THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 153 



of them before they slowly walked away, without apparently any 

 alarm. On going through a small belt of scrub by a creek we 

 passed underneath a Quondong tree, and there were quantities of 

 the bright blue ripe fruit lying on the ground. These trees grow 

 either near running water or at the bottom of a gully, where their 

 roots can get plenty of moisture. The colour of the Victorian 

 Quondong when ripe is red, and one rare variety white. When 

 near the Trevetan Mountains I was told of a spring from which 

 the water flowed during the daytime, but not at night, which 

 seems to vary from the general rule, which is the opposite. 

 When passing through a small stream we disturbed a green 

 water-snake, which quickly took refuge under a stone in the 

 deeper part of the water : these reptiles were seen on several 

 occasions. The tracks of many small mammals and lizards were 

 visible, imprinted on the dusty road ; but during the whole 

 distance we only saw the trail of one snake, and that a small 

 one. We arrived at our destination during the afternoon. 



Two days after a start was made for Peter Botte. I was accom- 

 panied by Mr. Frank Hislop, Mr. Anderson, and six natives. 

 Leaving "Wyalla" during the afternoon, we camped at the Bloom- 

 field River, 6 miles off, for the night, and an early start was then 

 made in a cutter down the coast to Cowie's Creek, about 10 

 miles distant, but as wind and tide were against us it was well 

 towards evening before we reached it ; our natives had gone 

 overland, and arrived there first. We camped for the night on 

 the beach, at a spot evidently much used by the natives, judging 

 by the heaps of broken shellfish and Zamia nuts. During the 

 evening we fished in the creek, which, like all these streams, is 

 tidal for some distance up ; but, although mullet and other fish 

 were plentiful, especially when the tide was coming in, we found 

 they were very shy at being caught. Early next morning we 

 started on foot to Emmagen Creek, about 3 miles on, from which 

 point we intended striking inland. Our boatman sailed his craft 

 round to the same place with our luggage ; but, as he had a 

 strong head wind, which meant a wet and unpleasant time for 

 those on board, we decided on walking, being told it would not 

 take long ; but if we had known how steep the road was we 

 would have probably stuck to the cutter. Our track soon left the 

 sea coast, and we had to climb some very steep inclines, and the 

 grass being dry and slippery made it more difficult. We arrived 

 at our destination about ten o'clock, after a very trying tramp ; 

 but the cutter did not put in an appearance until late in the after- 

 noon. This place had been used as a camp before by timber- 

 getters, and we camped for the night in an old humpy, thatched 

 with grass ; our natives sleeping alongside the entrance, in a 

 separate mia-mia — they, as usual, lying round the fire, which they 

 kept burning throughout the night. 



