280 JOUEtfEY TO THE SUMMIT OF G-tJlTOlfG- BUBU. 



This, however, is not the highest point. The crest of the 

 mountain is a narrow ridge about half a mile long, gradually 

 sloping up to the northward until it is about 1.00 feet above 

 where we then were. This might be called the lower shoulder 

 of the ridge or crest. A splendid view was obtainable three- 

 quarters round the compass, but the north was hidden by the 

 higher summit. 



The first thing that attracted our attention was the vegeta- 

 tion. The trees were all low and small, stunted and gnarled 

 by the weather. Beneath there was a thick carpet of moss, 

 into which the foot sunk some inches and when withdrawn 

 left a pool of water on the foot-print. Above this was a most 

 luxuriant growth of heather [Lycopodium nutans ), while 

 Matonia pectimata spread out its fan -like fronds on every side. 

 The sides of the trees were hoary with long-bearded lichens 

 ( Usnea burbata ) and mosses. There were only a few species 

 of trees. One very common one was a conifer, but in the 

 absence of any cones we were left in doubt whether it was 

 Dacrydium elatum or some other species. Abundance of 

 young plants of this pine covered the ground. There were 

 also thickets of Leptospermum flavescens, which grew as high 

 as the pine, and a shrub of the genus Leucopogon. The two 

 latter are entirely Australian on their affinities, and both 

 species are found on that continent. Besides these, there 

 were abundance of Nepenthes or pitcher-plants with bushes 

 of Rhododendrons ( R. verticillatum ?), with a Gahnia and some 

 few other flowering plants and ferns. 



From this point, a hasty exploration was made to the high- 

 est point or northern summit of the mountain. Though 

 scarcely half a mile in direct distance, it required considera- 

 bly over a mile of hard climbing to reach it. The roots of the 

 bushes have proved a kind of upper platform on the crest and 



