far its present appearances continued. Like the
generality of rivers of the interior, it had, where we struck upon it,
outer banks to confine its waters during floods, and to prevent them
from spreading generally over the country; the space between the two
banks being of the richest soil, and the timber chiefly of the
angophora kind. Flooded-gum overhung the inner banks of the river, or
grew upon the many islands, with casuarina. It became evident, however,
that the outer banks declined in height as we proceeded down the river,
nor was it long before they ceased altogether. As we rode along, we
found that the inner ones were fast decreasing in height also. Riding
under a hanging wood of the angophora, which had ceased for a time, we
were induced to break off to our right, to examine some large
flooded-gum trees about a couple of miles to the N.W. of us. On
arriving near them, we were astonished to find that they concealed a
serpentine lagoon that had a belt of reeds round it. Keeping this
lagoon upon our right, we at length came to the head of it, past which
the river sweeps. Crossing the channel of the river, we continued to
ride in an easterly direction to examine the country. In doing this,
we struck on a second branch of the Castlereagh, leading W. by N. into
a plain, which it of course inundates at times, and running up it, we
found its bed at the point of separation, to be considerably higher
than that of the main channel, which still continued of pure sand--and
was stamped all over with the prints of the feet of natives, kangaroos,
emus, and wild dogs, We then turned again to the head of the lagoon,
and took the following bearings of Arbuthnot's range:

Mount Exmouth .......... E. 90 S.
Centre Range ........... E. 35 E.
Vernon's Peak .......... E. 20 S.

From the head of the lagoon, the river appeared to enter a reedy
hollow, shaded by a long line of flooded gum trees, and on proceeding
to it, we found the banks ceased here altogether; and that a very
considerable plain extended both to the right and the left, which
cannot fail of being frequently laid under water.

LAGOONS AND CREEKS OF THE CASTLEREAGH.

On the following morning we moved the party to the lagoon, and, passing
its head, encamped to the north of it; after which we again rode down
the river in search of water. It continued to hold a straight and
northerly course for about five miles, having a plain on either side.
The reeds that had prev