ni THE LAKE DISTRICT 99 



boulders, and all characterized by their absolutely 

 clear water. Further to the south and south-east, 

 where the rivers draining off the plateau pass over 

 the Mesozoic sandstone flanking the plateau, the 

 waters are rather thick and turbid. Lake St. Clair, 

 about ten miles in length and two miles broad, 

 differs totally in its scenery from the other large 

 lakes on the central plateau of Tasmania. All these 

 lakes, such as Lake Echo, Sorell and Crescent and 

 Arthur's Lakes agree with the Great Lake in being 

 shallow basins enclosed by low insignificant ridges, 

 and their waters are always more or less discoloured. 

 Lake St. Clair is exceedingly deep, in most places 

 from forty to seventy fathoms and in some parts as 

 much as ninety fathoms ; the water is absolutely 

 pure, and, owing to the depth, very dark blue or 

 black, and of an icy coldness even in the height of 

 summer. The greenstone mountains surrounding 

 it, especially Mount Olympus and Mount Ida at 

 the north end, descend sheer into the water, and 

 rise above it in precipitous cliffs and crags of 

 magnificent boldness, while their slopes are clothed 

 with dense forests right down to the water's edge. 

 Any one who has seen the Konigsee in the Austrian 

 Tyrol might be tempted to make comparisons, 

 substituting for the Pines of Austria the Gums of 

 Australia. But another element enters into the 

 vegetation of Lake St. Clair, namely the wonderful 

 myrtle forests of the west coast, consisting of the 

 fine Evergreen Beech or Myrtle interspersed with 

 the various Tasmanian Pines, King William and 

 Celery Topped Pines, and the tangled undergrowth 



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