22 
COYDER’S REPORT ON THE COUNTRY [Nov. 9, 1857. 
swimming about on its surface — the rich luxuriant foliage and 
stately gums — afforded a feeling — a pleasure that can only be realized 
by persons similarly situated to ourselves. 
This water, which we named the Freeling, is in latitude 29° 45' 
south, and is well situated as a depot for persons going north, and an 
easy day’s journey from Blanche water. After making a few sketches, 
we continued northward for about 12 miles, and camped on a gum- 
flat, under the west cliff of the valley of the MacDonnell, covered with 
quantities of succulent herbs and grass, but with no surface water. 
On the following morning, while ascending the cliff north-west 
of our camp, and which we named Camp Hill, we were delighted to 
observe cockatoos flying over our heads from the north, which 
augured well for Blanchewater, which we had not yet seen. 
From Camp Hill we took observations to Mounts Hopeless and 
Hopeful, the former ‘ bearing 17°, and the latter 31° 30' south of 
east, and apparently about 25 miles off. We also took bearings to a 
conspicuous hill on the north-east, about 4£ miles distant, which we 
named View Hill, supposing that a good idea of the surrounding 
country could be obtained from its summit. 
On looking round from the elevation upon which we stood, it 
became evident that the cliffs on either bank of the creek were 
formerly mere undulations, rising from the general level of the 
plain, and that the bed in which the creek lay had been gradually 
washed out by the action of the water to a valley, varying in width 
from 1 to 4 miles. 
The scene from Yiew Hill proved to be as satisfactory as we anti- 
cipated, and was uninterrupted for a radius of at least 20 miles. 
There was no appearance whatever of Lake Torrens, but five large 
creeks could be seen to the eastward — converging into two — as they 
inclined to the north-east, and ultimately becoming lost to view in 
the distance. 
Descending Yiew Hill, we proceeded due east, crossing the source 
of the first creek, and making the second at 3^ miles from the hill ; 
there were large gums growing in the bed, and pigeons flying about, 
but no surface water. At 7 miles we crossed the third creek with 
water in its sandy bed, but as this appeared salt, and the banks to 
be encrusted with the same substance, we were about to turn away; 
but the horses drinking with avidity induced us to taste the waters, 
which, to our surprise, we found to be perfectly fresh — and what 
we supposed to be common salt, a salt of ammonia brought down in 
solution in times of flood, and deposited upon the banks as the 
waters subsided, and the moisture became evaporated from the soil 
in the bed of the creek. 
