42 OUR WESTERN BOUNDARY.
tions, at the end of which Mr. Ryan met us, with half a dozen Korumbers, to show us the way.
These
men, the Korumbers, are natives of the district, who sometimes, but not
often, can be induced to work. They are, unfortunately, a very
unsatisfactory class to deal with. Work to them is in no sense
pleasure. They are, however, first-rate fellows at such labour as
felling trees, and surface work. They are, too, thoroughly familiar
with the country, and make the best shikarees, or huntsmen.
Armed
with sharp knives and billhooks, this curious escort preceded us, in
single file, cutting down the thorns and jungle that had grown across
the path, and halting, occasionally, to consult as to the best route to
take; for we were now threading our way through thick forest which had
no beaten track.
I
need hardly say that we frequently stopped to look at the noble trees,
rising to an enormous height (in some cases 300 feet), and straight as
a ship's mast. Poon spars, worth almost anything could they be got down
to the coast; blackwood, so valuable for building purposes; rosewood,
and many other species known only under native names. Our progress was
necessarily slow, and much hindered by the thousands of young trees
growing all over the surface. Care had to be taken, also, lest we
should come into contact with the vicious long shoots of a species of
calamus, armed with sharp thorns—some-
