(12) stance: "Looking up you see the vault of the Devil's Coach House, one hundred and eighteen feet in height from which the recorder for births, deaths, and marriages for this district fell in the year 1867." Question: "Was he killed." "Ah, no- he was a public servant." One chamber was 250 feet X 200 and beautifully marked and colored by iron oxides. August 29 The ride back reminded me painfully of the ride out; for I was jammed in beside a fat lady all the way. Besides the stops for tiffin, we saw Leura Falls and the Jamieson Valley- famous jumping-off places recently graced by the tender gazes of H.R.H. the Duke of York and his wife, the Duchess. The bus got us to the hotel in good time to bathe, dress, dine, and around the corner to the theater for "Ruddigore". This was easily our most enjoyable experience in New South Wales. August 30 A great decision was reached this morning, namely not to proceed to Brisbane by the steamer-motor route proposed by our table companions on the Aorangi. We were very foolish to consider it since it costs five pounds more and entails grave risk in regard to baggage. Mr. Lawson, the consular-general re- gistered us as defenders of the Constitution and promised to facilitate the transportation of any remains, etc., The dentist finished the job on my teeth, extracting five guineas from me in the last visit. Spent the afternoon and evening at the Libra- ry. August 31 G.R. got an eleventh hour inoculation against small- pox. Upon arriving at the pier we were informed that the ship might not go to Brisbane at all on account of an impending general strike in Queensland, startling news when we realized that by the morning's vacillation between going on the Mataram and going via the tourist route and Byron Bay we were playing dangerously with the chance of missing the only boat to the Solomons in six weeks. The news did prompt action, for we had time to rush back uptown and buy the few things we had thought of getting in Brisbane. The Mataram finally got off but shortly anchored in Watson's Bay to wait for the mail from Melbourne. This held us up three hours but we finally got out of the Head with H.M.A.S. Sydney right in our wake. Later we learned that she is bound for Tulagi also; and that the Leftenant-Commander went around the islands with this ship the last trip in order to learn the reefs. The Matarm is only about 5000 tons but quite chummy and comfortable; her maximum speed is ten knots but she goes all the time. About 35 passengers, most of them taking the round trip for health or holiday. In the harbor we saw many gulls of the peculiar Australian variety- silver gull, I think they call it-small (about 18 inches), white breast, silvery-grey back, and black tips on the wings. In addition I saw one lone albatross, a strange enough sight, paddling around amongst them. It was un- mistakably diomedea exulans, the first of this species I have honestly seen.