He cut the
sodden damper into substantial slices, put them into the pot, and
cooked them in the fat over the fire. When well done they tasted
like fried bread, and gave entire satisfaction; Mr. Reeve observing,
when the feast was finished, that he had never in all his life eaten
a better breakfast.
A start was made for the port, but the wind came dead ahead, and the
men had to pull the whole way across the inlet, through the
Caledonian Canal, and as far as Long Point. There they went ashore
for a rest, and Mr. Reeve asked Davy if he could find the mouth of
the Tarra River. Davy said he had never been there, but he had no
doubt that he could find it, as he had seen the river when he was
duck-shooting. It was then high water, and the wind still blowing
strongly from the west, so a reef was taken in the lug, and the boat
ran right into the Tarra as far as the site of the present
court-house. There the party landed, and after looking at the
country Mr. Reeve decided to take up his special survey there. It
was partly open forest, but it contained, also, a considerable area
of rich flats covered with luxuriant tea tree and myrtle scrub, which
in course of time became mingled with imported blackberry bushes,
whins, sweetbriar, and thistles. Any quantity of labour might be
spent on it with advantage to the owner, so the following
advertisement appeared in the public journals:
TO CAPITALISTS AND THE INDUSTRIOUS LABOURING CLASS.
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