ecomes attached to the wool of the
sheep, it steadily works its way inward until it pierces the skin of the
animal, and eventually causes its death. Cattle are not affected by this
grass, as it does not penetrate their skins. They walk in it and feed
upon it with impunity, and in any of the regions where this grass is
found there is no attempt at rearing sheep, but the land is devoted to
cattle raising.

CHAPTER XVII.

FROM MELBOURNE TO SYDNEY--CROSSING THE BLUE MOUNTAINS.

When their visit to the sheep run was concluded, our friends returned to
Melbourne, where they spent two or three days, and then proceeded to
Sydney. Two ways were open to them, one by sea, and the other by land;
they chose the latter, as it would give them an opportunity to see more
of the country than if they went by water. The water journey is mostly
made by night, and consequently they would be deprived of a sight of the
picturesque coast which lies between the two cities.

The railway out of Melbourne runs through a picturesque country, as it
ascends the slope of the dividing range of mountains in the neighborhood
of the city. There are many country residences of gentlemen concerned in
business in Melbourne, and the country has a prosperous appearance.
Further away on the slope of the range, our friends passed through large
wheat fields, sheep and cattle runs, occasional patches of forest, and
not infrequently crossed small rivers flowing on their way to the sea.
They also crossed a goodly number of dry beds of rivers, which had every
appearance of being full and running over in the season of heavy rains.
The side of the range next the coast receives more rain than the other
side of it, and the reasons therefor have been given in a previous
chapter.

After the train had passed the crest of the range, it rolled along
through a broken and undulating country, largely devoted to sheep and
cattle raising, and having many stretches of blue gum forest. In some
places great numbers of rabbits were visible, but this was a sight to
which the eyes of our young friends had become accustomed. As they
approached the frontier of the colony of Victoria, Dr. Whitney remarked
that they would spend the rest of the day and the night at Albury, so as
to have another view of the Murray River, and study the peculiarities of
the colonial frontier.

"I believe," said Harry, "that we have our baggage examined at the
frontier, just as it is examined at the