31 
and by the tracks fonned on the hill sides by cattle, 
all of which form ready channels for water in times of 
storm. 
The width of the levee of the River Mitchell at its 
mouth is about five chains ; the width increases as you 
proceed up the river, and in some places it is as much as 
fifteen chains (seven chains and a half on each side). 
From Eagle Point to Bairnsdale the river is bordered 
on the west by a morass which is separated from it only 
by a narrow bank, and on the east by a fiiound of rich 
soil which forms also the western shore of Jones’s Bay. 
In none of the rivers or straits was any current percep¬ 
tible. We have had of late, not a drought, but much dry 
weather. For several months preceding our visit the fall 
of rain was inconsiderable, and the rivers were not dis¬ 
charging as much water as they do generally in the 
month of February. 
The quantity of water which the rivers—their feeders— 
would pour into the lakes, during ordinary weather in 
the months of November, December, January, and Feb¬ 
ruary, is, according to estimates formed by us on data 
obtained by the late Mr. Dawson, 16,132,500,000 cubic 
feet, representing a depth of four feet and half an inch 
over the superficial area of the lakes ; and in these 
months the quantity of water evaporated would be cer¬ 
tainly not less than 10,959,149,188 cubic feet. 
These figures show that if the rivers had been dis¬ 
charging the usual quantities of water they would have 
presented a different appearance at the time when we 
visited them ; and the lakes, also, would have beeu unlike 
what we saw. 
It is, however, not in ordinary seasons, but when bad 
weather and floods prevail, that great alterations are 
