HISTORY OF FLOODS IN THE RIVER DARLING. 189 
Mr. Suttor’s hes? nal does not give the river heights for February, 
March, a Mr. Trader, hie ite ph Station-master at 
Bourke, replies oi m yy questions as follo 
State of the Darling on November 12, 1885. 
Was the river ever so low before, and if so when? Yes, the 
river has been as low, and lower than it is at present, but cannot 
get the dates. Mr. Bloxham has on two or three occasions seen 
the river quite dry between Toorale and Bourke. 
down below Bourke has the river ceased running? The 
Telegraph Station-master at Louth reports, “ Can walk up bed of 
river here for over 100 yards.” At Tilpa, 70 miles below Louth, 
the Telegraph Station-master reports, “ River not stopped running 
but at stony bars there is only small stream runnin t Bre- 
warrina the selareye Station-master reports, “ River has almost 
stopped running, except a little stream, which you can step across.’ 
Has the river actually stopped running, we. if you throw a 
piece of wood in will it not move, or will it go down stream v 
slowly, indicating that the water is finding its way slowly through 
the rock bars ? e river has actually stopped running ; no cur- 
rent whatever. Since the receipt of your note I have visited 
several of the stony or rocky bars, and found the rocks from 12 
to 18 inches above the level of the water. Now, at North Bourke 
there is a sandy stretch, immediately below a rocky bar, 300 yards 
long, quite dry. 
When did the river stop running? About or between the 25th 
and 27th October 
Where does the present level come to on the river gauges? I 
want to know obese FA . what depth below what you call 
summer level does the ri stop running? The water is now 
perpendicularly f feet belie the level of the new gauge, and the 
river ceased running 2 feet below it. The river is said to be at 
summer level shea “below the gauges. 
Ts it true that the blacks on the river have been making canoe: 
saying that a very big flood is coming? ‘There are very few blacks 
about here, and those that are en know nil about big rivers, or 
anything else, bar rum and to 
October 30, 1885. The river is ie lower than for many years, and 
just short of a chain of holes. Three miles down from here it is 
absolutely dry right across, but the water has made a little gutter 
is 
water, 
