128 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



latter is a great improvement on candles for travelling by. 

 Groping our way back along the hill, we were not sorry to turn 

 in, about half-past ten, well satisfied with our day's sight-seeing. 



Next morning, Sunday, broke beautifully fine, and as nothing 

 could be done underground, a Government inspector of works at 

 present engaged at the caves kindly offered to conduct us to 

 several of the outside sights. We first of all visited the Carlotta 

 Arch, which I have already described, then made our way up the 

 dry, rocky bed of M'Ewan's Creek for about a mile and a half, 

 past the entrance to the Mammoth Cave, which, as its name 

 implies, is very large, but as it is very rough and contains no par- 

 ticular groups, is little visited. In this the underground course 

 of the creek can be reached with some trouble. On the opposite 

 side of the valley, some Soft, or looft. above the flat, our con- 

 ductor pointed out an opening in the rocks, up to which we 

 climbed. This is known as M'Ewan's Hole, from a bushranger 

 who is said to have lived here for several years, so securely 

 as even to cultivate a little land in the valley below. This is now 

 the resort of numerous wallabies, who seem to have found a para- 

 dise in these hills, the stones at the entrances to the various small 

 caves being beautifully polished by the constant hopping over 

 them of these interesting little animals. We spent some time 

 scrambling about in the semi-darkness of the numerous twists and 

 turnings of this undoubtedly formerly inhabited cave. It was 

 owing to the discovery of this place that further explorations were 

 made, and the Jenolan Caves became known as one of the sights 

 of Australia. In the crevices of the rocks here I obtained speci- 

 mens of a fern new to me, I fancy a Lindsayea, which I hope to 

 exhibit at some future meeting when it becomes reconciled to its 

 Victorian location. We returned over the hill, and struck the 

 Oberon-road near the last turn of the zig-zag. After lunch our 

 friend took us through the " Grand Arch" to the spot where the 

 underground river reappears, then to the waterfall, a pretty spot, 

 but very difficult for the pedestrian to pass ; however, the Govern- 

 ment are now providing steps and a handrail. Growing on 

 the rocks here numerous specimens of Dendrobium and Sar- 

 cochilus (epyphital orchids) were seen. Wandering down this 

 creek, some fifteen varieties of ferns were noticed ; here the 

 maiden-hair fern was over two feet in height, and Adiantiwi 

 hispidiilum equally fine. After doing a couple of miles of as 

 rough travelling as any tourist could wish for, and gathering a 

 large bunch of splendid watercress for the tea-table, we made our 

 way up the steep hillside to the Mount Victoria-road, and through 

 the Grand Arch home. 



Having found that it would be no gain to start so early for 

 Mount Victoria, we determined to put it oft" till midday, and make 

 a hurried visit to the left-hand branch of the Imperial Cave, which 



