162 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



Hibbertia, Stackhousia, Wahlenbergia, and one or two Helichry- 

 suras, are common, with the little daisy-like Brachycome, whilst 

 only a very few small and stunted specimens of Epacris impressa 

 are seen. The absence of Epacris is noticeable everywhere along 

 the track beyond Marysville. The prevailing colour, as usual, is 

 yellow, relieved by patches of white Eriostemon, purple Tetra- 

 theca, and here and there the deep blue of Comesperma volubile. 



There is little of special interest along the road until, about five 

 o'clock, we come in sight of what was formerly known as the 

 Royal Mail, but now as the Yarra Track Hotel. To this, a most 

 comfortable wayside house, we shall return again ; but at 

 present our aim, though it is rather late, is to press on whilst 

 daylight lasts ; and after, with some difficulty, persuading 

 one or two of our members to leave its comfortable shelter, we 

 tramp on. There are still seven miles between us and the 

 Travellers' Rest, and night falls before we have done much more 

 than half the distance. A sharp turn in the road brings us, about 

 nine o'clock, to the top of a steep descent leading down to a 

 stretch of somewhat level ground, in the centre of which we can 

 see one solitary light twinkling, indicating that we are at our 

 journey's end. We choose the best place available for a camp, 

 and just have the tent up and supper ready when the rain begins 

 to fall — a rain which it is just as well for us that we cannot tell 

 that it is destined to continue for some days. 



24.TH November. — The morning breaks dark and misty, with a 

 suspicious drizzle : towards 8, as "we start, it clears up slightly, 

 and we hope for better things. Mr. and Mrs. Fehrig — a some- 

 what remarkable couple, the keepers of the so-called Travellers' 

 Rest — come down to see us off. Two of our number are destined 

 to see them again in the course of a few short hours. For three 

 miles we keep to the road, save for a nectssary detour through 

 the bush, where a great freshly fallen gum tree completely blocks 

 the road. At first the road leads round the head of a gully with 

 beech trees, but then turns northward and crosses two or three 

 ridges covered with poor gum trees and with scrub composed 

 most largely of mountain ash (Panax dendroides), amongst 

 which grow fine specimens of silver wattle. It is raining hard, 

 and the country looks very dreary and forsaken when we emerge 

 from the woods into an open part where the ground is covered 

 with numberless fallen trees. Here the Tanjil track turns off 

 southwards along the ridge forming the watershed between the 

 Thompson River on the east, in Tanjil County, and the Yarra 

 on the west, in Evelyn County. The track was made by 

 Government surveyors some years ago, and consists of a clearing 

 twelve yards wide through the forest ; gradually it has become 

 blocked up by fallen timber and scrub, never having since been 

 cleared, and being now never used. It is, as we found, quite 



