scenery; but everything had been arranged so as to make the
expedition an easy one, out of consideration to the weary five. The
day after this we rode home again, and I had to set to work directly
to prepare for my own Christmas party to the shepherds and
shearers,--for we have just commenced to muster the sheep, and the
shearing will be in full force by Christmas Day. One great object I
have in view in giving this party is to prevent the shearers from
going over to the nearest accommodation-house and getting tipsy, as
they otherwise would; so I have taken care to issue my invitations
early. I found great difficulty in persuading some of the men to
accept, as they had not brought any tidy clothes with them; and as
the others would be decently, indeed well dressed, they did not like
putting in a shabby appearance. This difficulty was obviated by
F--- hunting up some of the things he had worn on the voyage, and
rigging-out the invited guests. For two days before the great day I
had been working hard, studying recipes for pies and puddings, and
scouring the country in search of delicacies. Every lady was most
kind, knowing that our poor, exposed garden was backward; I had
sacks of green peas, bushels of young potatoes, and baskets of
strawberries and cherries sent to me from all round the country; I
made poor F--- ride twenty miles to get me a sirloin of beef, and,
to my great joy, two beautiful young geese arrived as a present only
the day before. It is a point of honour to have as little mutton as
possible on these occasions, as the great treat is the complete
change of fare. I only ventured to introduce it very much disguised
as curry, or in pies. We were all up at daylight on Christmas
morning, and off to the nearest little copse in one of the gullies,
where a few shrubs and small trees and ferns grow, to gather boughs
for the decoration of the washhouse. Marvels were done in the
carpentering line to arrange tables around its walls. The copper,