96 



were in prime condition. Mounds of empty shells at various 

 parts of the beach gave proof that the aborigines had also 

 appreciated them in days gone by. Wtiile speaking of game, 

 I must mention a fact respecting the wombat which coincides 

 with my own experience and the opinion of many bush 

 travellers. In the year 1866 the Port Davey settlers were, 

 owing to heavy gales, for some months without supplies of 

 flour and provisions, so that they were compelled to live on 

 " wild " meat alone, and most of them took to hunting 

 during that time. Their unanimons verdict is that they very 

 soon got tired of kangaroo or swan's flesh, but could subsist 

 on wombat without dislike ; also that a meal of the latter 

 had far more nutritive power than kangaroo. 



It is almost impossible to describe the country round Port 

 Davey to one accustomed only to the settled portions of 

 Tasmania, while the grand s(;enery such as Hell's Gates, must 

 be seen to be realised. Written landscapes leave no picture 

 in the mind of a stranger. The greater portion of the 

 country is open, consisting of broken ground or large flat 

 plains between steep and lofty ranges, covered with button 

 grass and intersected by belts of timber of various shapes and 

 sizes ; the timber is generally along the banks of streams, or 

 in gullies on the mountain sides, though some of the ranges 

 are entirely wooded. The hills are steep and rugged, and 

 show their white quartzite rocks bare at the top, which gives 

 many the appearance of being snow-clad, and throughout the 

 day they are ever assuming new forms and colours as the 

 sunlight strikes them at a different angle. Thus the country 

 is most picturesquely diversified by white rocky ranges, warm- 

 coloured plains and sombre forests ; and in fine weather 

 looks both wild and beautiful. The plains are made gay by many 

 flowering plants, conspicuous among which is the Blandfordia 

 with its crimson and yellow spikes of flowers, growing in 

 every situation from the margins of creeks to the crevices of 

 rocks on mountain summits. Like all Western Tasmania, 

 as the open ground gives one the impression of desolation and 

 barrenness, so on entering a forest the opposite extreme of 

 rank vegetation is immediately encountered. Underneath 

 there is generally a tall and tangled growth of wireweed 

 (Bauera) and cutting-grass, with horizontal scrub (Anodo- 

 petalum), Laurel (Anopterus) Native plum {^Cenarrhenes) and 

 all those shrubs most conspicuous in our western forests ; 

 pinkwood, hickory, and teatree attain a large size, gums and 

 myrtles (Fagus) being the lofty trees. These forests are 

 enlivened by the climbers Billurdiei^a and Brionotes, which 

 often form festoons from tree to tree. Bichea pandanifolia 

 is frequently met with. 



