An Accident

           THEnextday,the24thofDecember,theystartedatdaybreak.Theheatwasalreadyconsiderable,butnotunbearable,andtheroadwassmoothandgood,andallowedthecavalcadetomakespeedyprogress.IntheeveningtheycampedonthebanksoftheWhiteLake,thewatersofwhicharebrackishandundrinkable.

           JacquesPaganelwasobligedtoownthatthenameofthislakewasacompletemisnomer,forthewaterswerenomorewhitethantheBlackSeaisblack,ortheRedSeared,ortheYellowRiveryellow,ortheBlueMountainsblue.However,hearguedanddisputedthepointwithalltheamourpropreofageographer,buthisreasoningmadenoimpression.

           M.Olbinettpreparedtheeveningmealwithhisaccustomedpunctuality,andafterthiswasdispatched,thetravelersdisposedthemselvesforthenightinthewagonandinthetent,andweresoonsleepingsoundly,notwithstandingthemelancholyhowlingofthe"dingoes,"thejackalsofAustralia.

           Amagnificentplain,thicklycoveredwithchrysanthemums,stretchedoutbeyondthelake,andGlenarvanandhisfriendswouldgladlyhaveexploreditsbeautieswhentheyawokenextmorning,buttheyhadtostart.Asfarastheeyecouldreach,nothingwasvisiblebutonestretchofprairie,enameledwithflower,inallthefreshnessandabundanceofspring.Theblueflowersoftheslender-leavedflax,combinedwiththebrighthuesofthescarletacanthus,aflowerpeculiartothecountry.

           Afewcassowarieswereboundingovertheplain,butitwasimpossibletogetnearthem.