THEORY OF AN INLAND SEA. 11 



population have flowed over the continent. But I am 

 not prepared to agree entirely with Mr. Eyre when 

 he concludes, as I have stated, from the fact of the 

 rite of circumcision having been found on the south 

 and north-west coasts, and on the Gulf of Carpenta- 

 ria, that there exists any peculiar connection between 

 the tribes inhabiting those several points. This 

 enterprising traveller moreover thinks that the 

 idea he has started goes far towards refuting the 

 theory of an inland sea, another presumption against 

 which he maintains to be the hot winds that blow 

 from the interior. I confess that the theory of an 

 inland sea has long since vanished from my mind, 

 though I base my opinion on reasons different from 

 those of Mr. Eyre. The intercourse between natives 

 of opposite sides of the continent, (though it is 

 certainly possible) has never been established, and 

 while it remains hypothetical, cannot be adduced 

 to overthrow another hypothesis. The existence 

 of hot winds also blowing from the interior is not 

 conclusive, as we had, when in the Gulf of Carpen- 

 taria, very cold winds coming from the same direc- 

 tion. We know, however, that the temperature 

 of winds depends much on the nature of the soil 

 over which they sweep, for instance, in a cold clayey 

 soil, the radiation of heat is very rapid. 



Before quitting this subject it may be as well to 

 mention that my own impression, which the most 

 recent information bears out, is that instead of an 

 inland sea, there is in the centre of Australia a 



