CHAPTER ll.—(Continued).

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 66, 27 November 1880, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER ll.—(Continued).

The basket was taken out, and Walter V&iYwtox took a handle each, and -walked awajinto the forest. _ " W«.ll make for the old HerouW ' xtservur," taid Victor, "where we will 'injure lunch, and then, when the basket is ' lightened, we, can go to Fern Tree Gully; where we are flure to get plenty of specimens i besides, it will be nice and cooJL" ' ■i ■: "You'll not go near Eegan's ?" queried 'If alter. ■ • . . "I don't think so/ said Victor, eva^ lively. " Look, there is Grant's Palace!" On*« the pebbly- hillside there was a ' shanty of an extraordinary description. It might have done for a dog-kennel, but /no lover ot his hounds would have thought them well disposed of in it; What the original mateiials were of which the hut was built no one could tell, for now it was ' patched up with zinc, iron, tin, bark, bags, and other things. The chimney was of 1 Ha, and had a lean-over look, as if ifc would tumble at any moment; yet olcj •Gritians averred that it had been in the, •wne condition since they remembered. Young fellows, upon whose chins the down had begun to show, recollected "Grant's Palace^ as an early xeminiscepce of their childhood; indeed, young Gritians, when engaged in wattle birds; Kad bften; from" a safe entrenchment in the itorub/ delivered a shot or two witli stone* at the hut, just to hear the old, man •wear. , ' I At they paiied, Walter looked' at the nltarable abode with feelings of indignation. For a tioh manto hoard v up his* money; and to live in so jwetehed • eiib.twhen he should build a, handsome mansion and giro em- : HMtotal i \t> lh§i ttMi who » B»o»h»lp©A to SWhli mon«y, be thonghHii«»'»hoit oil Mm©. Prewntly a lean, yellow dog rnihed "lMtt l the /> doo»wayj'aad barked vioiouely. J . ' t4 Ttifcl'« Gold,''; said Victor; .'-'-tbe old ■Han e«U«d Umithatbeoaoge he*t yeUow." ] . i j**And hff 1 looks a*, il ihe lived on the 1»*U1/' Mid Waltm. '.* What an these three fttaatataokiupthcre like a triangle ?"■ . .n : , •» Ob,'/ wpiMd Viotoi, '« th§l'« hla kitenmi ; >jMHMM>bui7koltle-.oiil4hat, I !at leaßt old - Moth* OW*t> *<»* Mor hi*. , Bheetoki «ad<'«lMbrc«p the-plade<«addo yoo know towihaiMdmaniigoingitopfcyherP" > *n. l iNo l l'iqnjiie.d.Walt«r. ; , , ' „(.:,, . j.'tE* tells her he*ll. leave Jaet a thousand iponnds in hia will, and the .old iwoman daver^n! in hopes,i although they quarrel - mlma «»ek, and Jie regularly 4 dißohatges' Ifcatwery Saturday. Butthey,m*Jie itupou Sundlay.: w tnat '9b«j $*$ jtai» oidw thin unole, b»t,M Bheitokea •only^betrr. and he drinks, -whisky, she tb«li«Tes ahe will see n him under the ground:" ■ . ; j^JPahrsaid Walter, aa they entered a blind gully, well wooded y "I'm glad we ham <lost nght ofiitheplace;. it Bxakes m^ •IOkV I wonder, Viotor, it you, come int< kfl fortune, if it will change your nature, • ** I fear 1 will never have the ohanoe/ replied Victor, "for tha old man will altei bis will to-morrow. But never mind talking of such things. What a lovely spo •fids is T ' , • < j i 1 As if by instinctthey halted on a gxaai] hill; HghtlytMber«d, which oommande< »iiplendid"TifeVof Grit. At this time of ' the year the bush-fires which ooour fill the 'jatmosphexe with a mystio haie, which c tefin«ji and poetises the most unromantic - siJeneryi' Grit, therefore, : was ieen from - fjbjg'eniikenoe as if through a veil of cloud; A 'aee s Q t^L tne toofs glUienuig in T'the' sun ihe streeti >eaetobling ribbons o dull orange, while a phantom effect wa given by wie- columns 1 of dark smoke, thaji "' roae from conntlcss J Aabks, drifting lazil; In the. aixf, into Whichihey faded gradually. ' aebitug as attxtjfolond' npon the valley p ! "Grit. ' iSteeples rose through 1 this gxej mist lik« nuiflU, aad &o ontßnea si ©very landmark were rounded off into ele&uiee. It was a dream-like ic«ne-a Turner land; "^^What aa air d t«po#e eT«rything ii

