One of his fore legs struck me on the thigh, and I narrowly escaped having it broken, whilst a hind leg caught me on the shin, and cut me severely.
As soon as we were fairly over I halted for the night, to rest myself and give Wylie an opportunity of looking for food.

The water in both branches of this river was only brackish where we crossed, and at that which we encamped upon but slightly so.
There were many grass-trees in the vicinity, and as several of these had been broken down and were dead they were full of the white grubs of which the natives are so fond.

From these Wylie enjoyed a plentiful, and to him, luxurious supper.

I could not bring myself to try them, preferring the root of the broad flag-reed, which, for the first time, we met with at this stream, and which is an excellent and nutritious article of food.
This root being dug up, and roasted in hot ashes, yields a great quantity of a mealy farinaceous powder interspersed among the fibres; it is of an agreeable flavour, wholesome, and satisfying to the appetite.

In all parts of Australia, even where other food abounds, the root of this reed is a favourite and staple article of diet among the aborigines.