II 
TARANTULAS 
19 
the face of the cliff for some orchids for me ; and 
coming home one of the party shot down some of the 
large pods of a creeping vine from whose seeds they 
make the favourite match-boxes. It was a stiff climb 
to the top of this mountain, but the summit once 
reached the view well repaid us. We looked down 
upon the whole of the sugar-cane district, with each 
homestead standing clearly defined in the network of 
green plantations. 
Just below us was a dense jungle of tall tree-tops : 
shining on one we saw what we thought was a large 
orange and blue flower; next day a native was sent out 
to bring it in — it was a spider’s nest, and the sun’s 
rays midst the silken threads had dyed it these colours. 
These creatures grow to a very large size here, and some 
of their silken dwellings are marvels of beauty, not 
made for the purpose of trapping, but simply for luxury, 
with a platform in front which is braced to the nearest 
support. They live only on insects, and it is, I think, 
a mistake to suppose that they eat birds, though their 
strong webs may sometimes trap them so firmly that 
they cannot extricate themselves. They are most useful 
scavengers, clearing the room of every fly, and are not 
so poisonous as one would imagine ; I have constantly 
taken tarantulas in my hands without being harmed. 
Three hundred Kanakas are employed on this 
plantation, and leaving on Sunday morning (their 
holiday) we met them in different directions going out 
with their bows and arrows to shoot fish and birds. 
Queensland has its thorns as well as its roses, and 
I came home with two big black ticks which had 
fastened themselves between my shoulders. They take 
good care to attack you where you cannot reach them. 
A great many dogs are killed by these pests, and some- 
times horses and cattle, but if animals can once become 
