Page:Sea and River-side Rambles in Victoria.djvu/70

51 , the silky Pleurandra, many species of Geranium, the lovely pink and white Epacris or Native Heath, the bitter Erythræa australis and others, whilst in moist places such as the banks of the lagoons trail the tiny Lobelia and the Myoporum, with its refreshingly green, shining, spatulate leaves, and then coming to St. Kilda, we wander through dense bushes of the beautiful white-flowering Riccinocarpus sidæformis. It is well to pause awhile here, were it only to observe the constant arrival and departure of vessels from all parts of our own coasts, and from every quarter of the globe, whilst the Bay itself is thronged with ships more in number than perhaps any other port in the world can boast of;—truly the progress of this Colony is a matter for wonder, when we reflect that but some twenty-five years since, the bold pioneers slowly wound their way up the Yarra, and laid the foundation of the handsome, densely-populated City of Melbourne, yet in the stirring scenes which have passed panorama-like before us, since the gold discovery, the energies and indomitable perseverance of those men have scarcely even been a matter for a passing thought; the time is yet to come when we shall duly appreciate them, and the dangers they have past will be as familiar to the Colonists at large as "Household Words," more particularly if some enterprising Publisher would give us cheap editions of the Travels of Batman, Mitchell, Sturt, poor Leichardt, and a host of others. We eagerly devour the last new novel, and the discoveries in and histories of other lands, but to our shame be it spoken are singularly apathetic to a knowledge of that in and by which we live.