SALT-WATER RIVER. 
87 
view of a large lake under the sand-hills, into which 
the channel we encamped upon last night emptied 
itself. The lake appeared as if it were deep, and 
its dark blue colour led me to imagine there might 
he a junction with the sea towards the south-west, 
where the low appearance of the coast ridge indicated 
a gap or opening of some kind . At four miles from 
our last night’s encampment we were stopped by a 
large salt-water river, fully a hundred yards wide, 
and increasing to three or four times that size as it 
trended to its junction with the large lake, and which 
was visible from the hills above the river. This 
river was deep where we first struck upon it, but 
appeared to be much more so towards the lake, 
where the water was of a dark blue colour, as was 
that also of the lake itself. This confirmed me in 
my opinion that there must be a junction with the 
sea ; but unfortunately I was obliged to trace its 
course upwards, for the purpose of crossing, and the 
circumstances under which I was travelling precluded 
me from delaying, or going so far back out of my 
way to examine its mouth. I dared not leave Wylie 
in charge of the camp for the time necessary for me 
to have gone alone ; and to take the horses such a 
distance, and through a rough or heavy country, on 
the uncertainty of procuring for them either grass or 
water, would have been a risk which, in their con- 
dition, I did not think myself justified in incurring. 
After tracing the river northerly for two miles 
and a half, I found it divided into two branches, 
