MAGAZINE OF SCIENCE AND ART. 
Ill 
lived from personal observation, and from information 
derived from other travel lei's in the “ far west,” that 
considered as a whole, a comparatively inconsiderable I 
space of these millions of square miles, is subject to 
this drawback. And even supposing that half the area 
was in this predicament, yet sufficient would remain to 
supply all the woollen manufactories in the world with 
the raw material. I might dwell upon the millions of 
human beings, Lo whom such an increased production 
would afford employment; but it would be a hopeless 
task to attempt to arrive at even an approximation of 
the truth. The men, women, and children, who would 
he employed in the various stages of manufacture; the 
ship builders and sailors employed in carrying the raw 
material and the various fabrics tp and fro, all over the 
globe; and the many other trades and occupations. which 
would also he directly or indirectly affected by it, are 
almost past calculation. I will, therefore, merely state 
that the number of men who would he required for the 
immediate and direct production of the fleece, from the 
number of sheep previously mentioned, such as shep¬ 
herds, hutkeepers, overseers, ration carriers, &c., would 
amount on the lowest estimate to about four millions, 
not to say anything of the carriers, wool so it el's, brokets, 
merchants, kc., wlio would have a “finger in the pie,” 
before the dip left oar shores. 
I have gone into all these calculations, with the view 
of drawing the attention of the members of this Society, 
and through them that of our woolgrowers to the sub¬ 
ject, in order that they may see that there is no reason 
for the cry which has been raised, that the colony lias 
reached its maximum in the production of its hitherto 
greatest staple ; that there is no room for new comers, 
and that their individual sheep walks are so fully occu¬ 
pied that there is no alternative for them but to resort 
to the tallow pot. All these desponding complaints we 
frequently hear, and that they are generally credited 
by those who hear them, as well as by those who make 
them, there can ho little doubt. Indeed, what further 
proof of this can be desired than the enormous prices 
which sheep walks and cattle runs have realized during 
the past three or four years? Tlieso prices would never 
have been thought of, if the purchasers had not believed 
that they could not hope to find any suitable country 
unoccupied. Nor would so many thousands, or rather 
millions, of sheep have been sacrificed for the mere tallow 
and skins which they produced, had the owners not be¬ 
lieved that their runs were becoming overstocked. It 
is a fact that cannot be disputed, that very largo num¬ 
bers of sheep have been reduced to tallow, the proceeds 
of which would not amount to more than the price of 
the clip of two seasons from the same sheep, had the 
owners been able to feed them. This was truly “ kill¬ 
ing the goose for the golden egg,” as I hope to be able 
to show, before I have wound up the series of papers 
which 1 have undertaken to lay before you upon the 
subject. 
Nothing could be more insane, in many instances, 
than the outcries to which I have alluded. I have 
known some flock masters proposing to reduce their 
flocks because they had no more room for them, when 
by a. little foresight they might have found room for 
ten times the quantity at once, and within a few hours* 
ride of their very doors, by simply sinking a few 
wells, for in these instances, although tho stations 
were first class, yet the only water to which tho 
stock and their keepens had access was in the river 
which bounded them ; consequently the laud situated 
at a few miles’ distance from this naturally found 
water, although producing; equal, if not superior grass 
and herbage to that on tne banks ot the river, yet 
was not available during summer or in the absence of 
rain. 
From what has before been stated respecting the flat 
and absorbent nature of the land throughout Central 
Australia, it will be seen that there is little doubt that 
an abundant supply of water must exist at no great 
depth from the surface. Indeed there is some reason 
to think that underground rivers must be one of the 
means by which the immense quantity of water which 
sometimes falls upon these'boundless plains eventually 
fluds its way to the sea. Jn Captain Sturt’s journey 
down the Murrumbidgeo and Murray, lie tells us that 
lie was more than once surprised to find the body of 
water flowing through their channels considerably* in¬ 
crease in volume and force of current, as if some river 
had suddenly joined them ; and, as suc h was not the 
case, he accounts for the circumstance by the supposi¬ 
tion that underground streams or springs must add 
their waters to that of these rivers, where this increase 
was observable. 
1 cannot tell whether the practice cf sinking wells 
for he supplying water for flocks and herds, has tver 
been had recourse to on an extensive scale, in any part 
of the world. Nor do I think tliexe is any country 
where the same features are to be found. Those vast 
systems of plains with which tho continent of America 
abounds, are for the most part well watered by gigantic 
rivers, and their numerous branches and tributaries. 
The plains also of Kussia, and other countries, have 
the advantage of being well watered by lakes and 
rivers, fed either by copious periodical rains, or from 
the still more copious and inhospitable falls of snow. 
It would be vain, therefore, to seek for precedents where 
none can exist; for even if well-sinking had been 
largely resorted to iu these countries, it would form no 
precedent for us, so different is our country in almost 
every respect. It is true that Australia, like these, 
has boundless plains—hut how different. Uer plains, 
as we have before seen, are for the most part very 
slightly elevated above tho sea level, while the others 
are often found to be of great elevation. Nor do they 
resemble hers in climate or formation, as scarcely in¬ 
deed do they in any other particular. 
That wells however have been, and are used, for 
watering both sheep and cattle, there can be no doubt. 
Even so far back as the time of the patriarchs of Holy 
Writ, we find frequent allusions to them as applied to 
tlris purpose. In the case of “ Laban’s well,” wo are 
told that Jacob there found “three flocks of sheep 
lying by it; lor out of that well they watered the 
flocks.” But it appeal's that more than three flocks 
must have resorted to this well for a similar purpose, 
although it could not have been of very extensive di¬ 
mensions. The passage continues, “ And thither were 
all the flocks gathered; and they rolled the stone from 
the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the 
stone again upon tho well’s mouth in his place ” 
Again, Dacob addressing those who tended the flocks, 
said, “So, it is yet high day , neither is it time that 
the cattle should be gathered together; water ye the 
sheep, and go and feed them.” “ And they said, we 
cannot, until all tho flocks be gathered together.” In 
Syria and Arabia at the present day it is not unusual 
to meet with wells made and used* for the same pur¬ 
pose as this well* of Laban. But as for Australia, it 
seems the idea of digging a well except for household 
requirements, has hardly been thought within the 
bounds of reason. We must not, however, forget that 
very deep ones indeed have been dug in search of gold. 
And at Ballarat, where some of the shafts have beon 
sunk from 100 to 250 foet, powerful steam machinery 
has been required to keep them free from water. 
Having attempted to show what probability there is 
of procuring water by digging wells, it now remains to 
offer some practical suggestions on the best mode of 
proceeding, having due regard to the means and appli¬ 
ances most generally to be met with in the interior of 
our country. Without a sufficient knowledge of these 
it were useless to make the attempt. Were wo to ask 
the most scientific engineer for his ideas, we would 
most certainly have some elaborate machinery proposed 
both for cheap sinking and for pumping tho largest 
quantity of water to tlio surfaco in the shortest time. 
The expense ot these, however efficient they might be, 
and however cheap they might prove in the end, would, 
with the majority of onr woolgrowers, at once settle the 
question. We must propose some plan, however 
