( IIAUACTER OF THE COUNTRY. 
121 
to search for a supply upon the plains. Disappointed to 
the left, we crossed the channel of the Castlereagh, and 
struck over a small plain upon the right bank, and at the 
extremity of it, came upon a swamp, from which we im- 
mediately returned for the cattle, and got them unloaded 
by seven o’clock. As there was sufficient pasture around 
us, I proposed to Mr. Hume on the following day, to leave 
the party stationary, and to ride down the river to see how,- 
far its present appearances continued. Like the generality 
of rivers of the interior, it had, where we struck upon it, outer 
banks to confine its waters during floods, and to prevent them 
fioni spreading generally over the country ; the space be- 
tween the two banks being of the richest soil, and the 
timber chiefly of the angophora kind. Flooded-gum over- 
hung the inner banks of the river, or grew upon the many 
islands, with casuarina. It became evident, however, that 
the outer banks declined in height as we proceeded down the 
river, nor was it long before they ceased altogether. As we 
rode along, we found that the inner ones were fast decreas- 
ing in height also. Riding under a hanging wood of the 
angophora, which had ceased for a time, we were induced 
to break off to our right, to examine some large flooded- 
gum trees about a couple of miles to the N. W. of us. On 
arriving near them, we were astonished to find that they con- 
cealed a serpentine lagoon that had a belt of reeds round it. 
Keeping this lagoon upon our right, we at length came to 
the head of it, past which the river sweeps. Crossing the 
channel of the river, we continued to ride in an easterly di- 
