THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 17 



of a tributary of the Caledonia barred all progress in this 

 direction. Continuing north-easterly we were not long in finding, 

 to our disappointment, that the snow plain narrowed to a sharp, 

 rapidly descending spur, down which it would be necessary to 

 follow, and then ascend again by laborious climbing a continua- 

 tion of this ridge to ihe Main Divide, Mts. Howitt and Magdala 

 were now clearly visible, but it was plain that another long day's 

 journey would be necessary to reach them. This meant two 

 days to return to our present position, but as we only had one 

 day to spare before we nmst turn homewards, it was decided that 

 it would be unwise to go on. We had fortunately carried a billy 

 of water from the last spring, so we camped for the night on the 

 narrow spur. Next morning, before sunrise, we turned our backs 

 on Mt. Howitt, and started for home. The northern edge of the 

 plateau was followed to its north-western extremity, where some 

 sheer precipices overlook the deep tributary valley of the 

 Macallister, which bears north-easterly in the direction of Mt. 

 Howitt. Another spur on the western face appeared more pro- 

 mising from the top for the descent to the river, so we determined 

 to try it. For more than half-way down it was a decided 

 improvement, but it finally ended in a steep, rocky shoulder over- 

 looking the river. It was necessary, therefore, to scramble down 

 by the best means possible into the scrubby valley on the right, 

 and follow it along to the river. Unfortunately the junction 

 proved to be the densest tangle of hazel and other growth 

 we had yet experienced. After much labour the river bed was 

 at last reached, and though it was rough and boiildery, slow 

 travelling for a short distance along its irregular channel carried 

 us beyond the zone of dense scrub, and the bank was then 

 resumed. After nearly an hour's travelling the welcome sound of 

 the bell of the pack-horse was heard, and the animal was soon 

 secured, none the worst for its lonely holiday of two days on the 

 restricted river flat. 



A halt was made for the night at the old camp, where everything 

 we had left was found undisturbed. 



A good haul of blackfish was secured in a deep, rocky pool 

 near the camp, and proved an agreeable change of diet after our 

 plain fare on the mountain. Next day we were not sorry to 

 resume riding, and a long day's travelling carried us down to an 

 old camping spot some 25 miles from Glenmaggie, and soon our 

 trials were a thing of the past. 



The future development of much of this great mountain tract 

 as an area for man's permanent abode and use is still probably 

 somewhat distant. Narrow river valleys form the only means of 

 access to much of this country, and the frequent crossings 

 necessitated by the precipitous cliffs and steep shoulders of the 

 spurs mean almost complete isolation to much of this country 



