Our stage to-day was only twelve miles, yet some of our horses were nearly knocked up, and we ourselves in but little better condition.  The incessant walking we were subject to, the low and unwholesome diet we had lived upon, the severe and weakening attacks of illness caused by that diet, having daily, and sometimes twice a day, to dig for water, to carry all our fire-wood from a distance upon our backs, to harness, unharness, water, and attend to the horses, besides other trifling occupations, making up our daily routine, usually so completely exhausted us, that we had neither spirit nor energy left.  Added to all other evils, the nature of the country behind the sea-coast was as yet so sandy and scrubby that we were still compelled to follow the beach, frequently travelling on loose heavy sands, that rendered our stages doubly fatiguing:  whilst at nights, after the labours of the day were over, and we stood so much in need of repose, the intense cold, and the little protection we had against it, more frequently made it a season of most painful suffering than of rest, and we were glad when the daylight relieved us once more.  On our march we felt generally weak and languid—­it was an effort to put one foot before the other, and there was an indisposition to exertion that it was often very difficult to overcome.  After sitting for a few moments to rest—­and we often had to do this—­it was always with the greatest unwillingness we ever moved on again.  I felt, on such occasions, that I could have sat quietly and contentedly, and let the glass of life glide away to its last sand.  There was a dreamy kind of pleasure, which made me forgetful or careless of the circumstances and difficulties by which I was surrounded, and which I was always indisposed to break in upon.  Wylie was even worse than myself, I had often much difficulty in getting him to move at all, and not unfrequently was compelled almost forcibly to get him up.  Fortunately he was very good tempered, and on the whole had behaved extremely well under all our troubles since we had been travelling together alone.

Chapter III.

Heavy road—­A young kangaroo shot—­grassy country—­point Malcolm—­traces
of its having been visited by Europeans—­grass trees met with—­A kangaroo
killed—­catch fish—­get another kangaroo—­crab hunting—­renew the
journey—­casuarinae met with—­cross the level bank—­low country behind
it—­Cape arid—­salt water creek—­Xamia seen—­cabbage tree of the
sound—­fresh water lake—­more salt streams—­opossums caught—­flag reeds
found—­fresh water streams—­boats seen—­meet with A whaler.