mass of the brilliant blossoms of the orange _Thunbergia venusta_,
purple _Bougainvilleas_, and ivory-white _Baumantia_ extended from end
to end and side to side. This fence encircled a lavish growth of palms
of all kinds and shapes and sorts and sizes, and many other tropical
plants, which quite overshadowed the common European shrubs. These
seem to flourish to perfection in winter here, and include verbenas of
all colours, and unusual size and brilliancy; a great profusion of
phloxes, the _Phlox Drummondi_ being a perfect weed, and scenting the
whole air. These taller flowers were intermixed with mignonette, musk,
and many dear old home favourites; while all one side of the garden
was taken up by a bush-house full of splendid palms. Ferns, various
_Alsophilas_, _Lycopodium scandens_, _Vanillas_, _Hoyas_, flourished
in great variety. Pink and red _Bougainvilleas_ were growing on
standards outside, among the orange-trees, and beyond lay lagoons
covered with the far-famed blue, red, and pink lotus-lilies of
Rockhampton.

The sun became very hot, and I was glad to be carried back to the
carriage and to drive straight to the boat, and so on board the yacht
to rest, while the remainder of the party went shopping in the town.
In the afternoon we all went in the steam-launch to see the Creek Meat
Canning Factory--a concern which has lately changed hands, and holds
some of the largest contracts in the world for supplying armies and
navies with tinned meat. The quality is excellent. Mr. Bertram, the
manager, met us at the pier, at which we had considerable difficulty
in landing, for the tide was low. After a little time and trouble we
managed to reach the shore, and went through the works, which are most
interesting. The manufactory stands on the bank of the river close to
a pretty lake embosomed amongst hills, and surrounded with paddocks,
where the cattle rest after being driven in from distant stations.

[Illustration: Native Weapons, Queensland]

We were all safe on board the yacht by 9 P.M., and at ten o'clock the
anchor was weighed. The night was fine, and we only stopped at
intervals to allow the pilot to reconnoitre, or to wait for a rise of
tide. This is a most curious river, and might well be made the scene
of a romance by some poetical person. It is only every ten or twelve
days that craft drawing over ten feet can get up or down the river,
and then only by the light of the moon. By day no large vessel can
reach