40 HAMBLETON chap. 
side of it ; away went the pole and what a smash-up 
we had ! I had to ride ignominiously back to the 
hotel sideways on a Chinaman's broken-kneed horse, 
only too thankful that things were not worse. 
Hambleton Sugar Plantation, ten miles from Cairns, 
from which I now write, is one of the most beautiful 
places I have seen in Queensland. The house, which 
is very pretty and comfortable, is in an almost perfect 
situation at the foot of high mountains, with a magni- 
ficent view of them all round. The plantation itself 
lies in a valley below, and one can see Cairns by the 
sea ten miles away in front. The wild, rich, tropical 
v^etation is all around, and it is tantalising to see the 
Bellenden Ker ranges so close without being able to go 
up and explore them. I can only send you sketches 
and give you a rough outline of what this lovely 
country is like. There are oranges, lemons, bananas, 
tamarinds, pine-apples, melons, grenadillas, and custard 
apples, ripe in the garden ; the latter fruit I have only 
now tasted for the first time. It was a large one. 
I ate it all, and the rich, creamy flavour satisfied me 
so much that I have never managed a second. It is 
much cooler here than in Cairns, and for the first time 
since I left Brisbane I have been able to take quite 
long walks. I have spent a lazy fortnight enjoying 
the peaceful quiet, the happy home life, and listening 
to the prattle of four of the sweetest little children I 
ever met They never bore one and, like their fair 
mother, grow more winning day by day. 
Before going further, however, I must not forget to 
tell you of a rather insane midnight ride I had to see 
a corroboree of really wild natives. Would I be tired ? 
Would I be frightened? Would I mind a rough 
journey ? and numerous other thoughtful inquiries were 
made, but you know well enough what my answers 
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