In spite of the flies we remained several days in nearly the same locality. Those who disliked them and preferred more violent exercise found it in the pursuit of kangaroo, only obtained with some pains and labour, but the tail afforded excellent soup. The geese and ducks also we found delicious eating. The lagoons, too, were excellent places for sport: they are between 200 and 300 acres in extent, surrounded by forest trees, and with numerous little retiring coves about them, in which we might conceal ourselves and watch for the game; but, except as retreats from the sun, which was oppressively hot, these hiding-places were not necessary, as the geese were such geese that they did not understand the use of powder and shot, and at the same time it seemed they imagined that on the top of a tree they were safe. If, after a while, one particular set got more knowing, there were often lagoons with fresh geese at no distance. The natives will kill almost every kind of bird with their spears or throwing-sticks. With water-fowl they are so expert that by stealing close to them, or lying motionless for a while in one of the patches of water when the lagoons are dry, they catch their legs with their hands. On observing, while shooting, a spot that looked as if it had only just been quitted by some wild beast, and not feeling quite comfortable, I questioned a native as to what it meant; he immediately imbedded his body into the muddy hole, and had I not seen him go in I should have trodden on him. One of their ways of taking a dirty advantage of the game! On one occasion, while near the entrance to the harbour, a whole tribe of natives,--men, women, children, and dogs,--without the slightest hesitation entered the river to swim across, the small children holding on to the long hair of the mothers. Within a few yards I observed a huge alligator asleep in the sun. When the dusky tribe were safe across, I awoke my sleepy friend with the contents of both barrels. He lifted his head and sloped into the water, being only tickled with my No. 4. We destroyed, according to orders, what still remained of the settlement. The buildings could have been of no use to the natives, and would probably have been the cause of bloodshed. I said one day to “Bob,” an intelligent savage, “Do you intend to take possession of the Governor’s house after we are gone?” He replied with an air of indifference, “I suppose I must.” We heard afterwards that Bob had grown so conceited that they were under the necessity of putting a spear through his body. We had another reason for not leaving the houses in anything like a habitable state: had they looked too comfortable there would have been an inducement to other parties to try their hands at a settlement on the same spot--an object that was not considered desirable by the Government.