154 Paton, The Buffalo Plateau in January. [voi!'^xxxVv. 



rocks, we cross the bridge that spans the stream where the 

 rapids commence, and make our way out to a flat vock which 

 stands above the fall. Here, witli the waters roaring in cease- 

 less fury beneath us, we may observe the work of erosion in 

 progress, huge blocks of granite being gradually detached and 

 hurled to the bottom of the Gorge. Returning to the track, 

 and proceeding to the " 1,700," we view the south wall 

 opposite, and the sheer descent below. Far below, on the 

 creek banks, appear green rosettes — the heads of tree-ferns : 

 whilst the eucalypts are correspondingly dwarfed. Even on 

 the perpendicular wall vegetation has established itself 

 wherever a ledge or cleft has provided a lodgment. Successive 

 generations of tourists have seen, in various rock- forms in and 

 around the Gorge, imaginary resemblances to various persons 

 and objects. A " Chinese mandarin " is amongst the dis- 

 tinguished visitors : there is a likeness of Sir Graham Berry 

 (a Victorian Premier), a " statue " of Queen Victoria, a 

 " pulpit rock," and many more. 



Having gazed at the Gorge, and the prospect of valley and 

 mountain, we ha\e leisure to note the plants which bloom 

 around us. Owing to the lateness of the season, most of the 

 notable plants were still in l)lo<)m. Oxylohium alpestre was every- 

 where, also Leptospermum lanigerum, L. scoparium, Kunzea pedun- 

 cidaris, K. MueUeri, Goodenia hederacea, W estringia senifolia, and 

 Trachvmene Billardieri. Here the rare Prostanthera Walteri was 

 also found. Proceeding up the valley, numerous plants claim our 

 attention ; amongst them, Hihhertia serpillifolia, Viola hederacea, 

 Comesperma retusum, Baeckea Gunniana, Arthropodium panicii- 

 latiim, Stypandra ccvspitosa, Craspedia Richea, Stylidiinn 

 {Candollea) gvaminifolium, and Wahlenhergia gracilis, the last 

 three very deeply coloured. In boggy ground are a multitude 

 of herbaceous plants, amongst them the composites Podolepis 

 hngipedata, Brachycome scapiformis, Helichrysum leucopsidium, 

 H. haccliaruidcs, H. rosmarinifolium, and the glorious Celmisia 

 longifolia. Creeping in the mud are Sccevola Hookcri and 

 Lobelia gelida. Still further on we come upon large clumps of 

 the epacrid Richea Giinnii, with spikes of cream urn-shaped 

 flowers. At " Carlile's." now deserted, we take the road 

 leading to Lake Catani, having the " Monolith " in full view. 

 Shortly we come to the head of the lake, a sheet of water having 

 a remarkably natural appearance, but formed by throwing a 

 wall across a ravine and impounding the waters of the stream 

 in the valley above. It is sixty acres in extent, and frozen 

 over in winter, when it is used for skating. On the banks of 

 the stream above the lake we collected Epacris heteronema and 

 Prnsianthcra cuneata. Meeting the road to " The Horn " near 

 the head of the lake, we follow it back, passing along the 



