"If he sees anything up there it will be of little use," observed Reggy, "for I am sure he will never get it."
"Stay a minute," answered Harry; "the black knows what he is about."
Bendigo, without explaining his object, cut some long vines; he then rapidly plaited, from the gra.s.s growing near, a rough basket, which he fastened to his belt. Taking the vines, he now twisted them in the form of a hoop round the tree, leaving sufficient s.p.a.ce to admit his own body between the trunk and the hoop; holding the hoop in both hands, he jerked the side furthest from himself upwards. He then cut with his hatchet a notch for his feet, and then gave another jerk, and cut another notch, and thus up he went until he reached the branch.
The boys had never seen their black companion perform this feat before, and felt no little fear that he might slip down. It was wonderful with what rapidity he went up, evidently feeling himself perfectly secure.
In a few minutes he returned, having cut a large comb of honey out of a hole high up in the tree, the owners of which were seen hovering about their rifled abode. Having descended, he handed his prize to Paul, who, placing it on a slip of bark, which served as a dish, served it on leaves to his companions, with whom he shared it.
Without waiting to be complimented for his performance, of which he seemed to think nothing, the black again started off, and ascended another tree, towards which his quick eye had detected some bees flying.
The young explorers, who had eaten nothing for some hours, set to with a will, and quickly devoured the first comb, wax and all, being ready for the second, which Bendigo soon brought them. He again came back with a third, which, however, they could not attack, so he ate the greater portion himself, giving the remainder to Bruce, who gobbled it up with evident satisfaction.
"Plenty of food now," said Bendigo, as he led his companions from tree to tree, some of which were oaks, and others honeysuckles. Wherever there was a hole in the trunk it was occupied by a colony of bees. The insect which makes this honey is exactly like a common house-fly in appearance, the combs being generally small and the wax quite black.
The cells into which the comb is divided are two or three times larger than those of the English bee, and are roundish and irregular in shape, but the honey is very good, being sweet, and having besides a slight pleasantly acid taste. As these bees possessed no sting, they could be robbed with impunity of the result of their industry. Since that time English bees have swarmed in prodigious numbers over the country, and now afford ample food to whites and blacks alike.
"While we can get this honey there is no fear of starving," observed Paul.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN.
A SUITABLE SPOT FOR A STATION FOUND--ENCAMP ON A HILL--BLACKS DISCOVERED TO BE IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD--PREPARATIONS FOR DEFENCE--ATTACKED BY THE NATIVES--AMMUNITION EXHAUSTED.
The young explorers had been upwards of two days travelling through a splendid country, subsisting chiefly on honey, though they might have revelled in abundance had they ventured to use their guns, when they came in sight of a river of veritable running water, bright and clear.
In the distance, moreover, were a range of hills of no great elevation, but rising precipitously apparently out of the plain. Not without some difficulty they found a ford, by which they crossed the river. It ran south for some distance, then circled round in front of the hills, and then again struck off south and east. They galloped forward, eager to ascertain the character of the hills, for much depended on their being precipitous or not. Paul surveyed the country with a delighted eye.
"If cattle cannot get over these hills, we have found such a situation as we might look for over hundreds of miles and not find," he exclaimed; "they form a fence along one side and a half of the run, and the river, which appears to be impa.s.sable, except in a few places, will serve for another side and a half, or more, so that there will be but one outlet for cattle."
"Excellent!" cried Harry. "Father will be as pleased as you are, if it turns out as we hope."
As they approached the hills they discovered, to their intense satisfaction, that they were as precipitous as they had expected.
Cliffs from fifty to a hundred feet extended along the whole length of the range, with here and there dark impa.s.sable gullies, having steep sides, up which no cattle could climb. Down them ran streams of various sizes, all concentrating in the river through which they had pa.s.sed.
"No fear of drought here!" exclaimed Paul. "It is worth all the trouble we have gone through to find it."
Returning to the river, they rode along, tracing it as far up as the range, which extended a considerable way to the southward, and would serve as a fence to their station. The country on the other side, further to the south, was more thickly wooded, and consequently afforded less pasture. There was a risk, to be sure, that the river might overflow, but they could find no traces of a flood. All would depend on the place where it took its rise; if in the range above them, there was no fear, but if it had a long course on the opposite side of the range, a sudden downpour of rain might swell its waters before they had time to escape through their natural channel. That important point would be ascertained when their father arrived. They had, it should be said, notched the trees as they came along, so that he was not likely to cross their track.
"In case there is a chance of the country being flooded, I think we might build our house on yonder knoll, close under the hill, with the river bending round it," observed Paul; "it is a beautiful spot, and we should get a fine view from it over the whole district. I vote that we camp there to-night, and set up a flag-staff, so that our father may see it miles off; for I feel sure he will not pa.s.s to the west of this range without first examining the country where we now are."
Paul"s proposal was at once adopted. The trees on the knoll, though growing pretty thickly, were of no great height, and it would be easy to cut a flag-staff long enough to rise above them.
