Explorations of Australia. 161 



improving with our advance inland. Indeed, a luxuriant pas- 

 toral country was discovered, the sandstone table land having 

 to a great extent receded before ridges and plains of basaltic 

 origin. 



The tropical rain season set in under thunder showers in 

 November, advanced to regular daily rains in December, but 

 ended in January. Thus, at the season desirable for inland 

 travels, Mr. Gregory advanced with the whole of his horses to 

 the fine grass land of the Upper Victoria Elver, forming on one 

 of its eastern tributaries a depot in about lat. 17° S., from 

 whence a lightly equipped party of four, in which I had the 

 honour to be included, traced the river to its sources in lat. 

 18° 12' S. L. and 130° 39' E. L. 



With a desire of advancing in a south-easterly direction into 

 Central Australia, we crossed the dividing table land, from 

 whence the country gradually sinks towards the interior and 

 the coasts, its elevation, however, on the points of culmination 

 rarely exceeding 1200 to 1400'. The only watercourse which was 

 discovered in this direction, and which bears now the name of 

 my venerable patron, Sir WilHam Hooker, was found to fade 

 after a short course in the all-absorbing desert, notwithstanding 

 our arrival on its banks at the most favourable season. From 

 hence, on a westerly course, Mr. Gregory reached, not without 

 difficulties, an inland water-course, formed by the drainage of a 

 wide, and for the greater part fertile valley of the low 

 sandstone table land, the valley sloping almost imperceptibly 

 towards the interior. But since, neither the regular tropical 

 rain showers, nor those of the southern season reach to this 

 latitude, occasional rain-clouds from either direction being 

 almost constantly dissolved by the dryness of the atmosphere, 

 it will not be surprising that along this faint and frequently 

 obliterated watercourse, distinguished by Mr. Gregory as 

 Sturt's Creek, but few localities can be relied on for per- 

 manency of water ; and we observed lastly, the drainage when 

 forced through saline flats converted into brine. 



It may suffice to say, that we noticed here the same features 

 of the desert, so vividly described by all its former explorers. 



The ferruginous drift sand, which extended along the lower 

 part of Sturt's Creek, and surrounded the large, and at the 

 time of our visit, waterless salt lake on its termination, 

 stretched in long regular waves east and west. Thus termi- 

 nated our journey towards Central Australia, in lat. 20° 20' 

 S. L., and 127° 35' E. L., at an elevation of 900' above sea level. 

 No watercourses could be discovered east, south or west of 



