March 



19 



'^'] Excursion to Baw Baw. 203 



the western side of the track. Winding over the eastern flank 

 of Mount St. Phillack, we came to Mr. Rawson's hut, over- 

 looking a large flat plain of about 1,000 acres known as 

 " Mustering Flat." At the hut we boiled the billy and had 

 a snack. Meanwhile, distant thunder warned us not to delay 

 too long, so we made for the tourist track again. While 

 climbing a low hill we came across the dwarf Alpine Pine, 

 Nageia alpina, F. v. M., its young tips showing a purphsh bloom 

 suggestive of flowers. At 3 p.m. we had just reached St. 

 Phillack (5,140 feet), and tlie turn-off to Baw Baw, when the 

 storm broke, and, heavy rain coming on, we had to make for 

 " Camp-hole," a shelter formed by some granite rocks which 

 have conveniently fallen so as to provide a fair-sized shelter, 

 protected from the weather. Here we stayed for some time, 

 the thunder and hghtning being incessant, and grand, almost 

 to create a feeling of fear. In a little while the storm passed 

 and the sun shone out, so that we got fairly dry again. We still 

 had four miles to traverse to the shelter-house, and wanted to 

 visit a glen we had passed in the morning, where some fine 

 beeches were growing, in search of the Alpine Lomaria. This 

 fern was sparsely scattered throughout the plateau, generally 

 amongst the stones, and always in the midst of tufts of the 

 Tufted ^leadow-grass, Poa ccBspitosa, the alpine form of which 

 is abundant ah over the plateau. The first storm had come 

 from the north-west, another was now fast approaching from 

 the south-west : and we just reached the shelter-house as the 

 rain came down in torrents. The wind howled, and the rain beat 

 against the iron roof and walls so that it was almost impossible 

 to hear one's self speak, while the clouds traveUed at a 

 tremendous pace only a few feet above the Snow Gums, and it 

 grew so dark that we had to hght candles. After about an 

 hour of this the rain slackened a little, and we were able to 

 go outside, and look down into the valley of the Thomson, 

 filled up with clouds. Talbot Creek was now running, and our 

 guide said there would be no further shortage of water for the 

 summer. The shelter-house was barely large enough for our 

 party, and, as only six stretchers are provided, four had to 

 make themselves as comfortable as they could on the floor. 

 Early to bed and early to rise was the rule, but during the 

 night it rained and blew, and the daylight came long before 

 we were able to venture out. In fact, some were speculating 

 as to w^hat chance there was of getting down the mountain if 

 the rain kept on. However, about six it cleared up, and, 

 though a jam-tin which had acted as a rain-gauge showed 

 li inches of rain had fallen, the ground round the house was 

 comparatively dry, owing to the porous nature of the soil 

 (disintegrated granite). Photographs were taken of the 



