164 HISTORY OF FLOODS IN THE RIVER DARLING. 
am led to infer from the grassy nature of its bed that it seldo 
contains water for any length of time ; if it did, the grass we 
and its muddy waters were carrying everything before 
b . 
On 24th February, 1882, a similar sudden rise in th 
at Pooncarie took place, and in four days the water rose 14 feet 
and by the records we know that the rise began at Bourke on 
5th, or nineteen days before. I mention this to indicate 
probable period between the rise at Wilcannia and Bourke in 
1844 flood 
When at Wilcannia, on the return from his north-west ex 
tion on 24th December, 1845, vol. ii, p. 117, Sturt says: ® 
Darling at this time had ceased to flow, and formed ae 
ponds, and the l:.goons and creeks in the neighbour ood 
quite dry.” (P. 119.) “The Darling had less water in 1b than 
the previous year before the flood.” 
across it only knee deep.” (Sturt mentions a flood which came® 
there suddenly on 28th September.) “In August, 4 
iesse says, “TI ran the river down from Laidley’s Ponds.. 
y * 
found the bed of the Darling dry for 30 miles above its jv 
with the Murray.” In November, 1845, the back water 
Murray had flowed 22 miles up the Darling. 
It is interesting to look back at these early attempts to 
the Darling riddle, and note the uniform misfortune that 
them all, as if owing to some fatality the driest years were 
taken to explore the Darling. Sturt went in February, 
