CONTENTS.

[CHAPTER I. ]The Rector and the Soldier.—The Mayburn Family.—A Mission to India.—The Orphans of Wendon.—Ruth the Unlucky.—Jack's Project.—The Addition to the Mayburn Establishment 1-16
[CHAPTER II. ]Departure from Wendon.—Embarkation in the Amoor.—Ruth's Adventures in London.—The Deverell Family.—The Pleasures of the Voyage.—Tropical Wonders.—The Flying-fish.—The Stormy Petrel.—The Albatross.—Deverell's Plans.—The Indian Ocean.—A Storm 17-31
[CHAPTER III. ]Melbourne.—The Squatters.—The Two Convicts.—A Painful Separation.—The Golden Fairy.—Ruth's Misfortunes.—A Nocturnal Alarm.—Ruth's Confession.—The Ship on Fire. 32-44
[CHAPTER IV. ]Insubordination of the Sailors.—Rapid Progress of the Fire.—The Boats lowered.—Ruth's Prize.—A Man Saved.—Black Peter.—The Adventure of a Reprobate Crew.—A Dangerous Comrade 45-57
[CHAPTER V. ]Afloat on an Unknown Sea.—The Insubordinate Sailor.—The Coral Reefs.—An Island in View.—The Perilous Landing.—Peter's Rebellion.—The First Night on Shore.—Ruth among the Crockery.—A Valuable Prize.—The March from the First Encampment 58-71
[CHAPTER VI. ]A Pleasant Resting-place.—The Turtle.—A Knavish Trick.—Destitution.—An Exploring Expedition.—Lake Scenery.—A Wrecked Vessel.—Strange Footsteps.—A Prudent Retreat.—Return of the Explorers 72-84
[CHAPTER VII. ]The Results of the Expedition.—The Long Vacation.—Removed from the Landing-place.—Birds and their Nests.—Fishing.—Tapping a Cask of Potatoes.—Tent-making.—The Shell Spades.—Digging a Tank.—A Grand Attempt at Boat-building 85-97
[CHAPTER VIII. ]The Launch of the Boat.—An Alarming Catastrophe.—Disappointed Hopes.—Jack's Perseverance.—A Peep at the Old Encampment.—Black Peter again.—The Loss of the Boat.—Canoe-building.—The Luggage-van 98-111
[CHAPTER IX. ]The Foray.—Young Potatoes.—More Intruders.—Ruth's Introduction to the Savages.—The Sailing of the Fleet.—The Desert Shore.—The Giant Ant-hill.—Once more at Sea.—A Storm, and the Loss of the Catamaran 112-127
[CHAPTER X. ]A Total Wreck.—An Unknown Coast.—The Green Ants.—The White Cockatoo.—Waifs.—The Gourd Tree.—The Fresh-water Rivulet.—A River Voyage Projected 128-142
[CHAPTER XI. ]The Voyage up the River.—The Way to China.—The Note of a Strange Bird.—A Hasty Flight.—A Tropical Storm.—The Loss of the Canoes.—The Cave of the Bats.—A Toilsome Pilgrimage 143-156
[CHAPTER XII. ]Alligators.—The Giant's Staircase.—Access to a New Region.—The Pheasant Cuckoo.—Wild Oats.—The Unequal Contest.—The First Kangaroo.—Scenes of Arcadia.—A Hint at Cannibalism.—The Cockatoo Watch.—The Enemy put to Flight 157-172
[CHAPTER XIII. ]Rope-making.—The Cavern of Illustrations.—Ruth at the Water-pools.—Victualling the Fortress.—The Blockade.—Assault and Battery.—Bloodshed.—The Close Siege.—Prospect of Famine 173-186
[CHAPTER XIV. ]Rambles through the Caves.—Fairy Bower.—A Rough Path to Freedom.—Preparations for Flight.—The Use of the Rifle.—A Case of Conscience.—Departure.—Travelling among the Bogs.—A View of the River.—Making an Axe.—A New Plant 187-202
[CHAPTER XV. ]The Tea-Shrub.—Another Canoe.—A Skirmish with the Natives.—Wounded Heroes.—An Attempt at Voyaging.—A Field of Battle.—The Widowed Jin.—Wilkins's Sorrows.—Baldabella in Society.—The Voyage Resumed 203-216
[CHAPTER XVI. ]The Mother and Child.—The Interior of the Country.—Another Cataract.—The Pilgrim Troop.—The Difficult Ascent.—The Frilled Lizard.—The Mountain-range.—The Kangaroo-chase.—The Pass of Erin 217-228
[CHAPTER XVII. ]The Dangerous Pass.—The Coupled Travellers.—The Mountain Labyrinth.—The Emancipation of Ruth's Chickens.—A Combat à l'outrance.—The Ornithorhyncus.—The Forest in the Mountains.—Singing Birds.—The Laughing Jackass 229-241
