244 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 



clouds, and from the dissolving snow, which, lying there for many 

 months in the year, has given to these localities the appellation of 

 "The Snowy Plains." 



The route thus followed is the most practicable for penetrating from 

 this part of Gipps' Land into the central mountains of the Alps, al- 

 though an easier access yet may be found to them from Omeo, by fol- 

 lowing the generally grassy ranges to the westward from a few miles 

 above the junction of the Livingstone Eiver with the Mitta Mitta. 



Proceeding on a second journey along the Darga, which flows through 

 some luxuriantly grassed recesses of the mountains, I advanced through 

 a difficult country to the Bogong Eange, the culminating point of the 

 westerly systema of the Snowy Mountains; a dense scrub, and the 

 total absence of water on the crest of the Wentworth Eanges, render- 

 ing the progress tedious, until I reached the Dividing Eange towards 

 the sources of the Cabongra, where again the feature of the country 

 changes on the northern slopes of the mountains, or along the sources 

 of the Murray tributaries. Here open valleys give access to the cen- 

 tral ranges in almost every direction, and a profusion of grass and 

 water attracts cattle during the summer months far into these moun- 

 tains. The low scrubby underwood disappears with Stringy-bark and 

 Box, Eucalypti, and the dwarf forests of mountain Gum-trees, which 

 replace them, may either be avoided or oflfer but little obstruction to 

 the progress of a traveller. 



According to a special report, which I had the honour of transmitting 

 to the Government, dated Omeo, 16th December, 1854, I succeeded in 

 reaching not only two of the main sources of the Mitta Mitta, but also 

 the two most elevated heights of the Bogong Eange ; these perhaps not 

 even previously trodden by the aborigines, since game and brushwood 

 cease far below the summits. The two highest mountains, which I 

 had the honour, by His Excellency's sanction, to distinguish as Mount 

 Hotham and Mount La Trobe, are along the terminal ravines covered 

 with eternal snow. It will be unnecessary to repeat here the respective 

 bearings which I took from these aU-eommanding heights, since they 

 are detailed in my special report ; but it remains for me to confirm my 

 computation with regard to their altitude. My calculations, based on 

 the boiling-water point, proved, after m^ return, that the summits of 

 the Bogoug Eange are unsurpassed by any other known of this conti- 

 nent, approaching to the altitude of 7000 feet above the level of the 



