^^j^'] O'DoNOGHUE, Rambles in Raak. ii 



Umbrella Acacia, Acacia Osswaldi, and the Furze Acacia, Acacia 

 colletioides, flourished. These, in turn, were succeeded by the 

 Belar, Casuarina lepidophloia, and the Weeping Pittosporum, 

 Pittosponim phillyrcBoides, and a variety of Chenopodiaceous 

 plants, as the first of the many score of dry lake-beds we sub- 

 sequently encountered was met with. 



The number and extent of these so-called " salt-pans " or 

 " lakes " are the most striking physical feature of Raak. They 

 vary greatly in size, some being of comparatively small dimen- 

 sions, and others of vast area. Their longer axis is invariably 

 north and south, and they undoubtedly owe their origin to long 

 and continuous wind erosion on the friable arenaceous soil. 

 The occasional isolated residuals, of no mean height and extent, 

 that occur within them tend to support this view. Composed 

 of material of more than average resistance, these residuals 

 have successfully withstood the aeolian denudation that proved 

 so destructive to the areas by which they had been at one 

 time surrounded. The " salt-pans " seldom retain water for 

 any lengthy period, and are encircled by sand-dunes, which 

 attain a greater elevation on the eastern aspect than elsewhere. 

 On two occasions during the course of our wanderings we 

 beheld what appeared to be the initial process in the formation 

 of a '' pan " — sand-blows of great extent. In these we found 

 several small and slightly scattered piles of weathered ochre — 

 possibly originally a Venetian red, discoloured by fire — that 

 occurs in the locality, the pieces being about the size of a tennis 

 ball. These, we were informed, were " cooking stones " used 

 by the blacks in one of the several processes they adopted in 

 preparing their food. On the other hand, the ochre may have 

 been used by the aborigines in the adornment of their persons 

 in those weird ceremonies they so dearly loved and constantly 

 practised, and lost with the containing *' dilly bag" by some 

 careless gin. 



As all the " pans " noted by us bore the indubitable appear- 

 ance of age, it would seem that the agent by which they were 

 formed is not so potent now as formerly, or, if so, is controlled 

 by some factor that holds its power in check. Undoubtedly 

 that factor is the protective influence now exerted on the 

 friable soil by the pines, casuarinas, eucalypts, acacias, &c., 

 the Chenopodiaceous plants, grasses, and composites, which, 

 possibly, were negligible elements, if they existed at all, during 

 the formation of the depressions. The floors of most of the 

 " pans " are perfectly level, but prove tiresome walking, owing 

 to their yielding surface, which gives like velvet pile beneath 

 one's feet. The whole is of a pinkish tint, glints like hoar 

 frost under the sun's rays, and occasions many deceptive 



