Nov. 9, 1857.] BETWEEN MOUNT SERLE AND LAKE TORRENS. 
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It may appear anomalous tliat so volatile a substance as ammonia 
should remain for any time in a salt exposed to the rays of the sun 
in sufficient quantity to be perceived. That such is the fact may 
be relied upon, though whether retained by the presence of any 
other base or not I am unable to say. 
Its existence was afterwards detected by Mr. Painter, from a 
small sample carried in my pocket for upwards of a week, without 
his being informed that the salt was supposed to contain ammonia ; 
under any circumstances, it is gratifying to know that the waters 
are fresh — and as I used them for two or three days without feeling 
the slightest inconvenience, it is reasonable to suppose that there is 
nothing deleterious contained in them. 
A little farther to the eastward we came upon a tributary to the 
last creek, at a place where a quartz rock cropped out of the earth, 
a little to the south of which was a pool of permanent water ; this 
rock appeared stratified, and inclined at an angle not exceeding 20° 
to the south-west. W 1 e continued on this bearing for 20 miles from 
View Hill, until Mount Hopeless bore south by west, crossing about 
2 miles to the east of the fifth creek, which we named Jacob’s Creek, 
as it appeared to emanate from the northern run claimed by that 
gentleman. We afterwards proceeded northward for about 2 miles, 
and camped in the fork at the junction of the two creeks ; the land 
well grassed and improving in appearance towards the north-east, 
and the tracks of cattle numerous and recent. 
On the 1st of June we traversed about 30 miles of country, 
extending our observation north to lat. 29° 20', where the ground 
became soft and free from stones, the timber in the beds of the creeks 
assumed a more stunted appearance, and the creeks trended more to 
the eastward. After zigzaging the country to the south and west, 
we reached Blanchevrater late in the afternoon ; and, paying a short 
visit to St. Mary Pool, camped on the creek for the night. 
St. Mary Pool is situated in lat. 29° 30' south, and about half a 
mile north of Plan che water ; it is 100 yards wide by 120 long, the 
edges covered with reeds, and the whole surrounded by gums. The 
water is on a different level to that of the Blanche, which is a canal- 
like stream, about a mile long, and from 30 to 40 yards wide, the 
waters turbid and the banks lined with reeds and gum trees ; while 
the waters of St. Mary Pool, percolating though the intervening 
rocks, are perfectly clear. There were quantities of teal, ducks, 
geese, cranes, cockatoos, pigeons, shell-parrots, magpies, curlews, 
crows, hawks, and other birds, flying about, and nmnerous tracks of 
eattle, but none recent. 
On the morning of the 2nd we proceeded to a hill about a mile 
