SOMETHING ABOUT TASMANIA.

Temuka Leader, 26 February 1880, Page 2

SOMETHING ABOUT TASMANIA.

Bsr Gapitano.— Pa ex IL I resume Ibe thread of my narrative. As I write, my mind almost uocoirwioa.-d;-wandevs back to the early days of my life. I can almost f inoy myse'f young again as I think of those halcyon days—days which were (to use an Amerkanian) thoroughly “ impregna'ed ” with enjoyment cud spon How easily cm tiie Australian carry his mind back to (ho days of his youth, wlien kaogaroo-huniingj dec-’-sta'king, and other enjoyable pa.sli’Uea, were almost all that he had to trouble him. Of course the above-mentioned animals could only be hunted during the day. Then, after Hie day had closed, and when Lunar was shedding ’ er resplendent beams o’er forest and b ish, we shouldem-1 our fowbngpiec es, moulded our hm cu, whistled for the dogs, an 4 went ’possum-hunting. That >s Hie spurt of sports. After riding about six miles, we arrive at die huntmg ground. The dogs find a fresh scent, and they soon r.u io earth —>v ratner to tree —a couple of ringtails, or it may turn out lo he a grey or black ’possum. This latter kind, a ve y fierce amnrd when cornered, is Very scarce, and its skims ate very valuable. ’Possum-skins are fanned, and then made np into ruga, coifs, collars caps, and ev n ove'coats, which,naturally are very handy during the wr.ler mouths. Of course them are other sports. There’s fi-ihiugtobe had in creek and mo*, the fox hunt in Hie midiaud coun ies, and innumerable other pisiimes. Gome of Hie Teimik.a disomies oc “ Isaak Wad ton ” would enjoy themselves thoroughly in Tasmania, because wherever there’s a creek or river Hie trout, U’o.im, flit head, tench, and the ins .’liable col a -- e always to be found. The e,:l is always angled with Hie hook and worm, in’.;cad of with the bcaslly-'ooking “bob ” used by Now Zealand fishermen. Give mo a hook and worm and I will catch twice as many eels ivs will the user of the bob,

If (rout-fishing, elc.j h 100 lame* then go h.'w.aeouia fishing. Wi-K a slashim' breeze, the line 'rail-eg over the boat for a di-dance-oft we've yards, with a piece of rod flannel as a bait, the sporisnym enjoy.-, himself property. If you feel "as if you want a li.i-le recreation aider a h.-d day’s work, you get a party of ladies and genilemeu together, including a good cornelplayer, and go for a night’s fishing to the celebrated Beauty Pry, ov, nearer still, to Smelting Works Bay. IE you've Lad enough of these last two places, you can go <o Risdon Ferry, or Gmcrameot H nso and Cornelian Bays. aU worth visiting and yen are bound !o catch abundance of the monsters of (he deep, in the shooting season, yoivoan bv’g away at the due p.iri' idge, babcoot, quail and wild pigeon. Cou s’ug -the hares wove introduced by J. AV. Graves, Esq., about four years Ago —!-as aho been added to the li,-.I of sports. If you are tired of all these, go yachting, and have a look at the Black Jack, Iron Poi, or Cape Baoul. The p.s. Mona ch sails dally from Hobart Town for a beautiful li'de p'ace called New Norfolk You can enjoy yourself by watching the hop-pickers at (heir w'ork ; then you star; for the S dmon Ponds ; aflor watching the salmon fo’’ a time, and think that a few mouths’ confinement would he beneficial, pay a visit to Dr Huston’s retreat for imbeciles and cloßs.

