssomuchinsistedupon,sofaractsonthekangaroothatifhefixeshiseyeuponanyone,andnootherobjectmoveatthesametime,hewilloftencontinuemotionless,instupidgaze,whilethesportsmanadvanceswithmeasuredstep,towardshim,untilwithinreachofhisgun.

Thegreyhoundsforalongtimewereincapableoftakingthem;butwithabraceofdogs,ifnotnearcoverakangarooalmostalwaysfalls,sincethegreyhoundshaveacquiredbypracticethepropermethodoffasteninguponthem.

Neverthelessthedogsareoftenmiserablytornbythem.Theroughwirygreyhoundsuffersleastintheconflict,andismostprizedbythehunters.

Otherquadrupeds,besidesthewilddog,consistonlyoftheflyingsquirrel,ofthreekindsofopossumsandsomeminuteanimals,usuallymarkedbythedistinctionwhichsopeculiarlycharacterizestheopossumtribe.