168 HISTORY OF FLOODS IN THE RIVER DARLING. 
and I know the Warrego was flooded the whole of that time’ SO 
there must have been a fair fresh in the Darling that year up to 
Christmas. 
“Jn 1871 there were no January or February rains in Queens- 
land. It was very dry all the winter, there being only one sight 
shower about Charleville in July. 
“Out on the Paroo, Bulloo,and Cooper’s Creek it was very dry. To 
give an idea of the mildness of the season, in June, on the Bullo, I~ 
got dishfuls of tomatoes as ripe as they would be in their proper — 
season ; and we all know how sensitive they are to cold or wet. 
“‘T started out in May, 1871, from Charleville to take the census, — 
and travelled right out to Cooper’s Creek. All the = T was 
out there was not a shower ; ; so, unless there were hea 
from New England and the Macquarie aekateys J don’t think the 
Paring a ‘be very high. 
“In e had glorious rains in Queensland ; all the rivers 
were flooded. i lieee were good rains also about Bourke ; so that — 
there must have been a good fresh in the Darling in Fe ruatye” 
and March of that yea 
“In this year (187 2) I ran down the Warrego, and hit the a 
Darling in May. It was pretty low w shee I got on to it Wee 
: C as Sins 
gh SS ES aah ata aa heii Te Re ln a len er ik So Sie 4, = aE ee a el ad 
o that when I got to the iackiant in Augat it was ‘ba 
bank.’ When I got to hry Some on my return, in Nove a 
1872, the river was low. Abou the latter end of that stl ne : 
started up the Darling. About rn lst of December there was 2 
24-hours’ rain, and there were several showers this month up to 
Christmas week. On the Culgoa it rained very heavily, and the 
river came down a ‘banker.’ “When I a ane to the Warreg? 
the Darling before the pes of 1872. In 1873 cn were glorious 
rains again in Queensland, and also so about Bourke during the 
early part of the year, which sent the river up again. 
changed my route to my sorro ere 
from March to panera: Birthday. et left ~ Warrego at Erin” 
gonia and came t Warrawenna, on the I tra 
ulgoa. 
up to Colless’s subliobonte, where I found a 8 alight fresh int 
—s but nothing to speak of. When within 6 meg 5 ee 
p-m., without the least warning. It came down so smartly om 
to get up and see that the sheep had dry camp. It 
raining all night. I pushed on in the morning to get sor 
