Of a Country on the Climate. 217 
fore the almost constant supply of water is due to the height 
alone, and not to the contour, nor to the prevalence of porous 
strata. 
A somewhat remarkable feature of the river currents of 
this country is their very tortuous course. The rivers Lod- 
don and Campaspie, flowing northwards to the Murray, are 
striking illustrations of this. The Yarra, the Saltwater 
River, the Barwon, and the Moorabool, are scarcely less 
capricious in their windings. This applies also to the creeks, 
except those flowing from considerable elevations, such as 
some of the tributaries of the Saltwater River, near Mount 
Macedon, the creeks near Mount Alexander, &c. 
This peculiarity is explained by the configuration of the 
country. When a current traverses low plains, with a very 
slight fall, the force of the water is necessarily reduced, and 
is insufficient to remove the rocks that occur in its course. 
When sand or mud accumulates, or any slight obstruction 
occurs, the stream is diverted, and it gradually wears away 
the opposite bank. The larger rivers, in this way, not un- 
frequently cut through the narrow peninsulas, and leave 
small islands, which mark the boundaries of ancient channels. 
These can be seen on the Saltwater River, the Loddon, the 
Coliban, and various others. 
The natural course of running water is proved to be not 
straight, but in lines of curves of great radius. My obser- 
vations have led me to the conclusion that the radii of these 
curves is in a ratio with the volume and velocity of the 
stream. The calculations and experiments on which this 
belief are founded are not sufficiently advanced to permit 
me to enter into details.* 
The most considerable of the rivers of Victoria, flowing 
northward is the Goulbourn. It drains very high lands, and 
its extreme length is also very great. It is said to be navigable 
for flat bottomed boats, nearly as far as the town of Seymour. 
The rivers on the north-western parts of the province, 
which flow to the Murray, traverse a great extent of sandy 
waste, and present remarkable features. The river Avon, 
after receiving the waters of the Richardson, flows nearly 
due north to Lake Buloke, which is said to have no outlet. 
- The Avoca enters Lake Bael Bael. The Wimmera is lost 
* In England I have seen hundreds of pounds wasted from inattention to 
this. The fact that water does not flow in straight lines is well known to every 
engineer, but I think the method of determining the radii of curves for arti- 
_ ficial channels has never been sufficiently investigated. 
BB 
