l'ON debadgery. 
34 
lid in two. The poor fellow fell to the ground as if he had 
been shot, and really, from the report of the whip, I was 
at first uncertain of the nature of the accident. 
We had gradually ascended some hills ; and as the sweep 
of the valley led southerly, we continued along it until 
we got to its very head ; then, crossing the ridge, we de- 
scended the opposite side, towards a beautiful plain, on 
the further extremity of which the river line was marked 
by the dark-leafed casuarina. In spite of the badness of 
the weather and the misfortunes of the day, I could not 
but admire the beauty of the scene. We were obliged 
to remain stationary it tbe following day, in consequence 
of one of the drays being out of repair, and requiring 
a new axle-tree. I could hardly regret the necessity 
that kept us in so delightful a spot. This plain, which 
the natives called Pondebadgery, and in which a station 
has since been formed, is about two miles in breadth, by 
about three and a-half in length. It is surrounded appa- 
rently on every side by hills. The river running E. and W. 
forms its southern boundary. The hills by which we had 
entered it, terminating abruptly on the river to the north- 
east, form a semi-circle round it to the N.N.W. where a 
valley, the end of which cannot be seen, runs to the north- 
west, of about half a mile in breadth. On the opposite 
side of the river moderate hills rise over each other, and 
leave little space between them and its banks. The Mo- 
rumbidgee itself, with an increased breadth, averaging from 
seventy to eighty yards, presents a still, deep sheet of water 
