LATE ALLAN CUNNINGHAM, KSQ. 295 



situations on the acclivities of the rising grounds that stud its 

 surface, and that are perfectly beyond the reach of waters, at 

 a time when the levels are subjected to an inundation bv a 

 rainy season, affording a healthful walk for sheep. 



" These great plains are watered by a brisk stream, which 

 has its rise in the grand dividing southern range already 

 adverted to, meandering northerly through them, and at fifty 

 miles from it is united with the York River, which eventually 

 becoming governed in its course by the dip of the country 

 at N.N.W., makes its exit at that point of bearing, and in 

 less than one hundred miles from its origin, pours its tribu- 

 tary waters into the depressed internal morasses — that com- 

 mon vortex that lays claim to all our western waters. 



" We know of no other tract of timberless open country 

 in New South Wales, that forms so perfect a level as this ex- 

 tensive portion of our interior. It is impossible to conceive 

 a truer plain of any spot of ground constructed by the hand 

 of labour, — its natural consequent therefore is, that ordinary 

 rains, falling on the southern mountains, cause an overflow of 

 the rivulet that waters it ; and as the surface is generally 

 somewhat lower than the outer banks of the stream, the 

 greater part of the plains, together with the boundary forests 

 on tiie same level, are laid under water to the distant bound- 

 ary hills, of which fact the wrecks of floods on the rivulet 

 banks, and the general bogginess of these forests afforded us 

 an ample proof. From the appearance of these indications, 

 we were able to gather that the last considerable inundation 

 had been assuredly as recent as the months of January or 

 February last, (the level character of the country, and the 

 time required to admit of the retiring of the waters being 

 taken into consideration,) and although the general body of 

 deluging water had almost wholly subsided, portions of the 

 northern sides of the plains had a depth of 12 inches resting 

 on its muddy surface, which effectually determined the limit 

 of my journey to the northward. 



" The soil of these plains, as may be readily presumed, is 

 of an alluvial character, the successive depositions of the irri- 



