The Land of the Kangaroo Adventures of Two Youths in a Journey through the Great Island Continent   By: Thomas Wallace Knox (1835-1896)

TRAVEL ADVENTURE SERIES.

IN WILD AFRICA. The Adventures of Two Youths in the Sahara Desert. By Thomas W. Knox. 325 pages, with six illustrations by H. Burgess. 12mo. Cloth. $1.50.

THE LAND OF THE KANGAROO. The Adventures of Two Youths in the Great Island Continent. By Thomas W. Knox. 350 pages, with five illustrations by H. Burgess. 12mo. Cloth. $1.50.

Col. Knox's sudden death, ten days after completing "The Land of the Kangaroo" leaves unfinished this series of travel stories for boys which he had planned. The publishers announce that the remaining volumes of this series will be issued, although the work will be done by another's hand.

Announcement concerning the remaining volumes of this series will be made later.

THE LAND OF THE KANGAROO.

Adventures of Two Youths in a Journey Through the Great Island Continent.

by

THOMAS W. KNOX.

Author of "In Wild Africa," "The Boy Travelers," (15 Vols.) "Overland through Asia," Etc., Etc.

Illustrated By H. Burgess.

[Illustration: "WE PASSED A SHIP BECALMED IN THE DOLDRUMS."]

Boston, U. S. A. W. A. Wilde & Company, 25 Bromfield Street.

Copyright, 1896. by W. A. Wilde & Co. All rights reserved.

The Land of the Kangaroo.

PREFACE.

The rapidly increasing prominence of the Australian colonies during the past ten or twenty years has led to the preparation of the volume of which this is the preface. Australia has a population numbering close upon five millions and it had prosperous and populous cities, all of them presenting abundant indications of collective and individual wealth. It possesses railways and telegraphs by thousands of miles, and the productions of its farms, mines, and plantations aggregate an enormous amount. It has many millions, of cattle and sheep, and their number is increasing annually at a prodigious rate.

Australia is a land of many wonders, and it is to tell the story of these wonders and of the growth and development of the colonies of the antipodes, that this volume has been written.

T. W. K.

CONTENTS.

I. WEST COAST OF AFRICA Adventure in the South Atlantic Ocean II. THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE The Southern Ocean Australia III. A LAND OF CONTRADICTIONS Transportation to Australia IV. STRANGE ADVENTURES Australian Aboriginals V. ACROSS AUSTRALIA Tallest Trees in the World VI. AUSTRALIAN BLACKS Throwing the Boomerang VII. ADELAIDE TO MELBOURNE The Rabbit Pest Dangerous Exotics VIII. CANNIBAL BLACKS Melbourne and its Peculiarities IX. "THE LAUGHING JACKASS" Australian Snakes and Snake Stories X. THE HARBOR OF MELBOURNE Convict Hulks and Bushrangers XI. GEELONG Australian Gold Mines Finding a Big Nugget XII. A SOUTHERLY BURSTER Western Victoria XIII. JOURNEY UP COUNTRY Anecdotes of Bush Life XIV. LOST IN THE BUSH Australian Horses XV. EXPERIENCES AT A CATTLE STATION A Kangaroo Hunt XVI. HUNTING THE EMU AND OTHER BIRDS An Australian Sheep Run XVII. FROM MELBOURNE TO SYDNEY Crossing the Blue Mountains XVIII. SIGHTS OF SYDNEY Botany Bay and Paramatta XIX. COAL MINES AT NEWCASTLE Sugar Plantation in Queensland The End

ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE.

"We passed a ship becalmed in the doldrums" Frontispiece. 18 "Harry had obtained a map of Australia" 56 A visit to the Zoological Garden 147 "There they go!" shouted Mr. Syme 242

THE LAND OF THE KANGAROO.

CHAPTER I.

WEST COAST OF AFRICA ADVENTURE IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN.

"We don't want to stay long in this place."

"I don't think we do, sir," was the reply.

"The sooner we leave it, the better."

"That is so," said Harry; "I quite agree with you. I wonder how white men manage to live here at all."