CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEE. 
77 
summit in Flinders range, (about ninety miles north of Mount 
Arden). The lake is girded with an outer ridge of sand, covered 
with salsolaceous plants, and with saline crusts, shewing above 
the ground at intervals. Its waters appear to extend over a con- 
siderable surface, but they are, seemingly, shallow. I could not 
approach the water, from the soft nature of that part of its bed, 
which is uncovered, and which appeared to reach from three to 
four miles from the outer bank to the water’s edge. There can 
be no doubt, however, of its being very salt, as that portion of 
its bed which lay exposed to our view was thickly coated with 
pungent particles of salt. There were not any trees or shrubs of 
any kind near the lake where we made it, nor could either grass 
or fresh water be procured for our horses. Lake Torrens is 
bounded on its western side by high lands — apparently a conti- 
nuation of the table land to the westward of the head of Spen- 
cer’s Gulf. — I should think that it must receive a considerable 
drainage from that quarter, as well as the whole of the waters 
falling from Flinders range to the eastward. 
“ From the very inhospitable nature of the country, around 
the lake, I could not examine it so carefully or so extensively as 
I could have wished. My time, too, being very limited, made me 
hurry away to the northward, to search for a place to which I 
might bring on my party, as the grass in the neighbourhood of 
the depot was very old, and much less abundant than on either of 
my former visits there. It became, therefore, imperative on me to 
remove the horses as speedily as possible. Should circumstances 
permit, I shall, however, endeavour to visit Lake Torrens again, 
on my return from the northern interior. After leaving the lake 
I spent many days in examining the country to the northward of 
our depot. Its character seemed to vary but little; barren sandy 
plains still formed the lower level, and the hills constituting the 
continuation of Flinders range were still composed of quartz 
and ironstone ; they were, however, gradually becoming less ele- 
vated and more detached, with intervals of stony valleys between, 
and the whole country was, if possible, assuming a more barren 
aspect, while the springs, which had heretofore been numerous 