Grit wears," said Viotor. ,"As wo look* upon it now we axe led to believe that it is , ■arl>ream VaDejr, ancLjeb tike ceaeeieee rozina ol lif« go.es on there; the miners toil underneath th 6' earth ; the landers scurry forWards-with-their trucks ; "the thousand' stampers clang and thump; the pumpa plunge and bring op their rush of water; the Beehive is all activity, anil thV brokers' and' speculators shout and swear- and . cheat ; and all the rush and turmoil of life is there. . JJoea nofcl this remind you, Walter, oC other aspects of life, ? How often we contemplate some position in life whose possessors seem outwardly so peaceful and calm; do we not covet some beautif al home where eternal peace appears to reign ; and yet, when we penetrate them, we discover the canker, worm of misery, unrest, and turmoil is as rampant there as in our own positions and homes." '-> "Very well applied," replied Walter i; "and you might instance the idea we of the busy city have of nature. Happy birds, we say, and yet I warrant these feathered gentlemen and ladies have as unquiet a lite as we, searching for worms (we call ours gold), fighting for nesta (ours we dub property), and suffering th« pangs of disappointed lave. In nature there is no peace, no rest; her molecules, fee they man, beast, or earth, are ever in motion,"* " And yet I almost feel as if I could stop here for ever," replied Victor. "When J look around, it reminds- me of the Inspired Dreamer's Land of Beulah." It was a beautiful spot, that glorious', balmy, • spring day. A tender green grass covered the rounded slope with a verdant oarpet, from which, here and there, peeped oat orchids of every description, deep bJae, purple and white ; while on the brow, heaths, with red and white 'bloßßomß, peilumeA the air with their pnre waxen blooms. The rich 'yellow blossom tipped with dark red of the brooms, the drooping fronds of the parasol flower, the dark purple, tipped with white stars, ot'the Btar daisy, as it is known in Grit, the rich golden hne of the bntteroupi and immortelles, varied the parterre; while in the moiater spots the deliotfo roee pink blossoms of (he sundew were open, inviting heedless insect! to their deadly oups, and interspersed here and there were wattle-trees one mass of gold, diffasing the richest fragranoe. In the gully itself, invited by the moist soil, grew beds of native violets, as they are popularly named, without eoent, it ia true, but forming masses of rioh purple, that would' nave made a bed for Psyche; albeit a damp one. At the head of the gully, where Victor and Walter sat down to 1 dieeaea their )aaoh x there was a reservoir of clear cold water, on the brink of which, grew yellow water-liles. This reservoir had been made years before by some miners who had found a reef there. The dam was built and maobinery ereoted, but they had hardly got to work properly when the reef died out, and, after losing all their money, the miners left, and the machine was taken away. No evidenoe of former activity now remained bat the deserted shaft; and the Hades of where the machinery' had once stood, all of whioh were overgrown with thistles and noxious weeds. Oar tourists halted under a huge gum-tree close to the water, whose shade was grateful after toiling up the arid ranges. Victor opened the baaket and brought out hit treasure*, laying them on a cloth on the gran. Verjr daintily had everything been piejtoed, and ih» edible* »»>* wrapped In tsowy linen. All '• bore evidence of a woman's loving hand. The bottle of Tennaßt'a was opened, and the two youths let to' with an appetite born of exerciie and the mountain air, and they were not long in making the '"banquet" look' "mean," at Viotor jocosely remarked. While eating, a annoy native wren with a red breast, who had detected the good things, - kept hopping round them, and when Victor threw it a crumb it hopped off' to a twig, where, however, it was attacked by another bird, who got possession of the morsel. Just then two laughing-jackasses, who were perched on a bough, their heads on one side, with. that look of supernatural cannineaa whioh ia their characteristic, let off a hearty, guffaw. ■ "Fit emblem of society," laughed Viotor. 