4 MULLER. [Nov. 12, 1855. 



was instituted during the afternoon, about three o'clock. On both these 

 mountains mighty masses of snow lay far below the summits, lodging 

 chiefly in the ravines, and these never melt entirely under the heat of the 

 summer sun. 



Considering that mountains of such altitude, probably the two highest in 

 the Australian continent, deserve distinctive names, I solicit his Excellency's 

 permission to name the grandest of both Mount Hotham, and the second in 

 height Mount Latrobe, — as I trust to be entitled to the great honour of 

 being the first man who ever reached these commanding summits of the 

 Australian highland. The sky being fortunately clear during the ascent of 

 Mount Hotham, I enjoyed a most extensive and unrestricted view over the 

 Alps, and I did not lose this opportunity of taking bearings over to some of 

 the principal mountains already included in the trigonometrical survey of 

 Australia. From Mount Hotham bore Mount Aberdeen (the southern peak 

 in the Buffalo Ranges) W. 10° N., the most northern peak of the same range 

 W. 30° N., Mount Buller W. 35° S., Mount M'Millan (of Townsend, or 

 Castel Hill of Tyers) due S., the Cobboras mountains (between Omeo and 

 Maneroo) E. 12° N., Mount Wellington S. 10° W., Mount Latrobe (distant 

 about 8 miles) S. 25° E. Farther bearings were made to Mount Leichhardt 

 E. 30° N., to Mitchell's Plateau (in about equal distance with Mount Buller) 

 S. 40° W., to Kennedy's Height (a rocky hill in the snowy table-land, and 

 about 6 miles distant) E. 5° S., to Hooker's Plateau (about L5 miles distant) 

 N. 25° E. The bearings from Mount Latrobe were as follow : — Mitchell's 

 Plateau S.15° W., Mount Aberdeen W. 5° S., Clarke's Peak (between Mitchell's 

 Plateau and the Buffalo Ranges) S. 30° W., Mount Hotham N. 25° W. 

 Mounts Buller, Wellington, M'Millan, and other mountains, were concealed 

 in clouds. I hope that these bearings, although only taken with a simple 

 pocket compass, will be found sufficient and correct enough to fix the position 

 of these mountains until an exact survey of this interesting part of the 

 country shall be performed. The signification " Bogong Range" ought to be 

 abandoned, as the natives apply it to any of the lofty mountains when in 

 the fissures of the rocks, chiefly when covered with the spreading Alp pine 

 (Podocarpus montana), the Bogong moth occurs. One of the main branches 

 of the Mitta Mitta has its sources at Mount Latrobe, and those of another, 

 as well as those of the Ovens and Mitchell, lie in a lower range not far 

 distant. This snowy highland is in many places well grassed, and the lower 

 parts of it will be doubtless occupied as cattle runs as soon as the discovery 

 of a workable gold-field opens this part of the colony. The prevailing rock 

 is sandstone, often accompanied by slate and quartz. Granite is compara- 

 tively rare. 



After extending my journeys over several mountains in the neighbour- 

 hood, and an exploration of the Upper Mitta Mitta, I went over a generally 

 fertile country to Omeo. 



The amount of additional plants for the Flora of Victoria, obtained during 

 this part of my expedition, is nearly sixty species. Several of them are per- 

 fectly unknown, and nine of the genera and one natural order (Asteliaceas) 

 were previously also not represented in this colony. 



It is my intention to proceed without delay from here to the Cobboras, 

 thence to Maneroo and the Mungang Mountains, by which excursions the 

 botanical examination of the Australian Alps will be completed. 



