VICTORIA RANGE AND THE SERRA.

From this hill two other ranges branch off to the south; the western being marked Victoria range on the map, the eastern, the Serra, from its serrated appearance, the broken outlines they present being highly ornamental to the fine country around.  On the northern slopes of the range are some forests of fine timber but in general the higher summits are bare and rocky.  The chief source of the Glenelg is between the Victoria range and the most northern, whence it soon sinks into a deep glen or ravine, receiving numberless tributaries from other dells intersecting the adjacent country.  A considerable branch of the Glenelg named by the natives the Wannon has its sources in the eastern and southern rivulets from these mountains.  The waters falling northward enter the Wimmera, a different river whose estuary has not yet been explored.  Returning towards the camp, on approaching the stream, we met with one of the most strikingly beautiful species of the common genus Pultenaea; its narrow heath-like leaves were so closely covered with soft silky hairs as to have quite a silvery appearance and the branches were loaded with the heads of yellow and brown flowers now fully open.  It formed a new species of the Proliferous section, allied to Pultenaea stipularis.*

(Footnote.  P. mollis, Lindley manuscripts; ramulis villosis, foliis linearibus v. lineari-lanceolatis obtusis v. acuminatis subtus convexis supra sulcatis sericeo-pilosis capitulis sessilibus longioribus, stipulis ovato-linearibus acutis glabris badiis, calycibus villosis.)

PARTY IMPEDED BY THE MUD AGAIN, AND A BROKEN AXLE.

September 15.

Pursuing an easterly course in order to avoid the Wannon we again found the ground so soft and boggy that it was impossible to proceed; and after advancing with incredible labour (under which one of the poor bullocks fell to rise no more) barely four miles, I ordered the tents to be again set up, but almost in despair for having performed during the previous days several good journeys with perfect freedom from this species of impediment, and having seen no indication of any change in the surface, I had assured the men on descending from the mountains that the country before us was favourable.  We were nevertheless compelled to halt again at this part by the breaking of the iron axle of one of the carts, for it was necessary to endeavour to repair it before we could proceed.  The highest part of the woody ridge between us and the plains bore according to my map due east, being distant 14 miles.

MR. STAPYLTON EXAMINES THE COUNTRY BEFORE US.

I gave that bearing to Mr. Stapylton who rode forward with Burnett to ascertain how far we were from firmer ground, while I continued in my tent occupied with the map of the mountains.  It was dark before Mr. Stapylton returned and brought the pleasing tidings that the soft ground extended only to three or four miles from the camp, and that from beyond that distance to the forest hills he had found the ground tolerably firm.