52 



Tlie spur continues at a nearly uniform height of about 500 

 feet to the foot of the steep ascent, at the top of which is a 

 plateau or table land about 3,000 feet high, — the Peak itself, 

 4,017 feet, rising above it. Our course led us up and then 

 along this spur, crossing numerous small runs of water 

 flowing to the Creekton Kivulet. The shrubs we had to cut 

 through were chiefly pepper, Anopferiis, Correa, EucrypJiiay 

 &c. We had also to cross several extensive patches of 

 Weinmaunia or horizontal scrub (Anodopetalum) , where our 

 track will be seen for considerable distances a long way above 

 the ground ; — the peculiar growth making it easier for us 

 to walk along the top, like monkeys, than to cut or force" a 

 passage below. The stems invariably grew from the roots 

 down the slope of the hill, never inclining upwards. Most 

 of them were at least 60 feet long, sending out their thin, 

 tough, perpendicular branches every yard or so, but the sight 

 of the luxuriant growth of the Frionotes repaid the whole of 

 the toil : in*large patches, along a distance of two or three 

 miles, this prince of heaths grew in profusion, covering every 

 prostrate log, twining up large trees and shrubs, and, at the 

 height of 10 or 20 feet, bending over so as to resemble fes- 

 toons from tree to tree, covered with long red flowers, in all 

 shades from flesh colour to bright carmine. The effect was 

 enhanced by the sun's rays being able to penetrate to these 

 spots, an unusual occurrence along the rest of our route. 



At the foot of the steep ascent were a few beech, and blue 

 gum took the place of stringy bark. The Anopterus disap- 

 peared, and Cenarrhenes and Agastachys were found in place — 

 Bauer a, Correa^ &c., still continuiug. About half way up, we 

 passed through a thicket of Bichea pandanifolia, palm-like 

 plants, 30 to 40 feet high, generally growing upright, a few 

 almost horizontal. Those upright were almost all clothed 

 down to the ground with the dead leaves, and looked like 

 thick posts, instead of presenting their usual graceful appear- 

 ance. Some had the Brionotes twining up to the very top. 



After scaling two sandstone cliffs we got among stunted 

 timber and bushes of tea-tree, &c., and soon reached the 

 Table-land, which, about 3,000 feet high, extends to the base 

 of the Peak, and beyond westerly nearly level, to the Picton 

 Valley, stretching northward to the Hartz Mountains, and 

 southward to Mount La Perouse. There are here many 

 shallow pools and springs and clumps of dense bushes, chiefly 

 tea-tree, and dwarf BicJiea. The Bucrypliia, here a round 

 bushy shrub, was at this time a mass of white blossoms, and 

 very conspicuous. The common mountain shrubs were present, 

 euch 9,s Qaultheria, Decaspora^ Bellendena, Bersoonia and 

 Others, but I did not see a single plant of the Waaratah, 



