great, and which is, in so special a sense, her own.

I reached the Glenelg, which, however, I found to be, at or near the
Wannon junction, hardly better than a big, irregular, ugly ditch. How
curious!--for not far off, above or below, I might have found great deep
waterholes and picturesque water stretches as sketched by Mitchell. I
took all for granted, and turned back homewards.

I struck a little north towards Victoria Range, and passed one of my
nights with a solitary shepherd in an out-hut, so far and away from all
companionable life but that of his sheep that I could well realize, in
this extreme case, the dolorous side of squatting. My breakfast was a
tin of tea without milk, and a hunch of damper of my host's own
baking--not altogether rejectable in the keen fresh air when one had
nothing else. A sheep could not be killed for two, even if the business
could afford it. On I went, merrily withal, for it was the heyday of
youth and strength, making steadily eastwards for the southern extremity
of the Grampians, which rose in grand outline before me, forty miles
away. Neither station nor human being came in my road afterwards till I
reached and was rounding Mount Sturgeon, upon whose rocky summit the
setting sun already glinted. I was now upon a good, broad bush track,
which must lead to some station. But when? This small side-track to the
left looks as though a hut at least were nearer, and so I diverged into
it. Mile after mile I trotted, as well as the rough track would permit,
and when night fell, and for long after, I still pegged away. A dozen
miles right up, within the outer sierra, towards Mount William, brought
me at last to an open glade, where some small piles of "split stuff"
showed me at once my mistake. Dodging about till day, thus giving rest
to my horse, I soon regained my road, and after an hour's further ride,
reached Dr. Martin's sheep station, where a pleasant young fellow, Byass