854 president's address. 



these mounds, of which the surface was hard enough to walk 

 upon. The soda or alkaline deposit was so strong that Mr. Bell 

 used some in a pannikin to mix up " Johnny cakes," and it made 

 them "rise" in a manner similar to that of bicarbonate of soda 

 when used in cake-making. Within a few feet of the natural 

 springs were large holes containing clear fresh water, the latter 

 evidently supplied from the sandhills, and the former from a 

 deeper source and strata far distant. Similar alkaline springs 

 are also found near the Warrego, a tributary of the Darling 

 River and the Diamantina, North Queensland Rivers. 



These anticipated practical results have now been verified by 

 the examples set forth in the paper previously mentioned, which 

 was read by Mr. Wilkinson. Mr. David Brown, manager for 

 the Messrs. Officer Brothers, sank several tube bores, at depths 

 varying from 134 to 142 feet, at the mud springs of Wee Wattah 

 and Mulyco, about 1 8 miles from the Darling River, and struck 

 in all of them a strong flow of water, which in one case — the 

 Wee Wattah well — rose in the bore, and flowed from the tube at 

 a height of 26 feet above the surface of the ground. These 

 pipes were only four inches in diameter, and, with the exception 

 of one which still maintains its action, were soon choked by the 

 fine drift and sand forced up from below. The result of these 

 trial shafts must be considered as highly satisfactory, although 

 impeded in their action by the difficulties invariably attendant 

 upon all first attempts, and they possess the still greater value 

 of being the precursors of similar undertakings throughout New 

 South Wales and the other colonies. 



Since writing down the foregoing for your consideration I 

 have received from Mr. Wilkinson a paper on the "Artesian 

 Water of the Albert Gold-fields," which was ordered to be 

 printed by the Legislative Assembly, 15th November, 1881. 

 The paper contains most important accounts of the sinking of two 

 wells, Nos. 1 and 2, at the great depths of 488 and 572 feet 

 respectively, on the Dunlop run, the property of Mr. S. 



