AUSTRALIA FELIX (VICTORIA)

+Source.+--Hovell's Journal, 1837, pp. 25-27, 39-42, 72-73

The country between Botany Bay and Bass Strait was unexplored until
1824, when Messrs. Hume and Hovell set out to discover if it were
suitable for settlement. They encountered difficulties among the
Australian Alps, discovered the Hume (Murray) River and reached
Port Phillip. Oct. 2nd, 1824--Jan. 16th, 1825.


_Sat., Nov. 6th._ They had now (it was noon) unexpectedly reached the
S.W. extremity of the ridge or spine, which here terminates in an abrupt
and very steep descent: the view from this spot consists of a valley
(immediately in their front, S.) extending in the direction S.W., and
varying from one to two miles in breadth. Along the centre of this
valley runs a small stream, and near by the stream is a broken
mountainous country: the view is closed by mountains, both of a
different form (peaked) and of an infinitely greater height than any
which they had yet seen. They now descended the table range, pursuing
the zig-zag course of one of the tributaries of the stream which they
had observed in the valley, taking its rise in these mountains, not far
below the spot at which they commence making their descent.

At six o'clock in the evening they arrive in the valley. At seven,
having still pursued their course along the same branch, they come to