102 WATER SUPPLY IN THE INTERIOR OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 
as if situated on the surface without any outlet. It would be salt 
or bitter, as the soluble salts would be dissolved out of the sali- 
ferous clays and carried into it. Looking at the quantity of salt 
Ss 
it is now found, there has been for ages past a current flowing 
through, with some means of escape, whereby the soluble salts have 
nearly all been dissolved out along the line of drainage and carried 
away. Where the water is found, as it is so often in enormous 
quantities, heavily charged with soluble salts, we may fairly con- 
clude either that it has no such outlet, or the flow in past a 
caused by the water under great pressure, and would be strong 
Springs of fresh water if it were not for the nature of the over- 
; act 
water coming to the surface at all through the clay shows that 
e water-bearing strata at that particular point cannot be situated 
very deep. 
The pipes would, I think, sink by their own weight, and if, as 
we may reasonably Suppose, the source of supply is a sand bed, 
bearing strata had been pierced. By filling the pipes with water 
as they were pressed down the hydraulic pressure of the water 
would, perhaps, keep the mud out, more particularly if the pipes 
were filled to some distance above the surface so as to obtain a 
_ good head of pressure against the mud. For the purpose of water- 
ing stock, or supplying towns, there can be no doubt that artesian 
or 0 well water will be of great value, being so much more 
permanent than any surface supply ; but for the purpose of irrigat- 
ing and cultivating the western plains of New les, I 
cussing. The cultivation of the soil is only carried on to a very 
limited extent in what in our new Land Bill are called the Eastern 