[CHAPTER XVIII. ]The Tunnel through the Mountains.—The Chase of the Emu.—An Encounter with the Natives.—The Rescue of Baldabella and her Child.—Making a Bridge.—Canoes Again.—The Fishing of Baldabella 242-254
[CHAPTER XIX. ]A Cache.—The Black Forest.—A Site for the Hut.—The Eagles.—Gerald's Accident.—A Subterranean Grotto.—The Pitcher Plant.—A Potato Ground.—The Fig-tree.—Australian Jumbles.—The Hungry Guest 255-268
[CHAPTER XX. ]The Reservoir.—The Rains.—The Native Companion.—The Employments of Prison Life.—The Unlucky Chase.—Jack's Tale of Trouble.—Black Peter's Temptations.—The Release of the Eagle.—The Rescue Party 269-280
[CHAPTER XXI. ]The Approach to the Prison.—Baldabella's Stratagem.—The Release of the Captive.—Wilkins's Tale of Trials.—A Well.—The Potato Crop.—The Flying Opossum.—The Salt Plant.—Preparations for a Siege 281-292
[CHAPTER XXII. ]Peter's last Stratagem.—Firing the Fortress.—The Watch-tower.—The Welcome Rain.—The Close Siege.—The Conflict.—The Defeat of Peter.—The Fortress Abandoned.—Once more on the Road.—Resting in the Wilds 293-305
[CHAPTER XXIII. ]A Bark Sledge.—The Friendly Tribe.—The Wild Melon.—A Nocturnal Alarm.—The Wombats.—The Bivouac on the Heath.—The Savages again.—Away to the South 306-317
[CHAPTER XXIV. ]The Dry Wilderness.—Despair.—The Coming-down of the Waters.—The Discomfited Savages.—Hunger and Thirst.—The Footsteps in the Mud.—A Pond.—The Talegalla and its Nest.—The Valley of Promise.—The River to the South 318-330
[CHAPTER XXV. ]Boat-building again.—Unlucky Ruth.—The Woods on Fire.—Dangers on Land and Water.—The Wounded Girl.—A Home among the Mountains.—The Bottle-tree.—The Bee-hunt.—Bean-coffee.—The Lost Hunters 331-343
[CHAPTER XXVI. ]The Search for the Lost.—The Fig-tree.—Signals.—The Wanderers Found.—The Wounded Boy.—The Sufferings of the Thirsty.—The Rescue and Return.—The Kangaroo Conflict.—A Strange Meeting.—The Bush-rangers.—The Miraculous Escape 344-355
[CHAPTER XXVII. ]The Eagle's Eyrie.—The Chaotic Solitude disturbed.—The Voluntary Prisoners.—The Report of the Spy.—The Foe at the Gates.—A Traitor in the Camp.—Dispersion of the Invaders.—A lucky Escape.—A pleasant Voyage 356-369
[CHAPTER XXVIII. ]The Cookery disturbed.—A Signal-rocket.—A Surprise and Capture.—Pillage.—The Taste of Gunpowder.—A Fatal Explosion.—The Contrivances of Necessity.—A Region of Famine.—Renewed Hopes.—An Unfair Advantage 370-383
[CHAPTER XXIX. ]A Seasonable Supply.—Visitors in the Night.—Captivity.—An Old Acquaintance.—The Ranger's Settlement.—An Embassy to Daisy Grange.—Jack in a New Office.—The Grateful Native Woman.—Davy's Compunction.—Bush-ranging Life 384-396
[CHAPTER XXX. ]A Proposal of Marriage.—Bill's Rejection and Revenge.—Pocket-picking.—Jack's Return.—Black Peter again.—Bush-ranging Merriment.—A Flight in the Dark.—An Emu-chase.—The disappointed Hunters.—Pursuit.—A Stratagem 397-409
[CHAPTER XXXI. ]The Sentinels in the Trees.—The End of Bill the Convict.—The Bush-rangers deceived.—A strange New Animal.—A Bloody Conflict.—The Mountain-pass.—The Fruit of the Acacia.—The Travellers in Custody.—The Court of Justice 410-422
[CHAPTER XXXII. ]Travellers' Wonders.—The Detective Force.—A Trap for the Rangers.—The Skirmish and the Victory.—Daisies in Australia.—The Constancy of Susan Raine.—The Trial and Sentence of the Natives.—Peter and his Colleagues 423-435
[CHAPTER XXXIII. ]A Chase over the Mountains.—The Frightful End of the Bush-ranger.—Ruth's Opinion.—The Cereopsis.—A Description of the Colony.—The Dingo.—The Cattle at Home.—The Park.—The Arrival at Daisy Grange 436-453
[CHAPTER XXXIV. ]The Comforts of Civilization.—Susan Raine.—The Hamlet and the Church.—Plans for the Future.—Mrs. Edward Deverell.—The Beauties of Daisy Grange 454-463