138 
RECENT AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATIONS. [March 22, 1858. 
enough water to float her. The islands in front certainly seemed to 
have perpendicular cliffs, but the land just left, and which was a dead 
level, had exactly the same appearance ; the high and distant moun- 
tains of the Hopeless range were alone unaffected by the mirage. 
The next day a determined endeavour was made by the party to 
wade through the water and mud, and to reach if possible the oppo- 
site shore. The walking was most fatiguing, and actually dangerous, 
for the mud yielded more deeply as the distance from shore became 
greater ; six inches was the deepest water met with, and that only 
in patches. Two little islands were visited on the way ; they were 
raised about one foot above the water, and were three miles from 
the starting point. Some of the "party pushed on still farther, 
almost beyond the limits of their strength, for one of them was 
barely able to return. The whole party were fully satisfied of 
the utterly impracticable nature of the water for navigation. 
“ Neither is there any hope of a more fortunate result being ob- 
tained elsewhere ; the whole character of the country bordering the 
lake, which is of the most desolate nature, and at present unfit even 
for stocking, being the same wherever it is reached. 
“ Mr. Eyre when visiting the eastern side of the west wing of the 
lake, Captain Sturt when reaching the same lake on its eastern side, 
and Captain Frome when reaching it on the' western side of the east 
wing, all agree in their description of Lake Torrens ; and their 
description would apply at this point, were it not for the freshness 
of the water. Where it differs from their description is here in the 
freshness of the water. This may be accounted for by the heavy 
floods in March, and the immense body of fresh water then poured 
down, still influencing the lake so as to freshen its water ; but more 
probably the water visited by us is not the saltwater lake, although 
immediately contiguous to it, but the remains of the winter floods 
retained in a large, slightly hollowed basin, with a clayey bottom, but 
now rapidly evaporating under the sun’s rays. W ere this the case, 
the same extent of hopeless plains would reach from the neigh- 
bourhood of Blanche-water to the lake that has been found on the 
eastern and western plains.” 
No remarks are made in Captain Freeling’s report on the ap- 
pearance of Blanche-water and the adjacent pools, or on the perma- 
nency of their waters. 
Mr. Goyder offered his services to explore the district in question 
more fully, and to ascertain the connection, if any, between the 
eastern and western wings of Lake Torrens, and to explore a route to 
the north-west between them ; but, on his proposal being submitted 
to Captain Freeling, it was judged that no doubt existed but that 
