KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



349 



leaning in all directions ; their wide-spread- 

 ing feathery crowns forming half-transpa- 

 rent green canopies, that folded and waved 

 together in many places so closely that 

 only a span of blue sky could peep down 

 between them, to glitter on the bright 

 sparkling rivulet that tumbled and foamed 

 along over mossy rocks, and under fantas- 

 tic natural log bridges, and down into dark 

 mysterious channels that no eye could trace 

 out, under those masses of fern trunks, 

 and broad green feathers overarching it. 



" All around, far above the tallest Ferns, 

 huge forest trees soared up aloft ; throwing 

 their great arms about in a gale that was 

 blowing up there, whilst scarcely a breath 

 lifted the lightest feather of the Ferns be- 

 low. All was calm and silent beside us, 

 save the pleasant music of the rivulet, and 

 the tiny chirping of some bright little birds, 

 flitting about amongst the underwood. I 

 had brought my sketch-book, and although 

 despairing of success, sat down under a Fern 

 canopy to attempt an outline of some of 

 the whimsical groups before me ; whilst Mr. 

 Meredith and Dick went to look for a 

 kangaroo ; the former giving me the need- 

 less caution not to wander about, lest 1 

 should be lost — a catastrophe for which I 

 seem to possess a natural aptitude in the 

 'Bush.' 



u I soon relinquished my pencil, and shut 

 my book, half in disgust at my own pre- 

 sumption in attempting for an instant a sub- 

 ject so far beyond my poor abilities ; and, 

 fastening my handkerchief to the trunk of 

 my canopy fern tree, I ventured to make 

 short excursions from it on all sides, tak- 

 ing care not to go out of sight of the hand- 

 kerchief. Sometimes I could go as much as 

 ten yards ; but this was in the clearest place ; 

 generally the view closed in about five or 

 six. The stems of the fern trees here 

 varied from 6 to 20 or 30 feet high, and from 

 8 inches diameter to 2 or 3 feet ; their ex- 

 ternal substance being a dark-colored, thick, 

 soft, fibrous, mat-like bark, frequently netted 

 over with the most delicate little ferns, 

 growing on it parasitically. One species of 

 these creeping Ferns had long winding stems, 

 so tough and strong that I could rarely break 

 them; and waving polished leaves, not unlike 

 harts'-tongue, but narrower. These wreathed 

 round and round the mossy columns of the 

 fern trees like living garlands ; and the won- 

 drously elegant stately crown-canopy of 

 feathers (from 12 to 18 feet long) springing 

 from the summit, bent over in a graceful 

 curve all around, as evenly and regularly as 

 the ribs of a parasol. 



Whilst making one of my cautious six- 

 yard tours, a fine brush kangaroo came by 

 me, and was instantly out of sight again ; 

 and then I heard a whistle, which I an- 



swered by a ' coo-ee,' and Dick soon 

 bounded to me, followed by his master. We 

 then shared our sandwiches with the little 

 birds and the ants, and drank of the bright 

 cool rivulet ; and again went on exploring. 

 In one place we found a perfect living model 

 of an ancient vaulted crypt, such as I have 

 seen in old churches or castles, or beneath 

 St. Mary's Hall, in Coventry. We stood in 

 a large level space, devoid of grass or any 

 kind of undergrowth, but strewn with fern 

 leaflets like a thick, soft, even mat. Hun- 

 dreds — perhaps thousands — of fern trees 

 grew here, of nearly uniform size, and at 

 equal distances, all straight and erect as 

 chiselled pillars ; and, springing from their 

 living capitals, the long, arching, thick- 

 ribbed fern leaves spread forth and mingled 

 densely overhead in a groined roof of the 

 daintiest beauty, through which a ray of 

 light gleamed down — the solemn twilight of 

 the place strangely suiting with its almost 

 sacred character. Openings between the 

 outer columns seemed like arched doors and 

 windows seen through the "long-drawn 

 aisle," and stray gleams of sunshine falling 

 across them were faintly reflected on the 

 fretted vault above us. Danby might paint the 

 scene ; or perhaps one of Cattermole's won- 

 drous water-color pictures done on the spot 

 might convey some tolerable idea of its form 

 and coloring; but a mere slight sketch were 

 wholly useless. 



" After reluctantly leaving our temple in 

 the wilderness, we wandered some time 

 longer amidst the grand and beautiful scenes 

 around, and I made a collection of small 

 ferns and other plants new to me. We 

 noticed one very ornamental shrub, usually 

 known as the ' Tallow tree' (from the vis- 

 cous greasy pulp of the berries), growing 

 here very abundantly, and in great luxu- 

 riance ; but every one we found was growing 

 out of a fern tree ; the foster parent, in most 

 cases, appearing exhausted and withering, 

 whilst the nursling throve most vigorously. 

 It seemed, generally, as if seed had lodged 

 in the soft fibrous rind of the fern tree, 

 and had sprung up into a tall, strong, erect 

 stem, at the same time sending out down- 

 ward shoots, that eventually struck into the 

 earth ; but we could not find one plant 

 growing in and out of the earth, although 

 I am aware that the tree is not always a 

 parasite. Many of the stems were a foot 

 through, and their great, coiling, snaky- 

 rooted shoots clasped about the poor old 

 hoary fern trees. 



" These tyrant parasites are very hand- 

 some ; with rich, dark green, glossy leaves, 

 and red blossoms, succeeded by most bril- 

 liant orange-colored berries, which, when 

 ripe, split open, and the case flying back, 

 partially displays the bright red cluster of 



