CHARACTER OF THE RIVERS. 
155 
to the N. N. W. and N. W,, it would appear very conclusive, 
tliat either a portion of our distant interior is occupied by a 
lake of considerable magnitude, or that the confluence of 
those large streams, the Macquarie, Castlereagh, Gwydir, 
and the Dumaresq, with the many minor interfluent waters, 
which doubtless takes place upon those low levels, forms one 
or more noble rivers, which may flow across the continent 
by an almost imperceptible declivity of country to the north 
or north-west coasts, on certain parts of which, recent sur- 
veys have discovered to us extensive openings, by which 
the largest accumulations of waters might escape to the 
sea.” 
It is the characteristic of the streams falling westerly 
from the eastern, or coast ranges, to maintain a breadth of 
channel and a rapidity of current more immediately near their 
sources, that ill accords with their diminished size, and the 
sluggish flow of their waters in the more depressed interior. 
In truth, neither the Macquarie nor the Castlereagh can 
strictly be considered as permanent rivers. The last par- 
ticularly is nothing more than a mountain torrent. The 
Macquarie, although it at length ceased to run, kept up 
the appearance of a river to the very marshes ; but the bed 
of the Castlereagh might have been crossed in many places 
without being noticed, nor did its channel contain so much 
water as was to be found on the neighbouring plains. 
There are two circumstances upon which the magnitude^ 
and velocity of a river, more immediately depend. The 
first is the abundance of its sources, the other the dip of its 
