Chemical Examination of Waters. 149 



stone water. These deposits abound in the county of Cumber- 

 land, of which upwards of 100 square miles are drained by South 

 Creek, the native name of which is Wianamatta. As a typical 

 water, this was selected for a full analysis. This specimen was 

 taken on June 10th, 1868, when the creek was in its average 

 condition. The water was clear and colourless, no smek, taste 

 faintly saline, but not unpleasant. The components of the dry 

 residue may be represented as follows : — 



Grains per gallon. 

 Chloride of sodium ... ... ... 25 "72 



Chloride of magnesium ... ... ... 345 



Carbonate of magnesia ... ... ... 2 - 48 



Carbonate of lime __... ... ... 2'00 



Sulphate of lime ... ... ... ... 1T0 



Silica and peroxide of iron ... ... 1T0 



Total inorganic matter ... 35*85 



The total solid matter found on evaporation was 38 - 7 grains ; 

 subtracting the above 35 - 85 from this, leaves 2 - 85 for organic 

 matter. There may have been a little potash in this water, but it 

 was not looked for, and if present it would go, in the above 

 analysis, to the credit of the common salt. The hardness was 9*. 



Besides South Creek, the principal Wianamatta waters in the 

 appended table are Cook's River, draining 12 or 15 square miles, 

 and Prospect Creek. The water of Cook's River is remarkably 

 similar in composition to that of South Creek. Gfeorge's River 

 above Liverpool is evidently contaminated by "Wianamatta water 

 • from the valley of Campbelltown. 



Of the remaining rivers in the table the Wollondilly is the 

 most important. Analyses are given of this river near Goulburn 

 and of three of its tributaries farther down, namely : Mulwarree, 

 Paddy's River, and Wingecarribee, but the first two of these 

 four were said not to be fair samples of the rivers, and therefore 

 perhaps they ought to be rejected. In the upper part of the 

 Wollondilly we find trap, granite, and schistose rocks, with occa- 

 sional patches of limestone ; and in the lower part sandstone. 

 The Wollondilly joins with the Cox to form the Warragamba, 

 which receives the drainage of 3247 square miles. Its water (as 

 collected 7th November, 1867) afforded 6"8 grains of dissolved 

 solid matter per gallon, containing a little over 1 grain common 

 salt, and 1^ organic matter, with 4 - hardness. 



The analysis of the Nepean at Blaxland's mill shows the char- 

 acter of that water just before joining the Warragamba. On the 

 8th November, 1867, it contained l4 - 8 grains of solid matter per 

 gallon, made up of 6 or 7 grains of common salt, about six grains 



