Nov. 8, 1858.] IN SEARCH OF LEICHHARDT AND PARir. ?>1 



may eventually be occupied. The best part is, however, v^ithin the 

 Province of South Australia. 



Between Cooper Creek and Lake Torrens about 1 20 miles of sandy 

 country intervenes. This tract is destitute of surface water ; but as 

 it is probable that it could be obtained by sinking wells of moderate 

 depth, I think it might be occupied to advantage during the cool 

 season, and thus relieve the stations which are now established within 

 Lake Torrens, though I fear that the summer heat would be too great 

 to admit of permanent occupation. 



The geological character of the country is remarkably uniform. 

 Carboniferous sandstones and shales, containing occasional beds of 

 coal, with superincumbent hills and ridges of basalt, extend from 

 Darling Downs to the 146th meridian, where these rocks are covered 

 by horizontal sandstones, with beds of chert and water-worn quartz 

 pebbles. This latter formation extends as far as Mount Hopeless, 

 where the slate ranges of South Australia rise abruptly from the 

 plain. 



The sandy deserts and mud plains are only superficial deposits, as 

 the sandstones are often exposed where the upper formation is inter- 

 sected by gullies. 



The direction of the parallel ridges of drift sand appears to be the 

 result of the prevailing winds, and not the action of water, it being 

 sufficient to visit them on a windy day to be convinced that it is 

 unnecessaiy to seek for a more remote and obscure cause than that 

 which is in present operation. 



It is, perhaps, with reference to the physical geography of Australia 

 that the results of the expedition are most important ; as, by con 

 necting successively the explorations of Sir T. Mitchell, Mr. Ken- 

 nedy, Captain Sturt, and Mr. Eyre, the waters of the tropical interior 

 of the eastern portion of the continent are proved to flow towards 

 Spencer Gulf, if not actually into it, the barometrical obsei-vations 

 showing that Lake Torrens, the lowest part of the interior, is de- 

 cidedly above the sea level. 



Although only about one-third of the waters of Cooper Creek flow 

 into Lake Torrens by the channel of Strzelecki Creek, there is strong 

 evidence that the remaining channels, after spreading their waters 

 on the vast plains which occupy the country between them and 

 Sturt's Stony Desert, finally drain to the south, augmented probably 

 by the waters of " Eyre Creek," the " Stony Desert," and perhaps 

 some other watercourses of a similar character coming from the west- 

 ward. 



This peculiar structure of the interior renders it improbable that 

 any considerable inland lakes should exist in connection with the 



