pieces without exposing themselves to the slightest danger. Noiselessly,
and with every faculty painfully alert, we closed the land, sprang on to
the rocks, and at once set about the tedious task of breasting the hill.
Hill climbing, under the vertical sun of North Australia, is by no means an
enjoyable undertaking, more particularly when the loose shale and rock
gives way at every stride, bringing down an avalanche of rubbish on the
heads of the rearmost of the party. Encumbered with our carbines, we made
but slow progress, and it was nearly six o'clock before we attained the
summit, from whence we saw several canoes making their way with full speed
towards Hinchinbrook.

"So far then, so good," we said; "we have made certain that none of the
rascals are lurking about the two islands, and we are sure to get them now,
when we sweep Hinchinbrook."

We had now done everything that was possible until the 'Daylight' had
finished unloading, and so spread ourselves out about the island to see if
the blacks had left any of their curious implements behind them. We were
in no hurry to get back to the township, so purposed having supper where we
were, and pulling back in the cool of the evening, by the light of the
moon, which was just then in full glory. We found plenty of traces of the
blacks, the embers of their fires even still glowing, but they had carried
off everything with them, and no trophies crowned our search of Gould
Island; and yet I am wrong, for I got one memento, which I have by me
still, and which is so curious to lovers of natural history that I am
tempted to describe it. In rummaging about, I came to a place strewed with
old bones, shells, parrots' feathers, etc., close to which stood a platform
of interwoven sticks. I was terribly puzzled at first to account for the
presence of this miniature rag and bone depot, and my astonishment culminated when Ferdinand informed me that --