ssed through a dull but fertile-looking country, until we
reached West Maitland, where I received a charming present of a basket
of fragrant flowers. About twelve o'clock we were glad to have some
lunch in the train. At Tamworth Mr. King met us with his little girl,
who shyly offered me a large and lovely bouquet of violets.

From Tamworth the country became prettier and the scenery more
mountainous. At one station there was quite a typical colonial
landscape: park-like ground heavily wooded with big gum-trees, and a
winding river with a little weir, where one felt it might be quite
possible to catch trout. The country continued to improve in beauty,
and we saw on all sides evidences of its excellence from a squatter's
point of view. At one place a herd of splendid cattle were being
driven along the road by a stockman, and we passed many large flocks
of sheep. About eight Armadale was reached.

The line from Armadale to Tenterfield is the highest in Australia, and
is considered a good piece of engineering work. It is in that respect
a great contrast to the line over the Blue Mountains, where the
engineers had a comparatively easy task in following the tracks of the
old bullock-road.

The country round Tenterfield is something like the New Forest, with
fine trees and a good many boggy bottoms. About fourteen or fifteen
miles from here the local 'Ben Lomond' rises to a height of 4,500
feet. In the clear starlight night we had occasional glimpses of its
deep glens and rocky peaks.

[Illustration: Cattle crossing the Darling River]

_Thursday, July 21st._--The train reached Tenterfield about one
o'clock this morning, and we drove straight to the Commercial Hotel,
where we found comfortable rooms and blazing fires. Everything looked
clean and tidy, and a cold supper awaited belated travellers, of whom
there were many besides ourselves. I was awakened at 7.30 A.M. by the
sun shining gloriously through the windows of my room. The air felt
delightfully fresh, reminding one of a lovely spring morning in
England about April. Soon after eleven came Mr. Walker, of
Tenterfield, who had kindly called to show us everything worth seeing
in the township near his station. His is a large holding, even for
Australia, 300 square miles in extent, and stretching fourteen miles
in one direction and eighteen in another.

After lunch all the party except the children, who were out riding,
started in two waggonettes for Tenterfield Station