THE ViOTOKlAN NATUKALlSt. 167 



at the Narrows ; and (3) the neighbourhood of the Nobbies, at 

 the western extremity of the island. 



You may reach Wollomai by taking a saiHng boat from either 

 Hastings or Stony Point, and, running out at the narrow eastern 

 entrance of Western Port at San Remo, land in a snug sandy 

 bight under Red Point, about 25^ miles from the latter place, 

 the most convenient place to camp ; or you may take the regular 

 steamer which meets the train at Stony Point, land at San Remo, 

 or rather Newhaven, opposite, and make overland for the Cape. 



I shall never forget the last time I passed out of this eastern 

 entrance. It was very early (about 2 o'clock) one bright moon- 

 light morning. We were comfortably camped on the deck of a 

 cutter, and had just left behind (coming from the mouth of the 

 Bass River) a mud bank, where the night voices of various birds 

 — Sea Curlews, (Ireenshanks, Plovers, Cormorants, Swans, Ducks, 

 &c. — -sounded strangely in our ears. As we passed by San Remo, 

 a favourite resort, borne on a swiftly-ebbing tide, all was silent 

 and asleep. What a picturesque weirdness there seemed about 

 the scene. The buildings sheltered by the dark and dense 

 foliage of banksia trees, here some in shadow, there the roofs, 

 dew-laden, shining like sheets of silver in the moonlight ! 



On the same trip we had tents pitched and all luggage 

 ashore near Cape Wollomai by sunrise. Our quarters were 

 exceedingly comfortable, being sheltered by two stunted tea-trees 

 with tops like umbrellas, which threw a grateful shade. Here, 

 shielded from the meridian sun, we used to recline, clothed only in 

 our pyjamas (a heat wave was on at this particular time), drinking 

 delicious billy tea, or an occasional lemon squash. At the rear 

 we were protected by a sand dune covered with scrub, tussock- 

 grass, bracken, &c., while our front was towards the beach, and 

 at night it was delightful to be lulled to sleep by the sound of the 

 sea so near. Fresh water in sufficient quantity was handy. At 

 intervals along the steep shore, water as clear as crystal issues 

 from tiny springs. 



Other can^ps were near. During our stay about twelve or 

 thirteen boats arrived with egging parties from different parts of 

 Western Port. The largest of these parties numbered eleven. 

 Four-horse conveyances came by way of Newhaven, thence along 

 the strand when the tide was out. There were also several 

 visitors, including ladies, on horseback. 



After an early breakfast (6 o'clock) we started to explore the 

 Mutton-bird rookeries, and found a few birds were in their 

 burrows and had laid. The burrows, like rabbit warrens, extend 

 over many acres of the Cape plateau, under a covering of hore- 

 hound (an introduced plant), pig-face weed (Mesembryan- 

 themum), adorned with small pink flowers, sword and tussock 

 grass, &c., the chief rookeries being nearest the sea. You can 



