A Murrumbidgee River. B Tumat River. C Creek. D Wheat paddock. E Paddock. F House. G Stock yard. b Pebbly bed of river. c High Banks. d High declivities of hills. e Low reedy bank. f Low banks. g High banks.

I visited the spot, situated not many yards distant from the house, at which the junction of the Murrumbidgee with the Tumat river takes place. Many persons consider the latter to have the more direct course, and consequently to be the main stream which is continued to the sea, (according to the discovery of Captain Sturt,) and that the Murrumbidgee empties itself into the Tumat. Others differ from this opinion; but in point of fact, both streams unite at this place, and form one continuous river, as seen in the accompanying diagram, the water supplied by each being nearly of equal proportions. The Tumat river (which I saw as high as Mr. Rose’s cattle station at “Been,” and a distance of twelve or fourteen miles beyond that station, making a distance from the junction of forty or fifty miles) was equal in breadth and depth of stream to the Murrumbidgee, had numerous creeks emptying their waters into it, and also swamps about its banks, overflown during floods, and even now absorbing a large quantity of water. Among other creeks which empty themselves into the Tumat is a fine stream, called by the aborigines the “Been,” or “Gheek,” from which the station has received its name. The Tumat may probably rise from a mass of mountains to the southward, divided from “Monaro” or “Menero” Plains, by a lofty ridge of mountains. Neither the origin of this, or the Murrumbidgee river, however, is ascertained.

It was stated to me in this part of the colony, that the natives call all large rivers Murrumbidgee,[94] and I certainly heard it applied by them equally to the Tumat and Murrumbidgee streams; but I found they usually name the river after the country through which it flows, so that on demanding the name of the river at different places, many names are bestowed upon it: a person unaware of this circumstance is surprised at the number of names the same stream obtains. Thus, the Yas river at one part is called “Gondaroo” by the natives, and this occasioned many to suppose the correct name of the Yas river was “Gondaroo,” until it was ascertained that it received that appellation from the portion of country of the same name through which it passed; afterwards receiving the name of “Yas,” or “Yar,” when flowing through its plains: by the latter name, however, the entire stream is known to Europeans, which is a better method of nomenclature than that adopted by the natives. The Tumat at Mr. Warby’s farm was called “Bewuck,” and as a variety of the “river cod” receives the same native name, the river might either be named after the number of the fish found in it, or the fish from being found abundant in that particular part of the river; for a very short distance further up the stream, the aborigines bestow a different name upon it from the country through which it flows. I mention these circumstances, hoping some future traveller may have opportunities of further inquiry, confirming my statements if correct, or refuting them should they prove erroneous.

The sand in and about the banks of the Murrumbidgee river has a glittering appearance, which led many to report that gold dust abounded; but those who made the assertion have yet to learn “that it is not all gold that glitters,” for on examination the glittering particles are found to be merely talc. When a well was about to be sunk, at a distance from three to four hundred yards from the banks of this river, opposite to, and not far distant from, Mr. Warby’s farm, at a depth of thirteen feet, in an alluvial soil, a quantity of charcoal was found, and at a further depth of twenty feet more was discovered.

Abundance of “river cod” was taken from the river, and I had usually plenty of fine fish as long as I remained in this or the Tumat countries, in those parts adjacent to the fine rivers. Aquatic fowl were not less abundant, more especially the “Black duck,” or “Buddinbong,” of the natives; a species of teal, the “Towrodey” of the natives, and “Wood ducks,” (which from their peculiar note the aborigines name Ku-náruk, resembling the sound those birds utter,) all afforded an excellent meal, oftentimes even with the addition of green peas, as most of the stations have small vegetable gardens attached to them. The “Wild turkey” of the colony, Kumbul of the natives, (a species of bustard,) is occasionally seen about this part of the country and Yas Plains, but they are so very shy, as to render it difficult to get within shot of them.

The following morning (December 9th) I proceeded through the “Tumat country.” On leaving Darbylara much swampy land was passed, varied by plains and hills, abounding in pasturage, in which the kangaroo-grass (Anthisteria australis) grew to the height of four feet, and numerous creeks emptying their waters into the stream of the Tumat. The numerous lagoons and flats, swamps or marshes, (for by all these names they seem equally known,) had a fresh green appearance, occasioned by the young reeds springing up, which are greedily devoured by cattle and horses, as in that stage of growth they are sweet, and contain abundance of mucilage; as they advance in growth, the verdure they possessed is succeeded by arid brown stems, surmounted by feathered blossoms, which wave and bend with a rustling noise to the breeze that sweeps by them. The road continued through a pleasing country, abounding in vales rich with vegetation, about which hills, thinly scattered with trees, but densely clothed with herbage, rose, of different forms and heights, varied by the “Swamp oaks,” “Water gum,” and other Eucalypti, which, by their greener foliage, indicated the proximity and course of the Tumat river; or a reedy swamp would be seen near the banks of the stream, from which often some large cranes, with lead-coloured plumage, called “Gungaroo” by the natives, would arise. After riding a distance of eight miles, we arrived at a station named “Brungul,” the property of a Mr. Keighern, and were refreshed by some milk; indeed, the excellent milk that can always be readily procured at any of the stations in this luxuriant grazing part of the colony is a great comfort, with the additional ones of excellent butter, cheese, and damper.[95]

The flats or plains near the stations are seen animated by immense droves of cattle, revelling in all the luxury furnished by a rich herbage. This part of the colony may be correctly termed a land flowing with milk, and even, we may say occasionally, with honey, as the latter is sometimes procured by the native blacks from the hollow trunk of a tree; by watching the direction in which the bees fly when proceeding homeward, and following them, they thus discover and rob the industrious insects of the “sweets of their life.”[96]