84 S. A. WHITE, Central Australian Expedition. TisfocT" 



A Central Australian Expedition 



By Captain S. A. WHITE, C.M-.B.O.U., C.F.A.O.U., 

 State Secretary R.A.O.U., S.A. 



Quite a number of years ago, the Australasian Association 

 for the .Vdvancement of Science discussed the necessity of send- 

 ing scientists into Central Australia to clear up some doubts 

 centred round a spot called Yellow Cliff on the Finke River. Sir 

 Douglas Mawson proposed that two geologists should carry out 

 this work. Prof. Sir Edgeworth David, D.S.O., F.R.S., F.G.S., 

 etc., of the Sydney University, and Prof. Walter Howchin, 

 F.G.S., of Adelaide, were selected for tlie investigation. 



The author of this pai)er, having traversed the country in ques- 

 tion more than once previous to this trif), was called into consul- 

 tation with the geologists, the outcome being that all arrange- 

 ments and organising were left in his hands. The first move 

 was with regard to transport. Upon approaching Sir Sidney 

 Kidman, he, in his characteristic broad-minded and public- 

 spirited way, said, "I will do what I can for you. If you can 

 do the trip by car, you can have the one at Macumba Station ; 

 if not, you shall have a waggonette and as many horses as you 

 like." Final arrangements were made by the writer with Sir 

 Edgeworth David in Sydney when on my way up to Brisbane 

 last May. On 17th June, 1921, Sir Edgeworth David arrived in 

 .Vdelaide, and we sIkjuM have left on the 22nd by the fortnightly 

 train to the head of the line at Oodnadatta ; but, on the 18th, the 

 expedition was j)ostponed owing to the extraordinary reason that 

 there had been too much rain. The news of heavy falls of rain 

 reached me late in the evening, and the outcome was that the 

 start was put off till the next train in two weeks' time. The 

 time before starting was taken up by Sir Edgeworth in the ex- 

 amination of most interesting geological centres within a few 

 hundreds of miles of Adelaide. 



On July 6th Prof. Sir Edgeworth David. Prof. W. Howchin 

 and the writer left by the Great Northern train. The expedition 

 had a double objective. In the first place there was the examin- 

 ation of some remarkable glacial deposits at YelKnv Cliff", on the 

 Finke River, at Crown Point, and, secondly, the investigation of 

 the sandstone strata, an important intake of the Great Artesian 

 Basin. After travelling all day, the train reached the pictur- 

 esque little town of Quorn in the evening, v^tarting early next 

 morning, a special car was arranged to trail behind, forming an 

 observation car, and giving the geologists good opportunity of 

 observing the wonderful country through wliich we i)assed. Ex- 

 clamations of wonder came from the great geologist as we 

 wound our way through and along the wonderful i)eaks of Flin- 

 ders Range. Leaving Maree in the early morning of the third 

 day, we were travelling still northwards. The effects of the won 

 derful rains were more and more apparent. Where the writer 

 had experienced miles upon miles of drift sand, and where the 



