EXPLOSIVE OR BOOMING NOISES IN CENTRAL AUSTRALIA. 1 99 



of the ground. This desert sound has been recorded by 

 many observers, from Sturt to Winnecke. It appears to be 

 most frequently observed along the line of the Peak Ranges, 

 and is probably due to earth-movements along the northern 

 continuation of the Lake Torrens faults." 



Professor Gregory gives a reference to an article entitled 

 ' The Desert Sound,' under the nom-de-plume of ' Baldag,' 

 which appeared in the Australian Mining Standard, Vol. 

 xi, 1895, p. 312). This paper I have consulted. It is most 

 interestingly written, and evidently by a scientist. After 

 referring to Sturt having heard this sound, the writer says: 

 "Since that date many explorers and pioneers have heard 

 4 the desert sound ' in South Australian territory. Mr. 

 Charles Winnecke told me that he had heard it often in the 

 middle of the day while exploring the north-west country. 

 A few years ago my duties compelled me to camp for 

 many months in the northernmost parts of the Flinders 

 Range, and I grew familiar with variations of this mysteri- 

 ous sound from a low growling rumble as of a mass of rocks 

 falling at a distance, to hollow reverberations lasting rarely 

 more than 30 seconds, and seemingly aerial or else very 

 close to the earth, and there was the deep, solemn, double 

 knelling report which I only heard when near the Gammon 

 Range or Mount Serle. . . . The region from whence 

 these weird sounds seemed to issue forth is strictly tabooed 

 by the blacks." One black, in answer to a query, said 

 ' that one growl alonga ground.' The writer mentions that 

 von Humboldt referred to certain granite rocks on the 

 banks of tne Orinoco which gave out musical sounds at 

 sunrise, which he suggests may perhaps be attributed to 

 the difference in temperature between the external air and 

 air in the crevices of the rock. He also states that J. E. 

 Tenison-Woods has suggested that such sounds may be 

 caused by air replacing an intermittent stream of water in 

 its passage downward through crevices in the earth's crust. 