"Old Bolter" was hobbled as usual, and the young explorers, having ascertained that the river was nowhere fordable in the neighbourhood of the knoll, nor up to the point where it came out of the hills, the rest of the horses were turned loose, as there was no fear of their bolting.
As they hoped their journey westward was now terminated, they ventured to shoot as many parrots and pigeons as would serve them for an ample meal. This done, they lighted their fire, leaving Reggy to cook the birds, while Paul, Harry, and Bendigo went down to the scrub on the bank of the river to cut a pine suitable for a flag-staff. The soft wood yielded easily to their axes, and in a few minutes it lay on the ground.
To lop off the branches and bark it occupied but a short time, and then, all three placing it on their shoulders, they carried it up the hill.
"But what are we to do for a flag?" asked Reggy.
"We must fasten our handkerchiefs and my spare shirt together. A strong breeze will be required, to be sure, to blow it out; but, depend upon it, our father will guess what it means at any distance," answered Paul.
The flag was made, and lashed on with some strips of hide taken from the last kangaroo they had shot, as they had no halyards with which to hoist it. The pole was lashed to the trunk of another tree. When it was up, it was seen to tower above all those on the knoll. They enjoyed a better meal than they had had for many a day, and drank success to their new station--for they already considered it their own--in pannikins of tea.
While daylight lasted they kept a lookout for the captain and his party; but their friends did not appear. As far as they could ascertain, no white man had ever before set foot in that region, and very proud they felt at being the discoverers of so fine a country. Below them they could just distinguish their horses feeding quietly, and they felt sure that the animals would not stray far from the camp.
Near the top of the knoll, on the steepest side, just behind their camp, was a huge rock, like an excrescence, although the rest of the elevation was almost smooth. As the glare of their fire fell on it at nightfall, it looked like the ruins of an ancient castle perched on the hillside.
"I vote we call this "Castle Hill;" it will be a good name for our station," said Harry.
Paul and Reggy tried to find another name, but could not improve on Harry"s suggestion. At length, as they were all pretty well tired with their day"s work, they lay down by the fireside, wrapped in their blankets, Bruce keeping watch.
Two or three times during the night Paul was awakened by hearing the dog utter a low growling bark. On each occasion Bendigo started up, and looked out, but did not like to go far in the dark by himself. Paul asked him if he thought any one was near.
"Me see in morning," was the only answer he could obtain; and the black crouched down again, as if going to sleep.
Paul, confident that Bruce--who was evidently on the alert--would arouse him should danger be near, again fell asleep. He did not awake Harry and Reggy, who slept on, notwithstanding Bruce"s barking and his conversation with Bendigo. The black roused up Paul at daybreak.
"Stay here; me go look round. Black fellows near, I tinkee."
Harry and Reggy soon got up, and shook themselves--the only dressing operation they had to perform.
"I vote we go down and have a bathe," exclaimed Harry.
"You had better not," said Paul. "Bendigo suspects that natives have been near us during the night; and I believe that such was the cause of Bruce"s barking. We must look to our arms, at all events, in case they should prove unfriendly. Not to lose time, let us light the fire and cook breakfast."
They all, accordingly set about doing so. As the light increased, Paul climbed to the rock which has been spoken of, to look out for the horses; for he naturally feared that, if the blacks had been in the neighbourhood, they might have driven them away or speared them.
As he cast his eye over the plain he could nowhere see the animals.
They might, of course, have got round to the other side of the knoll, but still their non-appearance made him anxious. A shout from Harry, announcing breakfast, called him back to the camp. Bendigo had not yet returned. It was not necessary to wait for him. The young explorers made a hearty meal--Bruce coming in for his share--to prepare them for the work to be done, whatever that might be.
They had just finished breakfast, having laid aside a share for the black, when he was seen coming up the hill, stealing among the bushes.
He shook his head, as he sat down and gobbled up his breakfast.
"Black fellows here--no good--come again; horses gone too," and he pointed to the north-east, the only outlet to the region, except by a ford over the river.
"We must go after the horses at once, then," exclaimed Harry.
"No, I certainly would not," answered Paul; "our best plan will be to remain where we are until we can learn what the blacks are about.
Should they attack us, we could not have a better place for defence than the one we occupy. If we find that they have driven off the horses, we might follow and try to recover them; but if not, I again say we should remain where we are."
Reggy thought Paul"s plan the best, and Harry soon saw its wisdom.
Bendigo also approved of it, and said that he would set out again and try to discover the whereabouts of the black fellows.
"There appear to be a good many birds on the knoll. We shall probably find some "possums and other animals, so that we shall not want for food if we can catch them; but we must not throw a shot away," observed Paul.
"We shall want our powder to keep the blacks in check."
Bendigo told them not to be anxious about food, as he could obtain as much for them as they could require. Having taken a survey round from the top of the rock, he glided down the knoll, keeping among the bushes so as not to be seen by any enemies who might be on the watch.
Although the three lads kept looking round on every side, they could nowhere discover him. Harry suggested that they should fortify their rock with small trees and boughs, which they could easily cut down, and which would keep off the spears of the natives.