d Dictionary' gives, as a use
in the United States, "a tidal or valley stream, between a
brook and a river in size." In Australia, the name brook is
not used. Often pronounced crick, as in the United States.

Dr. J. A.H. Murray kindly sends the following note:--"Creek
goes back to the early days of exploration. Men sailing up the
Mississippi or other navigable river saw the mouths of
tributary streams, but could not tell with out investigation
whether they were confluences or mere inlets, creeks. They
called them creeks, but many of them turned out to be running
streams, many miles long--tributary rivers or rivulets. The
name <i>creek</i> stuck to them, however, and thus became
synonymous with tributary stream, brook."

1793. Governor Hunter, `Voyage,' p. 516:

"In the afternoon a creek obliged them to leave the banks of
the river, and go round its head, as it was too deep to cross:
having rounded the head of this creek. . ."

1802. G. Barrington, `History of New South Wales,' p. 228:

"They met with some narrow rivers or creeks."

1809. Aug. 6, `History of New South Wales' (1818), p. 327:

"Through Rickerby's grounds upon the riverside and those of the
Rev. Mr. Marsden on the creek."

1826. Goldie, in Bischoff's `Van Diemen's Land' (1832), p. 162:

"There is a very small creek which I understand is never dry."

1848. W. Westgarth, `Australia Felix,' p. 17:

"The creeks and rivers of Australia have in general a
transitory existence, now swollen by the casual shower, and
again rapidly subsiding under the general dryness and heat of
the climate."

1854. `Bendigo Advertiser,' quoted in `Melbourne Morning
Herald,' May 29:

"A Londoner reading of the crossing of a creek would naturally
imagine the scene to be in the immediate neighbourhood of the
coast, instead of being perhaps some hundreds of miles in the
interior, and would dream of salt water, perriwinkles and
sea-weed, when he should be thinking of slimy mud-holes, black
snakes and gigantic gum-trees."

1861. Mrs. Meredith, `Over the Straits,' c. iv. p. 134:

"The little rivulet, called, with that singular pertinacity for
error which I have so often noticed here, `the creek.'"

1865. Lady Barker, `Station Life in, New Zealand,' p. 29:

"The creek, just like a Scotch burn, hurrying and tumbling down
the hillside to join the broader stream in the valley."

1870. P. Wentworth, `Amos Thorne,' i. p. 11:

"A thirsty creek-bed marked a l