Which, though not flooded by
the river, retains all the water that falls upon it, there being no
descent or fall by which it can be conveyed to its natural drain, the
river. These plains were now dry and hard, and having been lately burnt,
the coarse natural herbage springing up fresh, gave them a pleasing
green appearance. One or two beautiful new shrubs in seed and flower
were found to-day, to the great satisfaction of the botanists, who had
not lately made many very splendid or valuable additions to their
collections.
A party of natives was seen on the opposite side of the river,
consisting of one man, two lads, and two women; they disappeared as soon
as they observed us.
The flood had swollen the stream to a considerable breadth; it was at
least sixty feet wide at the spot where we stopped, and was about six
feet below the banks.
July 28. - The waters in the stream continue stationary. There must
have been heavy rains to the eastward, to maintain at this height such
a body of water. As to the rains that fall westward of the Blue
Mountains, I am clearly of opinion, that they are in no way auxiliary in
forming this stream. The soil, the general level surface, without a
single water-course north or south, prove that all the waters which fall
are quickly absorbed; and I think it very probable that rain falls here
extremely seldom, and never simultaneously with the rain of the eastern
coast and mountains.
