Physiography of the Gienelg River. 



101 



plete puzzle to him. Of his first contact with the river he writes : 

 " We now moved merrily over hill and dale, but were soon, how- 

 ever, brought to a full stop by a fine river flowing, at the point 

 where we met it, nearly south-west. The banks were thickly over- 

 hung with bushes of the mimosa, festooned in a very picturesque 

 manner with the wild vine. The river was everywhere deep and 

 full, ... on an average 120 feet wide and 12 feet deep. Granite 

 protruded in some places, but in general the bold features of the 

 valley through which this stream flowed were beautifully smooth 

 and swelling. ... A little rill then murmured through each 

 ravine, 

 " ' Whose scattered streams from granite basins burst, 

 Leap into life, and sparkling woo your thirst.' 

 It seemed that the land was everywhere alike good, alike beautiful." 



Fig. 1. — Map of the Gienelg Basin, as prepared by Major Mitchell in 

 1836. The spelling, heights, &c., ai-e as given by Mitchell. His 

 route, with dates, is shown. 



