16 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



ribbed with exposed strata dipping at angles from 30° to 40° 

 westward. Mts. Clear and Macdonald were picked out to the 

 north and north-west, but Howitt was hidden behind the higher 

 country, in close proximity, which bounded our view to the north- 

 east. 



It was decided to try another spur on the descent, as the first 

 was impossible for horses. This one proved less rocky, on the 

 whole, but equally steep. On return to camp plans were 

 discussed for the morrow. We determined to hobble the pack- 

 horse and leave her behind, to tie just what was absolutely 

 necessary for several days to the saddles, and endeavour to lead 

 the horses up by way of the second spur. This was accomplished, 

 but only after one of the most trying experiences to both man 

 and beast. The tangle of stunted vegetation growing between 

 sharp-edged sandstone blocks was almost too much for us. To 

 further hinder us, we found that the western part of the plateau 

 we had reached with such difficulty consisted of a forest of Snow 

 Gums so thick that our view was completely shut out in every 

 direction. This necessitated much waste of time in finding a 

 suitable route in the required direction. 



One interesting feature, however, was noted in these otherwise 

 unpleasing surroundings. The extra growth of vegetation was 

 observed to be due to a cap of fairly decomposed basalt which 

 covered the table-land, evidently only as a thin sheet, for in 

 many places projecting blocks of the underlying sandstone were 

 observed mixed up with the basalt. The surface, on the whole, 

 was fairly rocky, and not covered by much depth of soil. The 

 elevation of this area is, roughly, about 4,000 feet above sea level. 



It was well on in the afternoon before any water was found, 

 when a welcome spring, evidently coming out from under the 

 basalt, was found in a gully. The timber now became more 

 open, and a short descent brought us to a well-watered, grassy 

 valley in the plateau. This was followed for a considerable 

 distance eastwards. In several places the sub- alpine flowers were 

 extremely abundant. Fields of white iris were specially admired. 



A striking geographical feature is well illustrated by this valley. 

 It meanders across the table-land, starting near its eastern edge ; 

 it approaches within half a chain of the northern margin of the 

 plateau, where a low saddle of about 20 feet in height separates 

 it from a precipitous fall into a tributary of the Macallister ; it 

 then makes a sharp turn to the south and continues with a gentle 

 grade to the southern side of the plateau, where it at last drops 

 by a steep course into the Caledonia. 



Here is a striking instance of river capture in the process of 

 formation, and at a stage when but slight additional lowering of 

 the saddle would turn the upper course down the northern slope. 

 On the eastern side of the plateau it was found that a deep valley 



