SINGULAR FORMATION OF THE BANKS. 133 
it again commenced to rain and to blow heavily from the 
N.W. The river trended to the South. We passed down 
several rapids, and observed the marks of recent flood on 
the trees, to the height of seven feet. The alluvial flats did 
not appear to have been covered, or to be subject to over- 
flow. The timber upon them was not of a kind that is 
found on flooded lands, but wherever reeds prevailed the 
flooded or blue gum stretched its long white branches over 
them. The country to the westward was low and bushy. 
The left bank of the Murray was extremely lofty, and oc- 
casionally rose to 100 feet perpendicularly from the water. 
It is really difficult to describe the appearance of the banks 
at this place ; so singular were they in character, and so va- 
ried in form. Here they had the most beautiful columnar 
regularity, with capitals somewhat resembling the Corin- 
thian order in configuration ; there they shewed like falls of 
muddy water that had suddenly been petrified ; and in ano- 
ther place they resembled the time-worn battlements of a 
feudal castle. It will naturally be asked, of what could 
these cliffs have been composed to assume so many different 
forms ? and what could have operated to produce such un- 
usual appearances'? The truth is, they were composed al- 
most wholly of clay and sand. Wherever the latter had 
accumulated, or predominated, the gradual working of wa- 
ter had washed it away, and left the more compact body, 
in some places, so delicately hollowed out, that it seemed 
rather the work of art than of nature. This singular forma- 
tion rested on a coarse grit, that shewed itself in slabs. 
