300 THE DESERT SANDSTONE. 



it is an extremely hard sandstone, horizontally stratified and 

 cross-bedded, with the finer laminations marked by black specular 

 iron ; it contains much rounded and water-worn quartz gravel, 

 from the size of a small pebble to that of a man's head. This 

 formation is much broken into immense boulders and rocks of 

 most fantastic shapes. It is very hard, but being full of cracks 

 and fissures weathers easily, and gives rise to a surprisingly rough 

 country, almost inaccessible to explorers. It is composed of 

 sandbanks and river boulders, which have hardened since the 

 rivers cut through them. Like the banks of the rivers of the 

 present day, they rise occasionally 100 to 300 feet above the bed, 

 and extend two or three miles on either side. Mount Douglas is 

 an instance of this formation, and in the ranges on the upper 

 Katherine River it is developed to a large extent. 



"The above description of the table-lands and other formations 

 will help much to understand the physical structure of the 

 Northern Territory, which is as follows : — 



" The coast is very low and flat, and rises by a gentle incline 

 at the rate of about five feet a mile. But there are low ridges of 

 quartzite, slate, and sandstone, rising almost from the sea level 

 to a height of 50 feet or more, gradually increasing to 100. They 

 run north and south, that is, generally speaking, with a general 

 trend to the eastward, as they are traced to the south. From 

 these ridges, small creeks and tributaries take their rise, and 

 descend towards the main valleys, in which there are permanent 

 waters. 



" The following heights and distances will 

 than any description : — 



Distance from Palmerston. 

 15 chains 



The Elizabeth 



25 miles 15 



The Berry 



35 „ 



70 



The Darwin 



43 „ 



45 



The Finuiss 



45 „ 



5 



The Stapleton 



69 „ 



64 



Peters Creek 



74 „ 



40 



The Adelaide 



76 „ 



58 



Burrell's Creek ... 



80 „ 



12 



Calder's Creek 



88 „ 



36 



Bridge Creek 



94 „ 



59 



The Howley 



99 ., 





Yam Creek 



Ill „ 



69 



The Margaret 



114 „ 





Foelsche's Creek ... 



122 „ 



66 



The McKinlay ... 



124 „ 



68 



Snadden's Creek ... 



131 „ 



10 



Lady Alice Creek... 



135 s , 





Pine Creek 



145 „ 



79 



give a bett 



er idea 



Height above sea. 



52*56 feet 



76-84 



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93 



>> 



184 



>\ 



239-50 



„ 



188 



„ 



183 



>3 



177-50 





199 



,, 



322-50 



>> 



250-50 



,, 



328 



,, 



340 



)y 



318 



3) 



304 



>> 



404-50 



„ 



484 



>> 



657 



„ 



"The distances are by the railway line, and the heights above 

 low water sea level at the railway crossings of the various streams. 



