and heaven's lamps began. It is marvellous how clear and
bright the constellations and single stars shine forth in these
latitudes presided over by the Southern Cross,--which was in the zenith,
emphasized by the great stars in Centaurus pointing toward it, and
accompanied by the mysterious belt of the Via Lactea and the illumined
Magellan Clouds.

"This brave o'er-hanging firmament;
This majestical roof fretted with golden fire."

The tardy moon was somewhere behind the dark shadowy range of hills, but
the stars filled the valley and plain with a soft, dreamy, exquisite
light. Just at that moment a band of local musicians broke forth with
the air of "Home, Sweet Home," as a serenade of welcome to the
"Tasmanian Nightingale," Miss Amy Sherwin, who had returned that day to
her native land from a foreign professional tour. A lonely, unheeded
stranger was also there, under the deep sea-blue canopy studded with
stars, whom those familiar strains moved to quickened tears. Presently,
over the height of Mount Wellington a broad light was gradually
developed, covering the mantle of snow with silver spangles, and the
moon burst forth upon the scene with a calm, mellow radiance, sweeping
grandly on its upward course. Then the vocalist came out upon a balcony,
and in her clear contralto voice gave the words of the touching song, to
the delight of the welcoming group below. But one may not delay for
sentiment. "This world is a bog," said Queen Elizabeth, "over which we
must trip lightly. If we pause we sink!"

This was our last night in Hobart. The next day we sailed for New
Zealand. A state-room was secured on board the steamship "Mararoa,"
which had just arrived from Sydney, and which was bound for the east
coast of the country just named. The ship sailed at mid-day, and as we
steamed down the Derwent seaward we were followed by a myriad of
Cape-pigeons, a small graceful bird of the gull family, with which we
have not before chanced to meet.

The twelve miles of river between Hobart and the open sea virtually
forms the harbor of this city, just as Sydney harbor begins when the
"Heads" are passed seven miles below the capital. The undulating shore
of the river on either side was beautified by rural residences and
cultivated fields near the water's edge. But a little way inshore we
could see a continuous range of elevations, backed by those still
higher; and finally in the distance we descried a series of
cloud-embraced moun