Search -
A Boy's Adventures in the Wilds of Australia
A Boy's Adventures in the Wilds of Australia Author:William Howitt Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. Excerpt from book: Section 3A BOY'S ADVENTURES WILDS OF AUSTBALIA. HERBERT'S NOTE-BOOK. textit{In the Bush, November, 1852. I Am now separated by the length of the world from the old home. Our voyage is o... more »ver, and we are in Australia. At this point I shall begin my diary, or rather my note-book. Strange it is, that while I shall be busy writing, the folks at home are all fast asleep in bed; but no wonder, for I am turned topsy-turvy on the outside of the antarctic end of the world. I shall note down things as I observe them; and, first of all, I remark, that things are very fond of flying in this country. The squirrels fly; the grasshoppers fly; the mice fly; and I see all sorts of seeds flying at a great rate. I shall, therefore, let my thoughts and observations fly on paper to Old England; for it is an old proverb that " at Rome you must do as the Romans do." I shall put down, also, in my diary, all sorts of things that I see in the woods; and when I hear any good stories by our evening camp-fire, I shall write themdown too. I therefore think that I shall write an amusing diary altogether. We are a very "jolly company," as we go travelling along through the wild woodlands of this country. First of all, there is my father; then, there is my cousin Harry; then, Mr. B., the " Painter," who makes sketches as we go along; and, lastly, my brother Alfred and myself. If anybody could see us on our journey, they would see a very queer-looking but picturesque set of folks. There is the respectable " Pater," in dark-blue trousers, as wide as a Jack Tar's, a gray blouse, or "jumper," as they are called here, and a broad straw hat, very knowingly cocked up at the sides. People always take him for some great person on his travels; and diggers often ask if that " grave gentleman is not a magistrate;" and it was only this very d...« less