68 THE WOMBAT. 



WITH THE CAMERA TO APOLLO BAY. 



By S. Mawson and J. Hammerton. 



Having decided to take a trip to Apollo Bay for the Xmas 

 holidays, it was decided that we could derive more pleasure 

 and rest by driving our own buggy than by going by the usual 

 method. Leaving Geelong on December 26th, a start was 

 made for Deans Marsh, the sky having every appearance of 

 rain ; passing Layard white ibis were seen in great numbers,, 

 and a few miles further on the crows were equally numerous ;. 

 on the edge of the Wordieboluc swamp, cormorants, plover, 

 waterhen and swan were noted. A little further we passed 

 the " Wormbete " station, the homestead with its garden 

 close to the road forming a very pretty view. 



At about half-past one we passed the well-known 

 " Ingleby " station — dear to the memory of the museum 

 Xmas camp in '94, — and watered the horses at the bridge on> 

 the road. At half-past two we reached Mr. Josiah Hunt's 

 place near Deans Marsh, having completed our first day's 

 stage of forty miles. 



After tending our horses and enjoying a good repast pre- 

 pared by the daughter of our host, we went in search of game 

 and found the rabbits thick on every hand ; we also had the 

 pleasure of coming across a deserted nest of the wedge-tailed 

 eagle in a messmate tree at a height of about 100 feet. Many 

 birds were noticed, but nothing rare. At about six the rain 

 which had been threatening all day set in and fell almost 

 continuously till seven next morning, when we turned out to 

 pay a visit to the milking yard and enjoy a morning nip.. 



After breakfast we were dubious about continuing our 

 journey, owing to the still threatening sky, but at 11.30, 

 after exposing a plate on the homestead, we harnessed up and 

 bade adieu to our friends. Shortly after passing Darcy's Half- 

 way House the rain began to fall again, and at Gerangemete 

 a heavy thunder storm broke over us, the lightning being so 

 vivid that the horses became almost unmanageable. 



Passing Yaugher we reached Forest at 3 p.m., and we 

 did full justice to the meal provided by Mr. Pengelly, of the 

 " Terminus " Hotel. We were afterwards told that the rain- 

 fall in that district during the twenty-four hours was a little 

 under two inches. 



Next morning we were up at six and, after Charlie, the 

 storeman, had been relieved of his molar by our medicine man 

 (who had brought the necessary instruments of torture in his 

 bag), we left at ten for the Bay. Near Barramunga the nat- 

 uralist drew off the attention of the medicine man from his 

 horses to a king lory in a tree near by, the result being that 

 the wheels went over a stump with much ensuing discomfort 

 to the naturalistic nerves. 