There are innumerable other places for the tourist to visit. You we.it to visit a real nice spot ? Well, we will go up the celebrated Mount Wellington, at the foot of which Hobart Town is bitualed. We start at five a.m.. and drive as far as (he finger-post: at the foot of tho mountain, and half way of our journey. What grand scenery is to bo seen on every side. If the traveller is fond of bis glass of beer, he cannot pass by Degraves’ Cascade Brewery, so in ' ho goes to taste some of the famous Tasmanian ale. indulged in by our local topers when tiiey can get it. We, after leaving the brewery, soon enter tbe btisb. See to what a height the blue-gum tree attains. Wild flowers abound on every hand, and their delicious fragrance is wafted by the zephyrs to the tourist’s olefactory nerves, reminding him of England, We have at last reached the fingerpost, and wo must of necessity get out of our vehicle and walk. After trudging a short distance wo roach The Springs, socalled because of tho large number of sprin f R of water about the spot. A house has been built here, and is occupied by an old buffer named Wood, with his wife and two rosy-cheeked daughters. Before you have been chatting with old Wood five minutes, you discover that ho is a sort of public character. Ho will tell you of the vast amount of good ho lias done for the world at large. The "amount of good’’ always lays in the ockets of his auditors, and he generally n anages to victimise the I traveller for a few bawbees. This is tho “ goal ’’ he alludes to. This old fellow got

up a subscription for housed a few year back, headed the list with a fictitious nnine f. r £25. and lima had Hie -unheard-of audacity to take tiie list vow ad' for signnlur Tint’s veal colonial cheek. Wood felr'ves in josh Billings’ ad wee :—“ If u walit anything dim well, dn it nrese f Midi "s larfing at ure own wit, or getting up a subsevipshion li&fc for n v e own benefit.” Ido not renumber the exact w>>rds Josh uses, but Imy are to the above effect. I digns;-. We resume our story and journey at tiie same time, and make a start for tin too of the big hill. We soon reach a square dot of ground called il the Ploughed Fie' .1,” which is covered by boulders weighing on an average 14cwt. You have to leap from one to another,and you are, i" a reckless individual, in danger of smashing in the top of your figure-head if you lose your equilibrium, and take a dire down between two of the boulders, li is supposed that these rocks were vomited forth from tiie boweis of the mount during an imaginary volcanic eruption. Wo are at last over the Ploughed Field, and the real tug of war beg'ns. The tourist has to walk up a steep hill, almost as perpendicular as the shrouds of a barque or ship. -After “ working your passage ” as Ternukaites of a witty turn of mind s- y—for a comfortable (?) distance, yon descry the Rocking Stone— a stone weighing about ten ions, .and fixed into a sort of natural groove. You must have a rock, so you jump on it. and enjoy yourself. If for. nothing else, Mount Wellington is worth climbing to see the Rocking Stone. By giving it a slight push it will rock for hours together, and it is impossible to turn it over. We again start, and soon reach

the top> By when attaining the Pinnacle, the tourist is perspiring at every pore, and he must have a rest. The cool air soon composes him, and he immediateI}’ 1 }’ shakes himself together to view the scenery. He is surprised at the woiiderous beauty of the scene spread before him. At the foot of the mountain Hobart Town is seen in its entirety ; if it is a clear day, peop’e can be seen walking about. Looking to the south, the Hnon is seen, winding its way amongst the hills ; besides, you can see Cane Frederick Henry, the Raoul, and S.W. Capo. Looking south-east are Muddy and Clarence Plains and Collorivo. Then tin n to the north, and you see the Raver Derwent, New Norfolk, and several other places. I forgot to mention that Mount Wellington is nearly 5,000 feet high, so the reader can imagine the distance the tmirist can see. Before making a start for the Springs, you (!f you’re a floriculturist) are delighted with tho plant known as the Waratah, having a red flower. This plant grows only on the top of Mount Wellington, and it is much sought after by tourists. Besides the Waratah, there’s the red, white and blue berries—all very pretty. Lower down is to be see : heath and moss, was flowers, dandelions, and others too numerous to mendon. Wo at last roach the Springs, and have a cup tea. We square up with oid Wood, palm (he hands of his daughters, make a start homewards, and soon cover half the dis_ tance as we reach the finger-post. We enter the buggy in a! tendance, and, affer half-an-horr’s pleasant drive, reach the city, pleased whh our day’s outing, but really tired out, as ' I expect my renders are for this issue, so I shall close, and fin' ish by waiting the magic words— To le Continued.