AND OF THE RIVER. 
83 
It came from the S. E., and made a visible impression on 
the river at the junction, although in tracing it up, it ap- 
peared to be insignificant in itself. The circumstance of 
these tributaries all occurring on the left, evidenced the 
level nature of the country to the north. In the afternoon, 
we passed a dry creek also from the S.E. which must at times 
throw a vast supply of water into the river, since for many 
miles below, the latter preserved a breadth of 200 feet, 
and averaged from 12 to 20 feet in depth, with banks of 
from 15 to 18 feet in height. Yet, notwithstanding its 
general equality of depth, several rapids occurred, down 
which the boats were hurried with great velocity. The body 
of water in the river continued undiminished, notwithstand- 
ing its increased breadth of channel ; for which reason I 
should imagine that it is fed by springs, independently of 
other supplies. Some few cypresses were again observed, 
and the character of the distant country resembled, in every 
particular, that of the interior between the Macquarie and 
the Darling. The general appearance of the Morumbidgee, 
from the moment of our starting on the 13th, to a late hour 
in the afternoon, had been such as to encourage my hopes 
of ultimate success in tracing itdown; but about three o’clock 
we came to one of those unaccountable and mortifying 
changes which had already so frequently excited my appre- 
hension. Its channel again suddenly contracted, and became 
almost blocked up with huge trees, that must have found 
their way into it down the creeks or junctions we had lately 
passed. The rapidity of the current increasing at the same 
g 2 
