the men--Change in the geological character of
the country--The river passes through a valley among hills.

Arrived once more at the junction of the two rivers, and unmolested in
our occupations, we had leisure to examine it more closely. Not having
as yet given a name to our first discovery, when we re-entered its
capacious channel on this occasion, I laid it down as the Murray River,
in compliment to the distinguished officer, Sir George Murray, who then
presided over the colonial department, not only in compliance with the
known wishes of his Excellency General Darling, but also in accordance
with my own feelings as a soldier.

The new river, whether the Darling or an additional discovery, meets
its more southern rival on a N. by E. course; the latter, running
W.S.W. at the confluence, the angle formed by the two rivers, is,
therefore, so small that both may be considered to preserve their
proper course, and neither can be said to be tributary to the other. At
their junction, the Murray spreads its waters over the broad and sandy
shore, upon which our boat grounded, while its more impetuous neighbour
flows through the deep but narrow channel it has worked out for itself,
under the right bank. The strength of their currents must have been
nearly equal, since there was as distinct a line between their
respective waters, to a considerable distance below the junction, as if
a thin board alone separated them. The one half the channel contained
the turbid waters of the northern stream, the other still preserved
their original transparency.

INUNDATED AND ALLUVIAL COUNTRY.

The banks of the Murray did not undergo any immediate change as we
proceeded. We noticed that the country had, at some time, been subject
to extensive inundation, and was, beyond doubt, of alluvial formation.
We passed the mouths of several large creeks that came from the north
and N.W., and the country in those directions seemed to be much
intersected by water-courses; while to the south it was extremely low.
Having descended several minor rapids, I greatly regretted that we had
no barometer to ascertain the actual dip of the interior. I computed,
however, that we were not more than from eighty to ninety feet above
the level of the sea. We found the channel of the Murray much
encumbered with timber, and noticed some banks of sand that were of
unusual size, and equalled the largest accumulations of it on the sea
shore, both in extent and solidity.