74 NEW ENGLAND (n.S.W.), ETC. 



great numbers of river oaks. Hundreds of these had been laid 

 flat by the flood waters, and in places the crossings were so 

 blocked by them that we had to cut our way through them 

 with an axe which we carried with us for that purpose. We 

 reached Gloucester that evening, long after dark, but without 

 mishap. 



Little had been done to improve the grazing capabilities 

 of the country in those days. In 1876 I travelled from New 

 England and back by the same route. It was known as the 

 Port Stephens' road, and up to that year, on Giro alone, 94,000 

 acres, I was told, had been ringbarked ! 



Early in the morning, on my first trip, we went out after 

 our horses, which, as there was no paddock, we had hobbled. 

 We got away in good time, however, and in a couple of hours 

 were at the foot of Hungry Hill, the rough place of the jour- 

 ney. I had been told that Hungry Hill was very steep and 

 very rough, but was not prepared for the reality. We rode up 

 the lower part of the hill ; then we dismounted, and led our 

 horses, which, like ourselves, were not reluctant to have a few 

 minutes' breathing time at frequent intervals. The road was 

 a mere bush track, covered with loose stones, and the ascent 

 occupied nearly two hours. Some money was spent upon it 

 by the Government a few years later, and the first to drive 

 down in a dogcart and back again was " Tom " Rusden, who, 

 for many years was in charge of Frederick Huth's station, 

 Europambela. Some others afterwards risked martyrdom by 

 driving over this villainous road, which was not much better 

 when I last travelled over it in 1876 than when I became 

 acquainted with it in 1852. 



My friend and I were not sorry to rest awhile after our 

 long scramble. We were now more that 3,000 feet above the 

 sea, and the air was clear and bracing. The spot we rested at 

 was remarkable because of two tall gum trees into the butts of 

 which hollows had been worn by fire and decay. These formed 

 basin-like aquariums, each containing two or three quarts of 

 cool water. This was quite clear, and moss-grown round the 

 sides, and in all directions the footpads of marsupials and other 

 animals radiated from the water-trees. After a time we moved 

 on through large gum trees and stringy-barks, with more or less 

 underbush. Where the outlook was sufficiently clear, we looked 

 across immense mountain spurs thickly clothed with ordinary 

 forest timber, and down into the valley of the Manning, Soon 



