RIVER KARUAH. 315 



point at which it is navigable, and where all goods 

 are landed for the Company's stations up the 

 country. Mr. Ebsworth the treasurer of the Com- 

 pany resides there in a charming cottage, almost 

 covered with roses and honeysuckle ,a nd command- 

 ing two picturesque reaches of the Karuah. 



About two miles within the entrance, the river 

 winds between high and steep banks, densely covered 

 with creepers, acacias, and other vegetation of a 

 tropical character, all quite matted together, and 

 hanfrins: in festoons, the ends of which are immersed 

 in the water. 



Mr. White, who had charge of the Company's 

 stock, met me at Boorral, with horses, and we were 

 not long in reaching Stroud, about seven miles 

 higher up on the eastern bank of the river. It is 

 the head-quarters of the Company, and has quite 

 the appearance of a truly English village, each 

 cottage having its neat little garden. I was very 

 much pleased with the whole arrangement of the 

 place, as I strolled through it in the evening, and 

 was delighted to find the inhabitants of a remote 

 part of Australia, retaining such vivid recollection 

 of tastes so characteristic of Englishmen. Several 

 experiments had been tried in clearing the land in 

 the neighbourhood of Stroud, one of which was by 

 what they call ringing the trees ; that is to say, 

 they cut off a large circular band of bark, which, 

 destroying the trees, renders them easier to be felled. 

 But the danger of this practice was, that in stormy 



