nce of these tributaries all occurring on the left, evidenced
the level nature of the country to the north. In the afternoon, we
passed a dry creek also from the S.E. which must at times throw a vast
supply of water into the river, since for many miles below, the latter
preserved a breadth of 200 feet, and averaged from 12 to 20 feet in
depth, with banks of from 15 to 18 feet in height. Yet, notwithstanding
its general equality of depth, several rapids occurred, down which the
boats were hurried with great velocity. The body of water in the river
continued undiminished, notwithstanding its increased breadth of
channel; for which reason I should imagine that it is fed by springs,
independently of other supplies. Some few cypresses were again
observed, and the character of the distant country resembled, in every
particular, that of the interior between the Macquarie and the Darling.
The general appearance of the Morumbidgee, from the moment of our
starting on the 13th, to a late hour in the afternoon, had been such as
to encourage my hopes of ultimate success in tracing it down; but about
three o'clock we came to one of those unaccountable and mortifying
changes which had already so frequently excited my apprehension. Its
channel again suddenly contracted, and became almost blocked up with
huge trees, that must have found their way into it down the creeks or
junctions we had lately passed. The rapidity of the current increasing
at the same time, rendered the navigation perplexing and dangerous. We
passed reach after reach, presenting the same difficulties, and were at
length obliged to pull up at 5 p.m., having a scene of confusion and
danger before us that I did not dare to encounter with the evening's
light; for I had not only observed that the men's eye-sight failed them
as the sun descended, and that they mistook shadows for objects under
water, and VICE-VERSA, but the channel had become so narrow that,
although the banks were not of increased height, we were involved in
comparative darkness, under a close arch of trees, and a danger was
hardly seen ere we were hurried past it, almost without the possibility
of avoiding it. The reach at the head of which we stopped, was crowded
with the trunks of trees, the branches of which crossed each other in
every direction, nor could I hope, after a minute examination of the
channel, to succeed in taking the boats safely down so intricate a
passage.

DANGEROUS NAVIGATION OF THE