22 
REACH THE MORUMB1DCEE- 
to follow the bend of the river, with an even and unbroken 
outline. The scenery around us was wild, romantic, and 
beautiful ; as beautiful as a rich and glowing sunset in the 
most delightful climate under the heavens could make it 
I had been more anxious to gain the banks of the Morurn- 
bidgee on this occasion, than I had been on a former one to 
gain those of the Macquarie, for although I could not hope 
to see the Morumbidgee all that it had been described to 
me, yet I felt that on its first appearance I should in 
some measure ground my anticipations of ultimate suc- 
cess. When I arrived on the banks of the Macquarie, 
it had almost ceased to flow, and its current was so 
gentle as to be scarcely perceptible. Instead, however, 
of a river in such a state of exhaustion, I now looked 
down upon a stream, whose current it would have been 
difficult to breast, and whose waters, foaming among rocks, 
or circling in eddies, gave early promise of a reckless course. 
It must have been somewhat below its ordinary level, and 
averaged a breadth of about 80 feet. Its waters were hard 
and transparent, and its bed was composed of mountain de- 
bris, and large fragments of rock. As soon as the morn- 
ing dawned, the tents were struck and we pursued our 
journey. We followed the line of the river, until we found 
ourselves in a deep bight to the S. E. The hills that had 
been gradually closing in upon the river, now approached 
it so nearly, that there was no room for the passage of the 
drays. We were consequently obliged to turn back, and, 
moving along the base of the ranges, by which we were thus 
