Vol. XXVII 

 iqii 



] O'DoNOGHUE AND St. John, Along the Lerderderg. 191 



bank above us called out — " It's better walking up here ; come 

 up." Ascending a series of rude steps cut in the steep bank of 

 Silurian rock, we reached the spot where the man stood. He was 

 in appearance and manner one of Nature's own, and his sur- 

 roundings were in harmony. Surrounding his rude dwelling 

 were numerous flowering growths of Cassinia aculeata. Acacia 

 montana, Myoporum viscosum, and Dianella revoluta. Matted 

 tufts of Clematis microphylla and Cassytha melantha sprawled in 

 bewildering confusion over these, and here and there Glycine 

 clandestina displayed its humble flowers from some DodoncBa 

 viscosa. Amid these growths various breeds of fowls foraged or 

 wandered into the garden to vary their diet by sampling the 

 foliage of the vegetables. After prescribing, to his evident satis- 

 faction, for a crushed hand, we thought it a favourable oppor- 

 tunity of promoting the labours of the Plant Names Committee 

 by the acquisition of some information relative to the local 

 vernaculars of the plants by which we were surrounded. The 

 Cassinia was designated " Dogwood," and the Cassytha " Supple- 

 jack." The Clematis was termed " Mata," and the Glycine 

 " Sarsaparilla." The Dianella was called " Cut-grass," and the 

 Myoporum some name w^hich both of us failed to understand. 

 To the average field naturalist the information supplied would 

 have more than sufficed ; but one of the party, being possessed 

 of an abnormal capacity for knowledge, still hankered for more. 

 Indicating by an inclination of the head a flowering Acacia mon- 

 tana, he queried, with well-simulated simplicity, if it was not an 

 acacia. The old man laughed uproariously. " You towney 

 blokes do mix things up," he said — " why, that's not an acacia ! 

 that's myrtle scrub !" He was soon otherwise apprised, and 

 submitted to the correction with that resignation of feeling that 

 one manifests when he surrenders his jaw to the ministrations of 

 a dentist. 



In reply to a question respecting the auriferous properties of 

 the river-wash hereabouts, the old man became much excited 

 respecting the discovery in his sluice-box of a piece of metal the 

 identity of which was a mystery to all in the neighbourhood. 

 The discovery of the reef whence the metal was shed was confi- 

 dently spoken of, and the wealth consequent thereon vaguely 

 hinted at. Expressing a desire to view the metal, we were 

 shown several pieces of iron pyrites. The belief, possibly, of 

 many months was summarily shattered by a few words. The 

 old man was for a few moments dumbfounded. On recovering 

 his equanimity he, in a sudden burst of generosity, offered us a 

 ruby slightly larger than a grain of wheat. This generous offer 

 was declined, on the plea that we already had a varied assort- 

 ment of gems at home ; but, in reality, neither of us wished to 

 be burdened with even a small quartz crystal. 



