20 Voyage of the Novara. 



lection of Australian flora is exceedingly plentiful and valu- 

 able. It consists not merely of a comprehensive collection of 

 Australian seeds and useful woods, but also of some species of 

 living plants, forwarded to Europe in what is known as Ward's 

 chest. At the same time we were successful in procuring and 

 sending, in accordance with his request, to Professor Roch- 

 leder, in Prague, a Fellow of the Imperial Academy of Science, 

 some 50 or 60 lbs. of the raw Epacris Grandiflora, as also a 

 small quantity of Casuarina equisetifolia^ for the purpose of 

 chemical experiments, especially with regard to the relations 

 of chemistry with the geographical distribution of plants. 



At last, on ] 6th November, we were able to make out our 

 long-projected excursion to Campbelton, 33 miles distant, 

 over a tolerably good, usually somewhat flat, country, tra- 

 versed by railroad in about two houi's. 



On our arrival at this small but most industrious village we 

 found, awaiting our arrival, our hospitable- friend, Sir W. 

 Macarthur, who took us to his estate adjoining, called Cam- 

 den Park. Sir William belom^s to one of the most distin- 

 guished families in the colony, and enjoys the double reput- 

 ation of being at once the most important wine-grower of 

 Australia, and of having the best wine in his cellar. 



We drove to our host's house through very pretty scenery, 

 and thus had a fresh opportunity of satisfying ourselves of 

 the strange inaccuracy of former travellers, who related that 

 the leaves in Australia were of wood and the stems of iron, 

 that the bees had no stings, the birds no wings, and hair 



