et together in
the basin of the Darling.[14] It might be imagined that a river into
which is carried the drainage of so extensive a district would be always
well supplied with water, and so it would be in other countries, but the
streams of New Holland are altogether different from those in other
parts of the world. Comparatively, indeed, the Darling does assert its
superiority over most of the other water-courses of that country; for,
at a season when their channels were, in general, absolutely without
water, or dwindled down into mere chains of muddy ponds, the Darling
still continued to wind its slow current, carrying a supply of excellent
water through the heart of a desert district. Along the weary plains
by which its course is bounded, it proceeds for not less than 660
miles,[15] without receiving, so far as is known, a single tributary
stream; and, from its waters being occasionally salt, it is supposed to
owe its support, in its reduced state during very dry seasons, chiefly
to natural springs. Its bed is, on an average, about sixty feet below
the common surface of the country. There are no traces of water-courses
on the level plains, and it would appear that, whatever moisture
descends from the higher grounds, which (where there are any at all,)
are seldom less than twelve miles from the Darling, must be taken up by
the clayey soil, so as scarcely to find its way down to the river,
except it be by springs. The average breadth of the stream at the
surface, when low, is about fifty yards, but oftener less than this, and
seldom more. The fall of the country through which it passes, in that
part of its course through the interior, which was first explored by
Major Mitchell, is very trifling; and it is the opinion of that officer,
that the swiftness of its course never exceeds one mile per hour, but
that it is in general much less. At the time of the Major's expedition,
the water actually flowing, as seen at one or two shallow places, did
not exceed in quantity that which would be necessary to turn a mill.
But, with all this scantiness of supply during the dry season then
prevailing,[16] the marks of tremendous inundations were plain upon the
surface of the country, frequently extending two miles back from the
ordinary channel of the waters. And everywhere the banks of the river
displayed the effect of floods in parallel lines, marking on the smooth
sloping earth the various heights to which the waters had at differen