11 The afcropgest takes from the weakest, and the .world laughi." "You am quite,* .zDor«U«fc. bo-d*f* nld Walton "I hope your philosophy will kcjp you to kaipaway from Aegan's, for I think it ia dangerous, Dan Began ia.no man to play with." , " What a tease, you . are, Walter," 'replied Victor. "I think I will go down and Be s , the old, people and &<»• i i*' a ao amusing.! 1 You know 111I II don't mean anything serious,"! " Ye^it j may hecome tenoua/'akid Walteji i "What i» thatch* asked, as Victor oleared ouk the basket and a phUl fell out. i •• That'a cbloroform/'~waa the reply. ' * " li will, be useful if We come aerota danger^ bua apeotmena." , "Well, what do you say to a bathe 7"> queried Walter. "The water looks ao cool and inviting." , , ' , I <<&ut what I dv thinking of," icplied Victor. . , , The two were loon in the Water, diving and gamboling about, and creating miniature OMoadea'witti th«lr feet, chasing etch otter/from, bank to bank, and otherwise 1 enjoying 'ihe'maelvea aa 6nly the young can. 1 Presently they came to the b.ank. and stretched on the 'grass to dry themaelvea: They appeared to nave entirely forgotten the exciting events of the morning. ' A splendid pieknrft &«/ m*A* \flag iteUj In the, «W«w; of'fch»'fcr«e,'lnallihe L fr«edomof arcatia, ; All enjoyments, however, have an end,' and so' had theirs. They were chatting' merrily, and Victor had lit a choice cigar, 1 when Walter, after looking on one sid£ gave a startled shout, and leaped at least three feet into the air. " What the deuce is the matter ?" cried yiccor, springing up and looking be* wildexed. \ " Matter 1" said Walter. "Can't you see P It's no wonder the jackasses were on the tree, for they have evidently been watching it for some time." , . "What is »*?". asked Victor. . • . !' Can't you ace ?V said Walter. "Where's your, eyeg ? Don't you see the snake lying ooilad there, quite close to where I lay." /Victor, looked, and an expression of horror stole over his face as he saw a short, thiok,anake, or a dull brown hue, coiled up just ontaide the shade of the tree, in the Bum At first glance one would fancy it a piece of > stick. It was now alarmed, and raised its, head out of the coils occasionally, darting out a forked tongue, and snapping its head from side to side. The body 6: the serpent was very thick, while the head was small and spade shaped, -the neck being thin. They were so dose to the creature that they could "see yellow eye flashing amber fire from around a black, longitudinal pupil.- As it opened its' horrid month, the curved poison f ahgi were displayed. , Shortly.it uncoiled witl an angry 'hiss, and flattening its body watched the two youths, 'snapping from aide to side. It was not a' long snake, possibly eighteen inches or two feet in iengtb/bnt jvery stout of body. Imagination could BOt.eonceWd tiojtiihng sohttxit inappearonoe. THe fead . was kideons as an jtnaig aeen in the distempered' dream of a maniab.' , ' .'. ' ■ « Keep away » MW^Tiotof' to ! TOWr ;

" that is the most deadly of all serpents ; it is" a death-adder, the acantTurphis anhartlica." ' ' , "I'll acanlhqpkis him," and. Walker, making a rush tor a stick that lay near by. "No, no, don't," said Victor; "it is. the rarest of serpents 'in these parts, and X mean to catch it." ' . , , • ' "Catch a death-adder 1" said Walter. "Why, don't you know that its 4 bite is fatal in twenty minutes, and there' is no remedy, known that will cure it." "I'll find a remedy, however," said. Victor. " Give me that stick, and I'll soon I show yon the extent of my resources." Walter pushed the stick,, which was of a good