chain of ponds. They were deep, full of water,
and surrounded by strong yarra trees. Passing them we met a small scrub
of casuarinae which we avoided; and we next entered on a fine plain in
which the anthisteria or oatgrass appeared. This is the same grass which
grows on the most fertile parts of the counties of Argyle and Murray and
is, I believe, the best Australian grass for cattle: it is also one of
the surest indications of a good soil and dry situation.

DISCOVERY OF THE RIVER YARRAYNE.

Beyond the plain the line of noble yarra trees, which I had observed from
Mount Hope, gave almost certain promise of a river; and at 6 1/2 miles
our journey was terminated by a deep running stream. The banks were steep
and about twenty feet high, but covered thickly with grass to the edge of
the water. The yarra trees grew by the brink of the stream and not on the
top of the bank. The water had a brown appearance as if it came from
melted snow but, from the equality of depth (about nine feet) and other
circumstances, I was of opinion that it was a permanent running stream.
The current ran at the rate of four chains in 122 seconds, or near 1 1/2
mile per hour; thus it would appear from what we had seen that there is
much uniformity in the velocity of the rivers, and consequently in the
general inclination of the surface. The banks of this little river were
however very different in some respects from any we had previously seen,
being everywhere covered thickly with grass. No fallen timber impeded its
course, nor was there any indication in the banks that the course was
ever in the least degree affected by such obstructions.

A BRIDGE MADE ACROSS IT.

It was so narrow that I anticipated little difficulty in making a bridge
by felling some of the overhanging trees. Finding a large one already
fallen across the stream where the slopes of the banks could be most
readily made passable, we lost no time in felling another which broke
against the opposite bank and sunk into the water. No other large trees
grew near but the banks were, at that place, so favourable for the
passage of the waggons that I determined to take advantage of the large
fallen tree; and to construct a bridge by bringing others of smaller
dimensions to it, according to the accompanying plan, and not unmindful
of the useful suggestions of Sir Howard Douglas respecting temporary
bridges.

July 2.

Late in the evening of this day we completed a bridge formed of shor