85 



bounds the Azoic rocks of the main uphea\a]s on the south, may 

 gi\e more encouraging prospects. Considering, however, that 

 they are of the same age as the liills and ranges to the east of 

 Everard Range, it would l)e superfluous to searcli them for the 

 precious metals until the former, which are more favourably 

 situated, have been proved to l)e metalliferous. 



IV.— SUBTERRANEAN WATER-SUPPLY. 



During our sojourn in this country water was obtainable only 

 from open rock -holes. Only on one occasion was there secured a 

 small supply by shallow sinking in a creek-bed near Mount 

 Watson. It must be remembered, however, that all the creeks 

 have very short courses, and, debouching on the plains, are 

 lost at once in the sand ; but here the precious fluid may 

 be obtained by sinking wells. As the ranges are seldom con- 

 tinuous, though of course connected underneatli, large subter- 

 ranean basins serving as receptacles for the surface-water must 

 occur in the depressed intervals. The denser vegetation and 

 better herbage in the wide valleys lend support to my conjecture. 



A more feasible method of obtaining a permanent supply of 

 water is, I think, by the construction of dams. The short and 

 not-too-strong running creeks would allow of strong dams being- 

 built on a rocky foundation. 



Splendid sites for conserving water by means of excavated 

 tanks are not infrequent ; but I do not think water in any 

 quantity will be obtained by sinking in, the bed-rock. 



CHAPTER III. 



From Barrow Bange across the Great Victoria Desert to the 

 Fraser Range. 



I. PHYSIOGRAPHY. 



This area on this line of traverse may be best described as the 

 most westerly part of the Great Australian Mesozoic basin. 

 Neglecting the cover of Tertiary deposits, although so abundant, 

 and a limited outcrop of inetamorplnc schist about half-way across 

 the desert, the Mesozoic rocks extend from the Townsend Ridges 

 to the ranges west of Victoria Spring. 



The country explored represents, as regards contour and 

 general appearance, a very uniform dismal aspect, sand-plains 

 and sand-hills are the chief features of this division. 



The outcrops of Mesozoic rocks are very scanty, but wherever 

 found they seemed to belong to a system of terraces, having a 

 general N.W. and S.E. trend, their strata dipping at a low angle 

 G 



