2 
OBJECTS OF THE EXPEDITION. 
settlements, gave a fresh importance to the distant interior. 
It was evident that this river was the chief drain for carry- 
ing off the waters falling westerly from the eastern coast, 
and as its course indicated a decline of country diame- 
trically opposite to that which had been calculated upon, 
it became an object of great importance to ascertain its 
further direction. Had not the saline quality of its waters 
been accounted for, by the known existence of brine springs 
in its bed, it would have been natural to have supposed that 
it communicated with some mediterranean sea ; but, under 
existing circumstances, it remained to be proved whether 
this river held on a due south course, or whether it ulti- 
mately turned westerly, and ran into the heart of the inte- 
rior. In order fully to determine this point, it would be 
necessary to regain it banks, so far below the parallel to 
which it had been traced as to leave no doubt of its iden- 
tity ; but it was difficult to fix upon a plan for approach- 
ing that central stream without suffering from the want of 
water, since it could hardly be expected that the Lachlan 
would afford such means, as it was reasonable to presume 
that its termination was very similar to that of the Mac- 
quarie. The attention of the government was, consequently, 
fixed upon the Morumbidgee, a river stated to be of consi- 
derable size and of impetuous current. Receiving its sup- 
lies from the lofty ranges behind Mount Dromedary, it 
promised to hold a longer course than those rivers which, 
depending on periodical rains alone for existence, had been 
found so soon to exhaust themselves. 
