Interior of New South Wales. 
179 
1 crossed a range of clay ironstone which extends northward 
from Mount Playfair ; it is covered with dense scrubs, and in it I 
found sources of the Warrego, a river flowing south-west. On 
the western side 1 followed down the head of a river falling 
north-west, which, from its magnitude and the fine forest country 
along its banks, promised well; but the bed was full of sand 
and quite dry, and after pursuing its course a whole day, I found 
it to turn towards the south, and at length even to the east. 
Passing the night by this river (without water), I left it, calling at 
the N ive, and hastened back next morning to where I had seen a 
gap in a westerly range, connected with that to the northward, 
and arrived by sun-set near the gap, in a valley, where I found 
lagoons of water and green flats in the midst of brigalow scrub. 
This was in long. 146° 42' 25' E., Iat. 24° 50' 35' S. 
On ascending the range early next morning, I saw open dawns 
and plains with a line of river in the midst, the whole extending to 
the N. N. W. as far as the horizon. Following down the little stream 
from the valley in which I had passed the night, I soon reached 
the open country, and during ten successive days I pursued the 
course of that river through the same sort of country, each day 
as far as my horse could carry me, and in the same direction, 
again approaching the Tropic of Capricorn. In some parts the 
river formed splendid reaches, as broad and important as the 
River Murray; in others, it spread into four or five channels, 
some of them several miles apart; but the whole country is better 
watered than any other portion of Australia I have seen, by 
numerous tributaries arising in the Downs. The soil consists 
of rich clay, and the hollows give birth to water-courses, in most 
of which water was abundant. I found, at length, that I might 
travel in any direction and find water at hand, without having 
to seek the river, except when I wished to ascertain its general 
course and observe its character. The grass consists of panicum, 
and several new sorts, one of which springs green from the 
old stem. The plains were verdant; indeed, the luxuriant 
pasturage surpassed in quality, as it did in extent, anything of the 
kind I had ever seen. The myal tree and salt bush (acacia 
pendula and salsola:), so essential to a good run, are also there. 
