Page:Australia, from Port Macquarie to Moreton Bay.djvu/112

ranges being of good soil, and tolerably grassy, heavily wooded by large timber, with an underwood of Xanthorrheæ, tree-ferns, and a dwarf kind of Coripha. I then ascended a ridge of some elevation, and obtained an extensive view, To the right was the Broken-bago range, which divides the basin of the Manning river from that of the Hastings, and which was covered all over with the densest forest: on the highest conical summit of this range, a tall pinnacle of naked rock shot up perpendicularly above the trees, like a church-steeple. Looking eastward I discerned the verdant headlands at the entrance of Camden Haven inlet, with a long line of white surf at their bases, and more to the south, the three lofty hills, which stand comparatively isolated, near the coast, called "The Three Brothers," and which form such prominent landmarks when viewed from the sea. I still encountered for some distance further the same unvarying thickly wooded grassy ranges, and gravelly creeks in brushy hollows, at one of which I met with two natives who were getting some honey from the branch of a tree. They belonged to one of the Manning river tribes, and told me that the tribe was "close up bulga," (near the mountain), pointing to one of the Three Brothers. Having borrowed their fire-stick to light my pipe, and given them a piece of tobacco, I went a little farther on, and alighted a short time, whilst my horse fed upon some good young grass. On resuming my journey I passed along the foot of