Night Thoughts And A New Direction

Where is Cradle Mountain anyway?

Gaius decides it is time that he looked at a map.

He is shocked to discover that they are still in the north of Tasmania, and that Cradle Mountain is off to the west. In fact the very opposite of..........but he supposes that it is his fault.

Since no one wishes to go to Cradle Mountain..... begins Gaius.

Everyone looks up expectantly.

I suggest we don't go, says Gaius.

Faint cheers.

Instead, says Gaius, first thing in the morning, we shall take this route ( he traces the route with his finger), straight down Lake Highway to Lake St Clair, where the Mountain Shrimps are. From there it is not far to Hobart.

More cheers.

Now, says Gaius, I suggest we all get some sleep.

How easy it is lead people. Gaius is first to nod off, followed by Unni and Arthur.

.......

Schopenhauer can't sleep. He gets up and ventures outside. He wanders down to the river Meander.

He hears the faint grunting of ducks and swans, the faint popping of trout.

Roooarr! A train thunders by.

A wallaby hops gently between two dark bushes. An echidna steps on a twig.

Schopenhauer thinks about what he might write should he ever get round to it.

The barnacles turned out to be a great disappointment. Quite resistant to human intentions.

Lucky he has an extension.

.........

He re-enters the cabin. Everyone is awake, thanks to the train.

Gaius is telling a story.

Goose barnacles, says Gaius, are edible.

Goose and Wally wonder if they ought to be glad.

The Spanish and Portuguese eat them, says Gaius. They are considered a delicacy.

Gaius picks up Goose and turns him over.

Put him down, Gaius, says Unni. Can't you see you're making him nervous?

No, no, says Gaius. Goose has no need to fear. He is not a Goose barnacle.

Put me down! says Goose. Put me down next to Wally.

Gaius puts him down, picks up Wally, turns him over.

No one stands up for Wally. Gaius puts him down anyway.

In the Goose barnacle, continues Gaius, the fleshy stalk resembles the neck of a goose. The ancients used to believe that seagoing wild geese hatched from the barnacle.

Huh-huh, laughs Goose.

Heh-heh, laughs Wally.

Funnily enough, says Gaius.......but never mind, no doubt you know this already.

What? says Arthur. I don't know it.

Me either, says Unni.

Turn them over, says Gaius.

Ooh, says Unni. They're brimful of larvae!

Goose and Wally pretend that they knew.