^g^j^'] O'DoNOGHUE, Rambles in Raak. 13 



sativa, the Wild Melon, Cucumis myriocarpus, the French Catch- 

 fly, Silene gallica, and many others abound, and evidence is 

 not lacking to prove the instrumentality of the recent drought 

 in contributing to the wide distribution of the Ice Plant, 

 Mesembryanthemum crystallinnm. In normal seasons stock 

 leave the plant untouched, but during the recent drought they 

 were compelled to consume it to assuage their hunger, and thus 

 ensure the dispersal of its seeds over grazing areas hitherto 

 free from this troublesome annual. 



Ascending a slight eminence, an extensive expanse of country 

 unfolds to our view. To the north and north-west glimpses 

 of distant lake-beds are to be had, and beyond them a dense 

 background of pines and Belar. To the west, and not very 

 remote, a medley of pines, Belai, Berrigan, and Needle Hakea 

 restrict the \dew ; whilst to the south and south-west an un- 

 broken succession of dry lake-beds of vast dimensions extend 

 to the distant horizon. The eminence slopes gradually to the 

 plain country to the west, and the lake-beds to the north, and 

 ends somewhat abruptly to the south, the whole being thickly 

 clothed with the Tall Thickheads. Nestling among a group of 

 pines a few hundred yards distant was our Mecca — a hut. 

 Hastening towards it, we find it to be a one-roomed structure, 

 roofed with galvanized iron and built of pine logs. The next 

 few hours were busy ones. Provisions had to be unpacked, 

 tent and sleeping bunks to be erected, personal belongings 

 arranged to satisfaction, and the wants of the inner man satisfied. 



Shortly after mid-day we set out on the first one of the many 

 daily tours of investigation undertaken during our sojourn at 

 Raak. Bearing due north over a large lake-bed, we ascended 

 a slight ^elevation on which many trees of Sandalwood, in 

 profuse bloom, and the Sweet Quandong, Fiisanus acuminatus, 

 heavily laden with bright red pericarps, grew, and entered a dense 

 forest of Belar, Casuarina lepidophloia, and Buloke, Casuarina 

 Ltiehmanni, the former predominating. This distinctive class 

 of vegetation, as we afterwards ascertained, extended in an 

 easterly and westerly direction in the form of a crescent for 

 several miles, and was of variable width, half a mile being about 

 its maximum. The ground beneath the trees was littered with 

 fallen cones and filaments, and did not appear, even in an 

 exceptionally favourable season, to contribute to more than a 

 meagre growth of plant life. Of the few met with, the Shrubby 

 Twinleaf, Zygophyllum fntticulosum, the Four-leaved Allseed, 

 Polycarpum tetraphyllum, and the New Zealand Spinach, 

 Tetragona implexicoma, seemed to thrive best in such uncon- 

 genial surroundings. 



As we wandered through the cool and shadowed vistas of 



