144 SOMERSET chap, x 
the dark with some other flowers, and I took it in my 
arms not knowing what it was ; it brushed against my 
face, and next morning my whole head was swollen, 
and I could not see out of one of my eyes for some 
days. The pain was intense, and with this added to 
the great heat at the time, I suffered far more than I 
cared to acknowledge. Horses have been known to 
have died from the stings of this tree, and they are 
also sent mad sometimes with the pain ; but, as a rule, 
they know its look and give it a wide berth. One of 
the most useful of all the Queensland plants which, 
though originally not indigenous to Australia, has 
become quite acclimatised now, is the papaw apple, 
which grows in the form of a palm tree. 
Just now this little bay looks quite gay with the 
Government steamer the Albatross^ the Paluma gun- 
boat, and several pearling boats lying at anchor. 
Talking of these latter reminds me that I never told 
you of 8000 or more ounces of old Spanish coins that 
were found by one of Mr. Jardine's boats on a distant 
reef, together with an anchor and three guns. Mr. 
Jardine has given me several of the silver dollars, all 
cemented together with coral, which are a great curio- 
sity, and which I intend to have made into a paper- 
weight. They show different dates from 1725 to 
1820. The natives say that the ship from which 
these relics came ran ashore on the reef; that they 
killed and ate the crew, and that the ship split in two 
and sank in deep water. 
Now good-bye and good-night. Good-bye too to 
the happy hours here, and to the good kindly friends I 
leave behind ; though not to all, for Mrs. Jardine leaves 
with me to-morrow for our trip to the neighbouring 
islands. 
Digitized by LnOOQ IC 
