South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1858 - 1889), Saturday 2 October 1858, page 2


NAVIGATION OF THE MURRUM-

BIDGEE.

[From a Correspondent of the Argus.]

Gundagai, September 16.

The inhabitants of this town were unexpectedly grati-fied this morning by the arrival of the steamer Albury, Captain Johnson, having Captain Cadell on board. It is the first-time a steamer or any other craft of any size has ever beea seen in this neighborhood, and this first "arrival" has suddenly awakened unwonted dreams of commerce and enterprise. The Murray (to which the Murrumbidgee is the principal tributary) has hitherto been considered the nearest navigable water, and, with the exception of a ferry-boat, the solitude of this stream has not until now been invaded. Captain Cadell reports that he experienced little difficulty in ascending the river, but he expects to find more in going down. I have been favored with the following abstract of his log :

"Left Lake Alexandrina the 12th Ahgust, with the barges Wakool, Eureka, and Mitta Mitta in tow.

Arrived at

Moorundee.......... Aug. 13 Darling Junction........... 21 Murrumbidgee............. 27

Balranald................ 28 Rieta and Veika....... 30 Lachlan Junction.......... Sept. 1

Lunga Station................. 4

Jank's Effluence............. 10 Wagga Wagga.............. 13

Gundagai................ 16

The Albury was 329 hours under steam in accomplishing the voyage, and has discharged at different stations 200 tons of cargo. The Eureka was cast off at the mouth of the Murrumbidgee, and the Mitta Mitta at Rieta and

Veika."

The voyage from Lake Alexandrina has thus occupied a month, and Captain Cadell estimates that he has steamed about 2,000 miles. The inhabitants of Gundagai have invited Captain Cadell to a dinner to be given this evening at Morley's Royal Hotel in appreciation of his enterprise, and in honor of his arrival. It is a red-letter day in our calendar. Captain Cadell, not satisfied with showing us a steamer on quiet waters, has treated the townfolk to a real steamboat excursion on the Murrum-

bidgee this afternoon. There was great eagerness to take advantage of the opportunity, many of the inhabitants having never seen a steamboat before. The Albury leaves us again to-morrow morning, "homeward

bound."