reaching from one extremity of it to
the other. A variety of local circumstances, as the contraction of a
channel, a shoal sea, or numerous islands, influence currents
generally, but more especially round so extensive a continent as that
of which we are treating; nor does it strike me that any observations
made by Capt. King during his survey, can be held to bear any
connection with the eastern ranges, or their western waters. It may,
however, be said, that as the course of the Darling is still involved
in uncertainty, the question remains undecided; but it appears to me,
the discovery of that river has set aside every conjecture (founded on
previous observation) respecting the main features of the interior
lying to the westward of the Blue Mountains. Both Mr. Oxley and Mr.
Cunningham drew their conclusions from the appearances of the country
they severally explored. The ground on which those theories were built,
has been travelled over, and has not been found to realise them, but
subsequent investigation has discovered to us a river, the dip of whose
bed is to the S.W. We have every reason to believe that the sources of
this river must be far to the northward of the most distant northerly
point to which any survey has been made, as we are certain that it is
far beyond the stretch of vision from the loftiest and most westerly of
the barrier ranges; from which circumstance, it is evident that
whatever disposition the streams descending from those ranges to the
westward may show to hold a N.W. course more immediately at the base,
the whole of the interior streams, from the Macquarie to the Dumaresq,
are tributaries to the principal channel which conveys their united
waters at right angles, if not still more opposite to the direction
they were supposed to take, as far as is yet known.

COURSE OF THE DARLING.

The Darling River must be considered as the boundary line to all inland
discoveries from the eastward. Any judgment or opinion of the interior
to the westward of that stream, would be extremely premature and
uncertain. There is not a single feature over it to guide or to
strengthen either the one or the other.

CHARACTER OF THE WESTERN INTERIOR.

My impression, when travelling the country to the west and N.W. of the
marshes of the Macquarie, was, that I was traversing a country of
comparatively recent formation. The sandy nature of its soil, the great
want of vegetable decay, the salsolaceous character of its pla