Page 58 - 2003 - Atlantic Islands

Most of the lush vegetation we walked through is introduced though Stedson did

point out the very few indigenous species still growing up here, though being rapidly

crowded out by ginger plants, Norfolk pine (planted by seafarers for use as masts for

their ships), eucalypts, and screw pine as well as lantana and wild strawberries (not

quite ripe yet).

On the trailside, as we passed we saw the feral sheep rushing away from us down

incredibly steep slopes maa-Aii ing their disapproval. We had never thought of sheep

as particularly agile creatures, but they were doing a fine job getting up and down

the slippery and precipitous slopes of Green Mountain. We did all right as well even

though our shoes were filthy with mud very quickly along the way. We doubted they

would ever be right again, but then we had not yet encountered the effective little

mudroom of the Orion.

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