'^'•'"■•'1 Excursion to National Park. i6^ 



in to shore as possible, and the long experience of our guide, 

 Mr. W. J. Cripps (who, by the way, has only recently been 

 appointed ranger in charge of the Inlet), was then appreciated. 

 Notwithstanding all the care and foresight of our guide, 

 however, we grounded some distance from the shore, and had 

 to choose between landing at once or waiting until the tide 

 rose again about midnight. The former course was at once 

 agreed u})on, and the "flatty" put into commission. With 

 its help the two ladies and some of the luggage were trans- 

 ferred as close inshore as possible, but not near enough to 

 enable them to land without wading. 



The " flatty " had grounded on the mud-bank so far in that 

 it was impossible to make further use of it, and there was 

 nothing left to the others but to wade in and carry such of 

 the luggage as was immediately required. The novelty of the 

 situation afforded consideral)le amusement, and was, in fact, 

 regarded as ]mrt of the programme. As each one did his fair 

 share of hard work, we soon had everything required safely 

 ashore. At this spot a jetty has since been erected by the 

 committee of management, which will enable visitors to land 

 under much more comfortable circumstances. 



Closely adjacent is one of the two rest-houses recently Iniilt 

 in the Park. This is situated in a convenient place com- 

 manding an extensive view over the Inlet. It is constructed 

 of galvanized iron, and measures 20 feet by 14 feet, and is 

 divided into two comj^artmonts, the smaller of which is furnished 

 with four sleeping bunks, while the larger one is provided with 

 a large fireplace, table, and other conveniences. Our party 

 were its first occupants, and its suitability for such purposes 

 met with general approval. 



While the tents were being erected, our evening meal was 

 being prej^ared, and we were soon as comfortably established 

 as we could wish. The novelty of our surroundings, of course, 

 appealed to the unexperienced, and was enhanced in the 

 stillness of the evening l^y the frequent calls of the Bool)ook 

 Owl, and the peculiar clicking noise — compared to the pattering 

 of rain-drops falling among the leaves — made by the thousands 

 of Mangrove Crabs which line the shore at low tide. 



Friday, 2yth. — Soon after daylight we were all astir, and, 

 after a dip in the Inlet, packed everything ready for removal 

 to our Vereker camp. We had scarcely finished breakfast 

 when the pack-horses arrived in charge of our camp-assistant, 

 Mr. H. MacLean, and shortly after a start was made for the 

 Vereker Range, about three miles away. 



Our route took us through the thickly-timbered, scrub- 

 covered hills lying between the northern end of the range and 



