All the rivers draining the interior of New South Wales, as far as it is known, appear to belong to the river basin of the Murray. The rivers composing this extensive system consist of numerous streams that flow westward from the high lands running north and south through New South \Vales. The Murray itself we have noticed as dividing the colony from Victoria, and it enters South Australia at Table-Land Cliffs, and after flowing in a westerly direction about 90 miles in a direct line, it turns to the south and enters the sea at Encounter Bay. (Sousa Auseastts..) The Murrumbidgee, after it has itself received the Lachlan, falls into the Murray in 143° E. long. The Darling, by its upper branches, drains the country extend ing from 32' to 28° S. lat. Its most northern branch, the Condamine, rises on the Darling Downs, in 28' S. lat., runs northward as far as S. lat., 151' 4' E. long., then turns westward to 149° E. long., and then south-westward till it joins the Darling on its left bank. From the south it receives the Bogen, a considerable stream, rising in the Harvey Range ; and it is probable that the Macquarie, at least during the rainy season, disemboguea into it part of its water from the marsh in which it is lost.
Geology. Mineralogy, cEa—The general account of the geology of the island has been given under AusreaLta, in voL L, cols. 695-699. Sir R. I. Murchison had asserted that gold must exist in the country in certain formations; and the earns theory hail been promulgated in the colony by the Rev. W. B. Clarke, on the ground that the strata of the Australian mountains running north and south through Victoria and New South Wales, were of the same formation as those of the Sierra Nevada in California, and the Ural Mountains in Russia, namely, granite mixed with quartz and schistose slate; but it was not till 1849 that the actual existence of gold was discovered. In 1851 further discoveries were made, Mr. Hargraves disclosed the places where he had found gold, and when the government officer was sent to examine the places, he found persons already working them. On May 22nd instructions were given by the governor to grant licences to diggers at the rate of 30s. per month. The first discoverers obtained the gold by washing the detritus from the beds of the creeks, and the earth from the shores; but it was soon found that the richest deposits were in the quartz, and means were found to crush the rock and obtain the gold. On August 5th the governor issued a notice that the licences would only apply to the gold-washers, and that on gold obtained by crushing, a royalty must be paid of from 5 to 10 per cent. I'olicemen
were appointed to the various station; and escorts furnished for bringing the gold from the diggings to the ports of Sydney or Mel bourne. In a short time the towns and villages were deserted, all the usual avocations abandoned, the ships in harbour left unmanned, and every one capable of labour repaired to the diggings. An immigration ensued almost without a parallel. In the quarter ending the 30th of September, 1854, the total quantity of gold brought down to Sydney was 28,053 ounces, and the quantity of gold exported 49,893 ounces, valued at 162,153/. ; 10,712 10e-licences were granted on Crown lands to mine and dig, 704 on Crown lands to erect buildings for trading purpose., and 12,157 5s.-lieences on private lands to mine and dig, making a grand total of 12,157 licences, for which 58931. was received. Eight leases were granted to work auriferous quartz veins. The total quantity of gold exported up to the 30th of June, 1854, was 150,420 ounces. valued at 488,8961.; making a gross total of 1,661,355 ounces of gold exported in 1851, 1852, 1853, and the half of 1854, the value whereof was 5,899,3501. The estimated net quantity of gold exported from New South Wales and Victoria, from the 29th of May, 1851, to the 80th of June, 1854, was 7,318,482 ounces, valued at 25,580,2321.; and up to the 30th of September, 7,886,509 ounces, valued at 27,975,419/.
Respecting other metals we have little to add to what is said under AIIarn?ata.
Iron-ore is known to exist in several places, especially on the west of the Blue Mountains. Several extensive coal-measures have been found, two of which are worked. Those found near the mouth of the Hunter River, near Newcastle, are extensively worked, and their produce I. shipped to Sydney. The coal-beds near Western Port are also very large, and have been worked for several years. Limestone is abundant in some places, and some kinds of marble aro worked on the banks of the Wollondilly.
An account of the botany of New South Wales is given under Artnatatta, voL L, cos. 701-3. Many of the trees are used for domestic purposes, and some of them are exported as timber. The most valu able is the cedar (Melia azedarach), which is found especially at Illawarra, and on the banks of the Hunter, Hastings, and Clarence rivers. Several of the gum-trees, as they are called (Eucalyptus), aro valuabits. Timber is farther obtained from a kind of pine belonging to the genus CaUitris. Most of the eucalypti yield a kind of gum, and therefore they have obtained the name of gum-trees. A summary account of the zoology of New South Wales is given under AIISTEIALIA, vol. L, coL 703-9.