"To know
The works of God, thereby to glorify
The great Work-Master."
In this belief, we are encouraged to continue to supply the young with books which do not profess to be true, though they are composed of truths. They are doubtless romantic, but cannot mislead the judgment or corrupt the taste; their aim being to describe the marvellous works of creation, and to lead the devout mind to say with the divine poet,—
"Great are thy works, Jehovah, infinite
Thy power; what thought can measure thee, or tongue
Relate thee?"
A. B.
Richmond, October, 1858.
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 |