112 THE VICTORIAS NATURALIST. 



the Queensland border, however, when we were pulled up again, 

 and a repetition of the " hot boxes " had again to be put up with. 

 By this time it was getting near daybreak, and, although very 

 cold, I "turned out" to see the surrounding country, which, as 

 you approach Toowoomba, is simply magnificent. This line, 

 which is narrow-gauge, climbs up hill and over dale, sometimes 

 crossing vast chasms, other times ascending to an altitude of 

 over 3,000 feet and then down again, and upon looking out 

 of the carriage windows the engine, first on one side of you and 

 then on the other, is plainly visible. The line takes the most 

 marvellous turns, and must have been a most expensive one to 

 build ; and to those who have never travelled on a similar line a 

 great treat is in store for them when they visit Brisbane by rail- 

 way. Having passed through the rich Darling Downs, magnificent 

 country, we arrived at Brisbane, and although we had notified our 

 coming, the hostess and everyone else were in bed, so we were on 

 the point of camping on the verandah until daylight, when a 

 friendly head was poked out of the window, and, having explained 

 our position, we were kindly allowed to come in, and had the 

 doubtful privilege of having to retire supperless to bed. 



At daybreak (the day here 1 found breaks a good hour earlier 

 than in Melbourne) I got up and went for a stroll in the gardens. 

 The morning (although winter here) was hot, and upon entering 

 the gardens I could at once realize, that which before I had only 

 read of, what a tropical country must be like. Here were clumps 

 of bamboos 60 feet high, with a diameter in some of the stems of 

 10 inches, and on an island grew magnificent plants, 40 feet odd 

 in height, of the Traveller's Tree, Ravenalia, the water from 

 which some of us for curiosity tasted, but did not relish, although 

 the natives of Madagascar, also travellers who have visited that 

 island, speak highly of its uses, especially when water is scarce. 



The palms here are something to be remembered, Hyophorbe 

 Verschaffelti, Oreodoxa regia, Sabal, &c, growing in the greatest 

 luxuriance, the latter's leaves I am sure being as much, or more, 

 than a man could carry. We were too early, or perhaps too late, 

 to see the Victoria regia in all its glory, but it flowered here last 

 season, being the first time this truly magnificent water-lily has 

 flowered out of doors in Australia. On the leaf, which was 6 

 feet across, the infant son of the Governor, Lord Lamington, was 

 photographed. Passing along towards the plant sheds one sees 

 grand plants of Cocos plumosa, one of the most elegant of the 

 palm family ; also the Oil Palm, Klaeis Guineensis, the plant from 

 which most of the palm oil, so largely used in commerce, is made. 

 One ol the must singular trees in these beautiful gardens us the 

 Sausage Tree, Kigellia pinnata, from Nubia, where the plant is 

 held sacred by the natives, the foliage of the tree being arbore- 

 scent, and belows this the sausage-like fruits hang suspended. 



