152 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 
and Aster stellulatus showed its variability of form, appearing on 
the heights and at the sea-shore. After taking in full draughts of 
the fresh, cold air, and as much of high sentiment as the situation 
supplied, we turned to the descent. We found water in a huge, 
natural, granite basin, but this, though clear, was brackish through 
excess of evaporation. It was interesting as furnishing a station 
suitable for a green Alga, (Prasiola or Enteromorpha), which had 
somehow manaped to ood it out and reach it even at this height. 
We presently ‘obtained drinkable water oozing out im a spring. 
This from its first appearance we traced, as a simple rill, then down 
an alarming succession of waterfalls, until it opened out in a gully 
and at last entered the sea. As the fall was some 1800 feet, and 
the distance from the sea not much more than a mile, our little 
stream led us a considerable chase. In some places indeed, it seemed 
to lead where. man might not follow. Though water finds, no doubt, 
the shortest course down a mountain side, it is generally the 
shortest in point of time for water, but mt for man. In fact, we 
should haye got down more quickly had we returned by the way we 
took in the ascent. 
Mount Wilson and. Mount Latrobe are heavily timbered, and 
though somewhat higher than Mount Overon, would hardly repay 
the much greater ‘orl of their ascent, for there can be no such 
lock-out from the summit of either as we obtained from that of 
Oberon. The panorama of land and water, island cape and_ bay, 
forest-clad hill and river flat, all yiewed from such a high point of 
vantage: this can perhaps only be surpassed in these regions by the 
view from Mount Wellington, in Tasmania, of the Derwent Hs stuary, 
the Western Mountais, and the long Peninsulas of the South East, 
with the town of Hobart in ‘contrast to the wildness of all 
surrounding Nature. 
I shall not easily forget the weird quiet of our night encampments 
on the Tidai River, and at the foot of Martin’s Hill. As we 
walked up the left bank of the former stream in search of a 
camping ground which would satisfy all requisites, we found 
abundance “ot water-fowl, swan and duck, on one of the expansions 
of the river. We had now moonlight nights, aud the outlook was 
sublime. We were in a small plain, shut in landwards by a hard 
granite semi-circle, with the higher peaks in the back-ground, and 
with the beating of the surf and roar of the breakers a “quarter of a 
mile on the other side. Yet, sheltered by a line of sand-lhummocks 
and a growth of young Eucalypts, we were comfortable enough m 
our tent, and far from human aid or interference passed a peaceful 
New Year's Eve. At the foot of Martin’s Hill, a huge owl came 
and perched on the telegraph pole adjoining our camp. I think 
it must have been a specimen of the Powerful Owl. 
