About four o’clock in the afternoon
`` Horrible enough , but curious , and , what 's more , peculiar to Australia . One might search for it in vain in any other part of the world . '' Naturally enough , the geographer wished to preserve this interesting specimen of monotremata , and wanted to stow it away in the luggage ; but M. Olbinett resented the idea so indignantly , that the SAVANT was obliged to abandon his project . About four o'clock in the afternoon , John Mangles descried an enormous column of smoke about three miles off , gradually overspreading the whole horizon . What could be the cause of this phenomenon ? Paganel was inclined to think it was some description of meteor , and his lively imagination was already in search of an explanation , when Ayrton cut short all his conjectures summarily , by announcing that the cloud of dust was caused by a drove of cattle on the road . The quartermaster proved right , for as the cloud came nearer , quite a chorus of bleatings and neighings , and bel-lowings escaped from it , mingled with the loud tones of a human voice , in the shape of cries , and whistles , and vociferations .