2. 'For mountains and lakes, I really think we

can beat you!

"Mountain-chains!" said Mr. Campbell, when I asked him which way they ran. "There are no mountain-chains in Tasmania: it's made up of nothing but mountains. They're here, and there, and everywhere-mountains, valleys, peaks, and glens. Sometimes I've almost thought, in going among them, that I was back again in Scotland, or in Switzerland; and then, again, in the valleys, the fields, and gardens, and roads, and cottages, and good country houses with green parks and lawns, are like the best parts of England. The only difference is the climate, and there it beats England! It is hotter in summer, but not nearly so hot as Australia; and you will soon see what the weather is in winter-bright and dry and just cold enough to make walking pleasant.”

3. "What is the first place we shall come to?" said I.

"We are going direct to the deep inlet on the north coast, which forms the estuary of the Tamar river, and at the head of which stands Launceston, the second town in the island."

4. "Tamar and Launceston!" I exclaimed ; "those names sound Cornish.”

"Yes! and the county of Cornwall lies to the

south-east of us. But there is a queer jumble of names. The North and South Esk run into the Tamar; north of Cornwall is Dorset ; to the South lies Glamorgan; over there, to the eastward, Ben Nevis and Saddleback stand side by side; and, a little farther on, we shall just catch sight of the white top of Ben Lomond, in the heart of Cornwall! And so it is, all over the island.

5. "How did they get those names? I suppose some Cornishmen were the first to come up this estuary; and then some countryman of mine, from the Scotch lake-country, saw that great mountain, and thought the best compliment he could pay to it was to give it the name of his own Ben Lomond at home. But he thought too much of his own; for this Tasmanian fellow is over 5,000 feet high-several hundred feet higher than his Scottish namesake."

6. "Better travelling here," was his next remark, “than in the valley of the Australian Macquarie !

"Do you know why they have such good roads in Tasmania? In early days, they had a number of convicts, who were forced to work on the roads. The island being so small, they had all their main roads made, before the convict system. was given up, thirty years ago."

7. 'When we turned westward towards the mountains, we did not get on so smoothly; but the views were very beautiful. Snow-capped mountains "old night-caps," you remember, Johnny? -small lakes and tarns without number, with rivers running out of them; one large one, "The Great Lake," and at last Lake St. Clair, the end of our journey in this direction. Here we had mountains on every side. I tried to make out that I could see the Cradle Mountain, the highest in the island, but I believe it was too far off, and other heights came between.

8. 'From Lake St. Clair, we followed the river Derwent along the whole of its course, to the harbour and city of Hobart Town, "a pleasant town, in a beautiful situation." On the way, the chief thing that caught my eye was the quantity of fruit. Only think! Johnny: cherries, and plums, and mulberries are so plentiful that they are not worth picking.'

'There are also some hops, some grapes, and lots of sheep.

9. "Is there any gold in Tasmania?" I asked.

"A little, and just enough coal for the wants of the people themselves. Rather more tin; but, on the whole, it is not a mining country."

'We saw no strange animals, but 'Mr. Campbell told me of two-the tiger-wolf, with the shape of a wolf, and the stripes of a tiger; and a thick-set creature, resembling an ugly bear-like cat. Both are very destructive to sheep.

10. "I don't see any natives here," I said. "Are they higher up the mountains?"

"I am sorry to say, Charlie, the whole race has died out. There were not many of them; and the last of them, an old woman, died six years ago. They were a better race than the Australians, and seemed likely to improve under teaching. But the quieter life did not suit them, and one by one they all died."'

XII. NEW ZEALAND.

SOUTH ISLAND.

'Otago, June 20.

1. Now, Johnny, you will envy me! I have been all through New Zealand, and I have seen some grand mountains-real old nightcaps !—much higher than any in Australia; and lakes, and glaciers, and boiling springs, and-only think, Johnny-a real volcano, burning! But I must give you them all in proper order.

2. 'We went from Hobart Town by a steamer