Fred intended to be particularly severe upon Smith; but that worthy merely glanced in the direction indicated, and, after a brief shrug of his shoulders, took himself to his meal with renewed energy.

“You are convinced, I suppose?” Fred asked.

“Convinced that the lazy scamp recollects where the tobacco was put, and is determined to rob the over-fed brute of his treasure.”

We found that the convict was right, for the native, after fumbling at the insensible man’s girdle for a moment, reappeared at the fire, and something like a grin of triumph lighted up his greasy features, as he exposed to the admiring gaze the piece of tobacco which Fred had given away.

Tired with our day’s journey, and feeling sleepy after our meal, we soon returned to the shelter of the cart for a night’s rest; but before we went, we were careful enough to pack up all of our cooking apparatus, and also to place our rifles close at hand, although Smith told us that the precaution was useless, as the natives never waged warfare upon full stomachs.

It was long past daylight, when the hearty voice of the convict roused us from a deep sleep, where dreams of home and comforts of civilization were much pleasanter things to contemplate, than the half-naked bodies of ten natives, who were lying upon the ground, circling the cold ashes, where the night before a fire blazed.  They lay like black snakes gorged with carrion—­lifeless and torpid, and nothing but repeated doses of water upon their naked backs would rouse them.

“Go and take a bath,” cried Smith, as we sat upright and rubbed our eyes, and yawned sleepily.

He pointed to a small stream of water, ten or fifteen rods distant, and as we thought it would be likely to relax our muscles, and relieve us of a portion of the soreness which we felt, we took his advice, and upon returning from our aquatic excursion, found coffee boiling, and salt pork hissing in the spider, and potatoes roasting in the ashes.

After a hearty breakfast, we were ready to think about starting; but the cattle had strayed to a considerable distance, and the convict determined not to run after them, when he had aids so near at hand, who could be induced for a trifle to undertake the job.

“Hullo!” he shouted, giving the nearest native a nudge with his foot; but the fellow only grunted, and went off to sleep again.

Smith in a rage seized a pail of water that was near at hand, and dashed part of its contents over the head and shoulders of the sleeping native, who, not being accustomed to shower baths, started up with a cold shiver, and hurriedly wiped the water from his face.

“Run and collect the cattle,” cried Smith, who appeared to have forgotten that not a word of English was understood by the native.

But a series of telegraphic signals was carried on by the convict, that at last gave the barbarian to know what was wanted, and the sight of half a hand of tobacco sharpened his faculties wonderfully.