156 
APPEARANCE OF SOME 
cut so awkward an appearance in them, that his wife be- 
came quite distressed, and Fraser was obliged speedily to 
disencumber him from them again. 
We could not gain any satisfactory information, as to the 
termination of the river, from these people. It was evident 
that some change was at hand ; but what it was we could 
not ascertain. 
On the morning of the 9th, we left our fair friend and 
her lame husband, and proceeded down the river. The 
wind had moderated, although it still blew fresh. We as- 
cended every height as we went along, but could not see 
any new feature in the country. Our view to the eastward 
was very confined ; to the westward the interior was low 
and dark, and was backed in the distance by lofty ranges, 
parallel to which we had been running for some days. The 
right bank of the valley was beautifully undulated, but the 
left was bleak and bare. The valley had a breadth of from 
three to four miles, and the flats were more extensive under 
the former than under the latter. They were scarcely two 
feet above the level of the water, and were densely covered 
with reeds. As there was no mark upon the reeds to 
indicate the height to which the floods rose, I cannot 
think that these flats are ever wholly laid under water; 
if they are, it cannot be to any depth : at all events a few 
small drains would effectually prevent inundation. 
The soil upon the hills continued to be much mixed with 
sand, and the prevailing trees were cypress and box. 
Among the minor shrubs and grass, many common to the 
