Game (Kangaroos And Emus),
Frequenting The Dry Banks Of The River, Were Procured In Abundance.
July 28.
- The river during the night had risen upwards of eight feet;
and still continued rising with surprising rapidity, running at the rate
of from five to six miles per hour, bringing down with it great
quantities of driftwood and other wreck. The islands were all deeply
covered, and the whole scene was peculiarly grand and interesting. The
sudden rise probably was caused by the heavy rains of the preceding
days; but great must be the sources from whence so stupendous a body of
water is supplied, and equally grand must be that reservoir, which is
capable of containing such an accumulation of water as is derived from
this and the Macquarie Rivers; not to mention the supplies from the
occasional streams which had their sources in the marshes which we have
crossed. The water was so extremely thick and turbid, that we could not
use it; but were forced to send back to the marshes for what we wanted.
At night, the river seemed at its greatest height.
July 29. - The waters this day subsided rapidly. It is evident that there
has been no flood in the river for a very considerable period prior to
the present one, there being no marks of wreck or rubbish on the trees
or banks. Now the quantity of matter is astonishing, and, such as must
take some years to remove. The rapid rise and fall in the water would
seem to indicate that neither its source nor its embouchure can be at
any great distance.
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