Reduced As Our Provisions Were, We Could Not Resist The Temptation Of
Halting In This Beautiful Country For A Couple
Of days, to allow us time
to ascertain its precise situation, and to ride down the banks of the
river
Northerly as far as we could go and return in one day. The banks
of the river in our neighbourhood were low and grassy, with a margin of
gravel and pebble stones; there were marks of flood to the height of
about twelve feet, when the river would still be confined within its
secondary banks, and not overflow the rich lands that border it. Its
proper width in times of flood would be from six to eight hundred feet,
its present and usual width is about two hundred feet. The blue gum
trees in the neighbourhood were extremely fine, whilst that species of
eucalyptus, which is vulgarly called the apple tree, and which we had
not seen since we quitted the eastern coast, again made its appearance
on the flats, and of large size; as was the casuarina filifolia, growing
here and there on its immediate banks.
The day throughout was as fine as could be imagined, and it was spent
with a more cheerful feeling than we had experienced since we quitted
the depot on the Lachlan. The river running through the valley was named
Bell's River, in compliment to Brevet Major Bell, of the 48th Regiment;
the valley Wellington Valley; and the stream on which we halted on
Sunday, Molle's Rivulet.
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