SHORES OF LAKE TORRENS. 129 
der’s range. We had at first found the watercourses 
going to the south of west, then west, north-west, 
north, and now north-east, east and south-east. I 
had, at the same time, observed all around this 
mountain mass, the appearance of the bed of a large 
lake, following the general course of the ranges on 
every side, and receiving, apparently, the whole 
drainage from them. 
On its western, and north-western shores, I had 
ascertained by actual examination, that its basin was 
a very low level, clearly defined, and effectually in- 
closed by an elevated continuous sandy ridge, like 
the outer boundary of a sea-shore, its area being of 
immense extent, and its bed of so soft and yielding 
a nature, as to make it quite impossible to cross it. 
All these points I had decided positively, and 
finally, as far as regards that part of Lake Torrens, 
from near the head of Spencer’s Gulf, to the most 
north-westerly part of it, which I visited on the 14th 
of August, embracing a course of fully 200 miles in 
its outline. I had done this, too, under circum- 
stances of great difficulty, toil, and anxiety, and not 
without the constant risk of losing my horses, from 
the fatigues and privations of the forced labours I 
was obliged to impose upon them. 
Having ascertained these particulars, and at so 
much hazard, relative to Lake Torrens, for so great 
a part of its course, what conclusion could I arrive 
at with regard to the character of its other half to 
the north-east, and east of Flinders ranges, as seen 
VOL. i. 
K 
