PROBLEMS OF THE ARTESIAN WATER SUPPLY OF AUSTRALIA. 117 



the intake to the farthest wells, by a sort of arithmetical 

 progression. It is well known amongst the pastoralists of 

 the Western Plains that shallow wells, which yield fresh 

 water, are commonly found in proximity to others which 

 yield salt water, and there is no indication on the surface 

 as to the character of the water which may be met with at 

 any spot. There is therefore nothing remarkable in the 

 fact that the deeper (artesian) wells contain water of vari- 

 able salinity, both as regards quality and quantity. On the 

 contrary it is considered that the increase of salinity from 

 east to west (as illustrated by the table on page 314 of The 

 Dead Heart of Australia), is quite as marked as could be 

 expected, and, as will be shown later, the average salinity 

 of the South Australian wells is distinctly higher than that 

 of the wells in the eastern States. 



Professor Gregory refers to the Maria Creek bore, to the 

 east of the basin, as being one of the richest in solid con- 

 stituents, 1 but here he falls into an error through want of 

 personal knowledge of localities. The Maria Greek bore 

 (Queensland) is entirely outside of the artesian basin; in 

 fact it is at least 65 miles to the eastward of the nearest 

 outcrop of the intake beds. It is in an area of Permo- 

 Carboniferous rocks, and was put down in search of coal. 

 The chemical composition of its water has therefore no 

 bearing upon the subject under consideration. Reference 

 is also made to the excessive salinity (1,250 grains of solids 

 per gallon) of the Boort well near Ounnamulla; but this is 

 a shallow well which was put down in the shales and lime- 

 stones of the Rolling Downs formation, and it is therefore 

 several thousand feet above the porous sandstones of the 

 artesian basin. 



Alkaline Carbonates. -It is difficult to understand why 

 the hydrostatic pressure theory should be condemned on 



1 Dead Heart of Australia, p. 312. 



