SPLENDID CLUSTERS OF BLOSSOM 265 



the ground for many miles, and in spots being so deep 

 and tangled that it was a serious hindrance to our 

 advance. 



Trees began to appear stunted and withered, and not 

 numerous on the plain ; but where the ground rose a few 

 hundred feet above the level, it was covered with a thickly- 

 matted forest growth. On the plains there were bottle- 

 trees, but no grass-trees. Near the forests we saw some 

 splendid specimens of Augustifolia, with clusters of its 

 blossoms ten feet in circumference, one of the most lovely 

 sights of the district, though here were many magnificent 

 flowers of all shades ; and it seemed to me that never 

 before had I beheld such vivid scarlets and blues, crimsons 

 and yellows. 



The country in this neighbourhood is intersected with 

 ranges of low hills, beyond which we could perceive 

 mountains of unusual height. The outlines of these 

 ranges were similar to those of all other Australian 

 heights. The majority of them were flat-topped, while 

 there were a number of isolated conical hills with very 

 sharp summits, reminding one of the crude effort of a 

 child to draw mountains. In one particular they differed 

 much from similar hills on the west side of the continent — 

 they were often covered with trees, which, although not 

 growing in what may be called dense forests, were 

 generally rendered almost impenetrable by a thick under- 

 growth of creepers, nettles, and a peculiar kind of reed-like 

 plant springing up into sticks more than twenty feet 

 long. Many of the creepers were gay with blossoms of 

 many different hues, while parrots were crowding in 

 thousands on the trees ; and one of our party, who was an 

 adept in the use of the gun, with very little assistance 

 from his mates shot enough in an hour to provide us all 

 with a supper. 



The night was passed under the lee of a huge citadel-like 

 rock crowned with an abrupt line of cliffs, which was thought 

 to be nearly fifteen hundred feet above the surrounding 

 country. My particular " chum " and I spent the evening 

 in an attempt to ascend this mountain, and we climbed 



