Nov. 9, 1857.] BETWEEN MOUNT SERLE AND LAKE TORRENS. 
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of the creek, for about 14 miles, passing over vegetation of the most 
luxuriant kind, which covers the valley for a width of from 3 to 4 
miles ; the timber in the creeks changing from lofty gums to a 
bastard peppermint, which was rapidly assuming a more stunted 
appearance, and the creeks bending away to the eastward. We then 
left the MacDonnell, and made for the nearest point of what was 
rapidly assuming the appearance of an immense lake ; and after 
travelling about 6^ miles to the north-east, our doubts were set at 
rest — we were in latitude 29° 13', and stood upon the margin of 
Lake Torrens, the waters of which were unmistakeably fresh. 
From the spot where my observations were taken, the lake 
stretched from 15 to 20 miles to the north-west, forming a water 
horizon extending from north-west-by-west to north-west, the south 
portion terminated by high land running south towards Weathered 
Hill, at once explaining the cause of the various creeks bending so 
much to the eastward. An extensive bay is formed inside this pro- 
montory, extending southward to west-north-west, when the land 
again runs out to a point, approaching and passing us by a gentle 
curve to the east, and inclining gradually to the south-east, and 
ultimately disappearing in the distance. The north portion of the 
horizon is terminated by a bluff headland, round which the water 
appears to extend to the north. This land passes thence to the east, 
and forms the north boundary of the visible portion of the lake ; 
and, from a higher elevation than that upon which we stood, 
appeared to extend round to the eastern wing. It is covered with 
vegetation, as also are several islands seen between the north and 
south shores, apparently about 5 miles distant from where we 
stood ; their perpendicular cliffs being clearly discerned by aid of 
the telescope. 
From the first, I had anticipated finding large lakes of fresh 
water at the termination of the various creeks, or one large lake into 
which a number of *them discharged their waters ; but in such I 
should have discovered flood lines, indicating the rise and fall of 
the waters ; and, even supposing them to have attained their maxi- 
mum height, the vegetation on some portion of the surface inside 
the water’s edge would have revealed this fact. But, in this case, 
there was an entire absence of such marks, the water’s edge being 
clearly defined ; and the bed changing its character so suddenly 
from an alluvial soil to blue loam, covered by an inch of fine silt, 
renders it almost beyond the possibility of a doubt, that the surface 
of the water is subject only to the most trifling variation of level ; 
and the absence of deltas at the embouchures of the creeks tends to 
show that there is no reacting force, but that the waters, in times of 
