100 



My determinations of the height of "Wilson's Bluff and the 

 summit of the Eucla Road are from aneroid data compared 

 with the barometric readings taken at the Eucla Telegraph 

 Station. The various heights along the cliff edge were 

 obtained by measure, and are as follows : — 

 East end of Bunda 7 -, . - £ 



Cliffs j 145 feet. 



37 miles west from f 152 feet, general level. 



above \ 162 " to crown of sand ridge. 



70 miles east from C 200 " general level. 



"Wilson's Bluff ^ 235 " to crown of sand dome. 

 25 miles east from ") 00 _ ? , 

 Wilson's Bluff j ZZb teet - 

 "Wilson's Bluff ... 250 feet (by aneroid) . 

 Passing inland from the coast a change of level is perceptible 

 in the form of long synclinal curves and short ridges, but in 

 no determinate direction ; and they do not appear to result 

 from undulation of the rocky substratum. Eor the most part 

 the differences of level between the dips and rises do not exceed 

 ten feet. Where the bed rock is concealed the ridges are 

 crowned with travertine, or travertine rubble, of at least from 

 two to three feet thick ; whilst the depressions are occupied 

 with a light loam up to eight and ten feet in depth. 



An impression still prevails that the surface of the country 

 declines from the edge of the sea-cliffs, and that the far in- 

 terior is at or below sea level — a notion that may have been 

 fostered from the fact that not a single watercourse breaks the 

 prevailing uniformity of the surface of the seaward margin of 

 the Plateau. This notion is traceable to Plinders, who, when 

 writing of the Bunda cliffs, says that " the bank may even be 

 a barrier between the interior and the exterior sea, and much 

 do I regret the not having formed an idea of this probability 

 at the time" (I., p. 97). And though Eyre pointed out the 

 incompatability of the existence in the interior of an extensive 

 area of water and the occurrence of excessively hot and dry 

 winds blowing from the same quarter,* yet he has unwittingly 

 given support to the fallacy by a statement made on p. 285, 

 vol. I., and repeated on p. 323, to the effect that the whole of 



* " The weather was most intensely hot, a strong wind blowing from the 

 north-east, throwing upon us an oppressive and scorching current of heated 

 air, like the hot blast of a furnace. There was no misunderstanding the 

 nature of the country from which such a wind came. Had anything been 

 wanting to confirm my previous opinion of the arid and desert character of 

 the great mass of the interior of Australia, this wind would have been quite 

 sufficient for that purpose. From those who differ from me in opinion I 

 would ask, Could such a wind be wafted over an inland sea ? or could it 

 have passed over the supposed high and perhaps snow-capped mountains of 

 the interior " (I., p. 273). 



