Yet this appropriation excited
Toonda's anger. "Kangaroo mine, sheep yours," said he, threatening Jones
with his waddy; but he soon recovered his temper, and carried off his
share of the animal, subduing his feelings with as much apparent facility
as he had given vent to them.
About this time the weather had become much warmer, although we had
occasional cold winds. We started early on the morning of the 27th,
without the intention of making a long journey, because the bullocks had
been kept in yoke all night. We travelled for six miles over firm and
even plains, but soon afterwards got upon deep sand, through which the
teams fairly ploughed their way. I therefore turned towards the river,
and encamped on the first flat we reached, having run about ten miles on
an east-north-east course.
We here found the Darling so diminished in size, and so still, that I
began to doubt whether or not we should find water higher up. Its
channel, however preserved the appearance of a canal, with sloping grassy
sides, shaded by trees of drooping habit and umbrageous foliage, but the
soil of the flats had become sandy, and they appeared to be more subject
to inundation than usual.
About this time I regretted to observe that many of the bullocks had sore
necks, and I was in consequence obliged to make a different distribution
of them; an alternative always better if possible to avoid, as men become
attached to their animals, and part even with bad ones reluctantly.
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