The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1880-10-02
A Visit to the Queensland Government
Sugarcane Nursery, near Indooroopilly.

| BY A SPECIAL REPORTER OF THE r. ". ADVEhTISEh. i
On the last day of August, 1880. being again on
a short stay at Brisbane, where I spent some time in
1925, on the staff Of the North Australian,
besides a few days call in 1877. after my return to
Australia from Honolulu, l took q walk from my
quarters at the Sydney dnti-loripoiist BOARDING
house to the Brisbane Botanic Garden, where I bad
often whiled away an idle hour in past year,. Some
account of this Garden, with its rare bEaya bunya
trees. would, no doubt, be full Of interest for your
readers, who take part in botanical matters, but at
present l do not propose to write any description Of
it, and shall merely state that my object in going to
the Garden was principally to see an old acquaint-
ance-the Director of the Brisbane Botanic Garden,
Mr.. Hill, whom I knew in former times here, and
whose namesakc (f not relatively 1 had the pleasure
of meeting at Honolulu. During our conversation,
while sitting in the Garden, l heard from Mr.. Hill
that this Government has a Sugarcane Nursery near
this capital, so l arranged to accompany him accord
ingly, and now pen the result.
The Nursery in question, Mr.. Hill stated, was
situated near a place known by its aboriginal name
of Indooroopilly, which sounds almost as har-
moniously as some Of your own Hawaiian names,
and it is given to a little station on the railway from
Brisbane to Ipswich and the interior of this colony,
about halfa-dozen miles from this city. 1t was
arranged that l should meet Mr.. Hill at the City
Railway Terminus so as TO take the 4.20 pm. train
to Indooroopilly-but e man proposes you know,
and so it happened that | missed the train. What
was to be done? | first inquired on the platform il
Mr.. Hill had been seen going of by that train, and
got an affirmative answer ; L then asked about the
next train, and was told that il would not leave for
a full hour or more. and ultimately; not being the
most patient of mortals, I started of on foot by the
road to Indooroopilly, resolved to walk on to the first
or second station, and let the next train overtake
me. This arrangement gave me an opportunity Of
seeing something of the suburban localities, which
are really very picturesque on the north bank of the
Brisbane River. About a mile out / came to the
little station of Milton. and finding that had forty
minutes to wait for the train, I decided 10 20 on still
on foot to the next station at Towong-anotbe
aboriginal name-about as far off again I followed
g road which first passed under the railway, and
then brought me down to the riverside, which it
next followed as far as Towong, some nice suburban
villas jotting the banks of the lordly stream as |
walked along, while South Brisbane was scattered
over a large area on the opposite side. I reached
Towong a few minutes before the train came up. and
had only time to catch a glimpse Of u nice hamlet
Anu one pretty maui, ht iensts n circumstance
which always adds, | think, to the romance of q
landscape. I supplied myself with a ~frst-class retarn
ticket between Towong and Indooroopilly, besides a
continuation to the city, at a cost Of Is. Sd. There
was still clear daylight enough 10 enjoy the passing
forest panorama displayed by Dame Nature as the
train rolled on to Indooroopilly. which | reached
shortly before sunset, my first inquiry being for Mr..
Hill, who. | was told, had gone over to the Nursery.
l at once walked of in the direction indicated.
having to cross the Brisbane Rive by a sideway for
pedestrians on the railway bridge-a remarkable
work of engineering skill. I had not got over half
the bridge when l met Mr. Hill returning, and, after
few words explaining my regret at the dlsappoint-
ment caused by my losing the train, il was agreed
that Mr.. Hill would walk back with me TO the
Nursery. about Il quarter OF a mile of. just 20 allow
an opportunity Of having at least one glimpse Of
the sugarcanes. aud sucking q piece If there was not
light enough TO zee them. Fortunately, we had at
least leu inmates good twilight after we got 10 the
sugarcanes. whose sight recalled my pleasant rides
with the Royal Commissioners +" on Hawaii. in
1877 and, to make the memory still more vivid.
MIR. Hill cut a cane and gave me a piece 10 suck,
which he said was grown from cuttings sent from
Lahaina from my old friend the Royal Commissioner.
MIR. Mackay's plantation ; | also sucked some pieces
Of canes grown from Java and Mauritius cuttings
and. l may add, that Mr.. Hill stated that he had as
many as seventy two varieties of sagarcanes in the
Nursery. He has kindly promised me some notes.
which | shall forward herewith. / mus. NOT forget
TO add that the caretaker Of the Nursery was a sop
the Emerald Isle, rejoicing in the apetizing name
Of Murphy. | also saw at the Nursery 80 900 cedar
plants of about ten months growth, which MI. Hill
to all who desire the same. The little
;edars of lndooroopilly may one day rival their kins-
folk of Lebanon but it will take time-like our
selves when babies. 1t was just dark night when
Mr.. Hill aud your correspondent reached the Indoo-
roopIlly hosiery, where 60 mine hostess {" had pre-
pared some tea and fresh boiled eggs, q couple Of
which, with as many cups Of the aromatic immersion
slices of rutherford, Y. c., slowed away In the
pantry describing at intervals In the couyss OF
he necessary mastication. the confagration of Homo
lulu, in 1877, including some illusions to the pre-
Vious bonfres at San Francisco, and speculations on
he late blazes in Sydney and other Australian
towns, with a glance at the doings Of Nihilists, and
sn inference that the world was going to be
burned down. causing some sensation amongst q few
Cloths present. A run for the railway station in the
darkness fortunately was attended with no
and we both rushed headIonR into-worse
~ HNS ehOk1uK bHlOO0
carriage but by opening q window and sticking ont
my head. to the great risk Of its being chopped of at
the bridges en- route, / contrived to survive till our
train reached the hrisbance terminus, after which n
walk across the city brought us to a point where our
paths in life parted, as must always happen even 10
the best friends everywhere on life's pilgrimage. In
The course of conversation. Mr.. Hill spoke Of his
at having Mr.. Turton and other gentle
men Of the Isles in the list Of his correspondent.
Thus ended a pleasant e~xeufsiOn to Inc sagasssns
Nursery Of Indooroopilly-somexhat recalling our
trip with His Hawaiian Msiesty's brothsr-in-law,
Mr.. cleghOrn to Waikiki Of old I9li0n ANT
EDwAR MAoDoNNELL.
PSI follow the plan Of the lovelier sex In
putting the Pith OF the news after .sign4tures 80
may state that, having been disappointed in going
with the Vega, on the Arctic exploration, l am.
now In hopes that / may be allowed by II. I. NJ, TO.
accompany Captain Bove next year in hhe UNI
berto. on the proposed Antarctic explanation, as
diarist, and, meanwhile, l am thiRRiag Of goins on.
to China, Japan. and East Siheria-and perhaps.
shake hands with old friends at Honolulu.