32 Prohahle Erosion of the 



afiorded of the valleys of the Thomson and its tributaries, 

 embayed in another crescent of which the Baw Baw forms 

 the southern extremity. 



From a more westerly station on Mount Useful, a view is 

 afforded of the connecting saddle betAveen the mount and 

 the dividing range. 



At a first glance from Mount Useful the impression left 

 upon the mind is, that the mount forms the central point 

 of two semicircular basins, in form like the double bow of 

 the letter B ; the outer points terminating in the Baw Baw, 

 and Wellington, distant respectively about 12 miles and 20 

 miles, whilst along the centre of each semi-basin, several 

 lines of densely timbered ranges extend, in the general 

 direction of the open ' sides, and thence in a more or less 

 connected manner, continuous with the wooded ranges 

 covering the face of the country eastward, until in the far 

 distance the open plains can be seen in brownish patches ; 

 and beyond, the waters of the shore lakes and the ocean. 



The above impressions, whilst generally correct, are only 

 partially so, for upon careful examination, it is found that 

 the semicircular basins, or mountain enclosures, are irregular 

 in outline, and interrupted in places by deep ravines and 

 gorges ; whilst the apparently isolated mountain chains, 

 occupying the centre of the basins, are in reality, huge 

 spurs connected with the main range, by saddles of greater 

 or less elevation, with lateral and sub-lateral spurs branch- 

 ing from them, in the most erratic manner, the only appear- 

 ance of order being the general tendency of direction 

 towards the lower country of the plains. Mount . Useful 

 itself is but a huge peak on a main spur from the dividing 

 range, whilst the Baw Baw and Mount Wellington are terminal 

 peaks, which rapidly run out into main spurs, from which 

 leading and subsidiary spurs ramify, and ultimately terminate 

 on the plains. 



From Mount Useful huge spurs are thrown out on three 

 sides, the chief one extending south westerly (dividing the 

 waters of the Thomson and the Macalister Rivers), down to the 

 plains, with its ramification of branch, sub, and sub-sub- 

 branch spurs, and forks ; forming a complete network, and 

 yet preserving a general direction downwards to the plains. 



From the Bald Hills on the divide, a huge spur is thrown 

 out with very large branch, and sub-branch spurs, inter- 

 lacing with each other, and with those thrown out from 

 Mount Useful on the one side, and the Baw Baw on the 



