Page:Narrative of a Visit to the Australian Colonies.djvu/52

22 woody hills near the town, which was clothed with the Gum trees—species of Eucalyptus—of large size, having foliage somewhat like willows, and growing among grass and small shrubs. Many trees were lying on the ground, and in various stages of decay. Smaller trees, called here Honey Suckle, She Oak, Cherry Tree, and Wattle, were interspersed among the others, and the ground was decorated with Leptospermam scoparium, Corroea virens, Indigofera australis, and Epacris impressa; the last of which resembles heath with white, pink, or crimson flowers. The trees in this country often bear the name of others belonging to the Northern Hemisphere. Thus the Honey-suckle of the Australian regions is generally some species of Banksia, often resembling a fir in growth, but having foliage more like a holly; and the Cherry-tree is an Exocarpos—a leafless, green, cypress-like bush, with small red or white fruit, bearing the stone outside!—The vallies here are termed gullies. In one of these we set up from among some dead wood, two Opossums and some animals called Bandicoots, both about the size of rabbits. Some pretty birds were sporting among the branches, gay butterflies fluttering among the flowers, and a Mole-cricket, enlivened by a recent shower, was merrily chirping in the ground. Grasshoppers with wings of black and yellow were very numerous, so as to be injurious to vegetation; and among the rocks, and on the trunks of trees, little dark lizards were plentiful, basking in the clear sunshine.

26th. We visited a chain-gang of upwards of 100 prisoners, at Bridgewater, 11 miles from Hobart Town; they were employed under the superintendence of a military officer, in making a raised causeway across a muddy flat in the Derwent, and were generally in good health, notwithstanding the water here is not of the best quality; but like much in the colony, contains a large quantity of alumine. A guard of soldiers under arms stood over the prisoners while we addressed them in the barrack yard. They were quiet and attentive, and we were well satisfied in having gone to see them.

27th. We walked to the Government-garden, which is situated on the beautiful banks of the Derwent, about a mile