Freed to flow more swiftly, streams began incising channels through the beds of silt.
The most common mining technique in that era involved shovelling earth into a wooden trough, called a sluice box, then directing a swiftly moving stream of water over it, in the hope of washing away everything but gold.
On its broad brick-surfaced terrace, where I rewarded myself with a beer and tapas before lunch, the only sound was that of a swiftly moving stream leading through pines to a series of fish hatcheries.
Abiding by one number is akin to spotting a fish in a swiftly moving stream and going back an hour later to catch it.
Swiftly moving streams are quite rare.
Several short, swiftly flowing streams supply all towns and most villages with piped clean water.
A school, known as No. 7 Infantry Training Centre, was opened at Wilsons Promontory, Victoria, which was described as "an isolated area of high, rugged and heavily timbered mountains, precipitous valleys, swiftly running streams, and swamps".
The coastal plain is narrow, with few harbours and short, swiftly-flowing streams.
Although these mountain streams flow swiftly through rocky channels and gorges, they are navigable to skillful boatmen using sampans (small, roofed boats propelled by sculling), right up to the mountains.
As when Moses parted the Red Sea, once the doors to the building opened, those in line streamed in swiftly.
