288 RIVER BAIIWON. 



lay west about three miles across a woody down. 

 The Marabul runs to the southward, and joins the 

 Barwon flowing from the west ; after which the 

 united streams take a south-easterly direction. The 

 course of the latter I was anxious to trace, having 

 seen its mouth in passing along the coast west from 

 Port Phillip. Very opportunely I met with Mr. 

 Smith, belonging to the colonial surveying depart- 

 ment, who being employed in the neighbourhood, 

 took me to a commanding station on some low hills 

 about three miles to the south, called by the natives 

 Barabul. We crossed the Barwon running to the 

 south-east at the foot of them, near where it fell 

 some height over a rocky shelf forming a pretty 

 waterfall. Turning to the left from this roar 

 of water, you find the stream meandering silently 

 between rich grassy flats. On one of these Mr. 

 Smith's tents were pitched, overlooked by a craggy 

 height on the opposite side of the river ; and the 

 blue stream of smoke that arose from the fire of his 

 party, helped to impart life and beauty to the scene. 

 From the Barabul hills I almost traced the Barwon 

 to its confluence with the sea. Five miles to the 

 south-east from where we stood it communicated with 

 a large lagoon ; after leaving which, I was informed 

 there was only a depth of three feet, and a width of 

 one eighth of a mile. It is not, however, this alone 

 that renders the Barwon useless for water-carriage 

 to the town of Geelong ; for the exposed situation 

 of its mouth almost always prevents boats from 

 entering. 



