15$ EXPLORATIONS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA. [March 14, 1859; 



flows between the ranges, and whicli gives a value to this locality as to thai? 

 which Stuart has discovered. 



In reference to Mr. Babbage's journey, I have been much surprised at 

 the altitude he gives to the lakes which he discovered, because I take the 

 interior to be much lower. At my depot, whence I started into the interior, 

 and which was only 340 feet above the sea-level, I descended very consider- 

 ably as I neared the great stony desert, which I consider to be the lowest 

 part of Central Australia, since the rivers, so far as I could judge, fall into it 

 both from the south and from the north, and appear to meet in it as a centra) 

 channel, for the main channel of Cooper Creek on the one side, and Eyre 

 Creek on the other, certainly do run into it ; but Mr. Gregory having traced 

 the western arm of Cooper Creek (which, after overflowing a large plain, re- 

 forms as my Strzelecki Creek) into Lake Torrens, 1 have now no doubt but 

 that the other creeks which I crossed, equally owing their existence to that 

 arm of Cooper Creek, water the country immediately to the north of the lately- 

 discovered lakes, and ultimately flow into them. 



I think the most important part of Stuart's discoveries, independently of the 

 available country which he has opened out, is the key which his large creek 

 opens to the farther penetration of Central Australia. If the ranges he 

 mentions continue to the north-west, as we have every reason to hope, water 

 may be found near them, so as to enable explorers to go farther into the interior 

 with every prospect of success from so advanced a position. Stuart, at his 

 farthest point, was 700 miles from the position which I occupied in the centre, 

 in lat. 24° and long. 138°. Mr. Gregory, at his farthest distance south from the 

 Victoria of Stokes, was 4° of latitude higher to the north and 11° of longitude 

 farther to the west than I was, and, therefore, he was about 700 miles to the 

 west-north-west of my central position. At that point the country was exactly 

 the same as the country which I had traversed — the same kind of sand-ridges 

 and the same kind of vegetation ; but there was this remarkable difference in 

 the two localities, that where Mr. Gregory was, the sand-ridges ran east and 

 west ; and where I was, they ran north and south. How far the same kind of 

 country may continue to the westward of his point, which would be nearly 

 due north of Stuart's farthest point, and about 700 miles distant (our positions 

 thus forming an equilateral triangle), it is impossible to say. I still believe that 

 there is a large basin of water in the interior, and that there may be a good 

 country yet found round about it. A black, who came to our depot, certainly 

 described water and fish as being to the west of us in so energetic a manner 

 that we were all convinced there must be a mass of water in the direction to 

 which he pointed. The motions he made and the indications which he gave' 

 naturally led every one of us to believe and to hope that we were within 50 or 

 60 miles of an inland sea. I believe now, when the country is farther ex- 

 plored, that the central channel will be found to lead into or be connected with 

 some large basin of water. 



The President (addressing Captain Sturt). — How far from west to east do 

 you suppose the region containing fresh water may extend ? 



Captain Sturt. — I should say it would run to the meridian of 138°. 



The President. — I apprehend that Captain Sturt does not wish you to 

 infer that any part of the region between his farthest north and Gregory's 

 farthest south when he proceeded from Tropical Australia can be occupied by 

 fresh water lakes, rivers, or springs. 



Captain Sturt. — No, no. 



The President. — You see, gentlemen, that all that low region is considered 

 by Captain Sturt to be sterile. 



Captain Sturt. — That must necessarily be a dry and barren country. It is 

 to the westward altogether that my observations point — to tJie great western half 