length, towards him, and Victor seized it. The serpent .was all this time snapping angrily, moving its head from side to side, and keeping its yellow eyes upon the intruders. Victor went to the basket, pulled out some BerJin wool, which he stuck upon the stick, and he then poured upon the wool some of the chloroform in the phial. Quick as thought he reached this end of the stick to the deathadder, which raised its horrid head to strike at it. But no sooner did the powerful essence invade the serpent's nostriis, than, with a quiver or two, it sank down on the earth motionless. '! Now, let us dress quickly/* said Victor. And in a short time their garments had been resumed, and Walter felt mote courage, for boots and dress were some defence. "I wouldn't go near the brute for worlds," Baid Walter, "and I would advise you to leave it alone. Remember, how Drummond died through fooling with these reptiles." , " I would not care if I did die," replied Victor, moodily • " I woiild be as well dead as alive." Walter laughed. " What 1 You, the pet of everyone, talking of death. Pshaw! you've got the blues." "Perhapß," said, Victor, in a low tone, and in an abstracted' manner, " there is some truth in dreams, after aIL" "You don't mean to say you've been dreaming of serpents ?" queried Walter! " I had a strange dream last night," said Victor, in the «ame depressed tone. " I thought I was in a magnificent garden, where all the delights of the senses that men can have were mine, when, suddenly, clouds obecured the ekj, the beautiful garden vanished, and with it all tb at pleased the senses. I found myself in a wilderness, and wab suddenly embraced in the folds of a hideous serpent. Ugh I how like this looks to the phantom of my dream. It killed me, and my last recollection of the dream was my spirit gazing down upon the bloated and horrid body in which it ■ once had its habitation." •' Late suppers," said Walter, cynically. "The best recipe to raise hobgoblins, better even than Owen Glendower's magic, is a pork chop, with a slice of German eauaage, before going to bed." " Always the case,' ' replied Victor ; " the comic and the tragic are inseparable. • Had the death-adder bitten you there would, have been a tragedy ; as it is, we must have presented a comic spectacle. But here goes to secure the gentleman." " Do so," said Walter, '"but I won't help to carry the basket." "It cannot 'sting through, this," eaid Victor, tapping the basket, the withes of which were so close as to make the construction appear almost solid. Again Victor resorted to the chloroform, and applied it to the death adder's head. He then used the stick to place the basket on its side, near the., sei pent, and ingeniously thrust the creature into it with the Btick j then he righted the basket, after which he approached and locked it. " There,' ' said he ; • ' I defy it to hurt any one now. They're very sluggish creatures, and want a lot of rousing to do eviL Now, Walter, we'll leave it here, and take a stroll to old Began' s farm, just to get some milk." "To Bee Rose, you. mean," said Walter. "Maybe/ replied Victor; " anything to get rid of my thoughts. That thing in the basket has given my mind a strange turn.". ;'; ' Kill it, then," said Walter. " You'll come to harm over it." " Not I," answered Victor. " It's not the fiißt time I've dealt with the tribe. . I once sent a snake through the post to Professor M'Coy, and the poßt-office authorities, not "liking the look of the parcel, opened it. There was a fine scamper when the snake popped out, I tell you, and yet it was as harmless as a mosquito. Don't cay a word about my capture; we'll give a fright to some of the old ones. But, come along j 'I want to' collect a few ferns, -and to 'see the Regans.' You're done out of your prey this time, my feathered friends," he added, addressing the jackasses, who were still perched on the bough; "but, no doubt, you'll. find another before sundown."