Explorations of Australia. 165 



only is the monotony of these immense desert-tracts broken occa- 

 sionally by oases, destined in future to afford the means of 

 communication throughout the continent, but that saline flats 

 and isolated patches of grass land seem to be scattered every- 

 where through the interior, and will, in many instances where 

 water can be obtained permanently, become available as pasture 

 when gradually inland settlements advance. The dip of the 

 country directs the drainage, however scanty, often into defined 

 channels, in which alluvial deposits and humidity combine, to 

 produce invariably a luxuriant vegetation, but where on ac- 

 count of excessive evaporation water is not always procurable. 

 Of such oases Cooper's Creek, the Warrego Start's Creek, 

 and Eyre's Creek, are instances. Nor is it to be doubted that 

 some isolated ranges in the probably extensively depressed in- 

 terior will offer a stronghold in years of drought. Centuries ' 

 may elapse before the requirements of Australia will demand 

 the occupation of many distant portions of our continent, but 

 encouraging it must be for us to know that a day will arrive 

 when settlements will be scattered, at least sparingly over its 

 whole extent, and when a coast line of more than 5000 miles 

 will not remain unoccupied. Tracts of pasture land, which in 

 the early days of our colonisation were regarded as worthless, are 

 sought for eagerly at the present day. Thus, every new 

 stepping stone found in the wilderness will more extend the 

 path of civilisation, and almost every discovery of permanent 

 waters will lead to the establishment of fixed homes. 



But to achieve this progress, we shoidd avail ourselves judi- 

 ciously of the experience gained by former explorations, and 

 should select with care what would appear the most promising 

 field for future operations. The main questions which geo- 

 graphy requires us yet to solve, are to determine the length and 

 extent of the southern fall of waters, descending from the table 

 land around the Gulf of Carpentaria. It will, in all probability, 

 be found to be very inconsiderable. 



A question of not less importance remains yet to be answered. 

 Extends the desert from Lake Torrens uninterruptedly, and far 

 inland to the Great Australia Bight, and is it contiguous to that 

 of Western Australia, which stretches according to Mr. 

 Gregory's investigations, north at least as far as Shark's Bay ? 

 And thirdly, is the country between Shark's Bay and the 

 Fitzroy River really destitute of streams entering the sea? 

 Maritime surveys alone, even if carried out with the accuracy 

 of a King, a Wickham or a Stokes will never completely dis- 

 close all the estuaries on a mangrove lined shore. Thus, for 



