130 
Excursion to the 
its form or dimensions ; for it rather constitutes two 
lakes, connected certainly, hut very narrow at one part. 
If we assume the length of both to he from fifteen to 
twenty miles, we shall not he far out. The greatest 
width appeared to me to be from eight to ten mile9, and 
it is enclosed by hills resembling more a great bank than 
the summits of mountains. The height above the sea, 
as computed by Count Streleski, is 3822 feet. In some 
parts it is very shallow to some distance from the shore, 
nor, from what I have heard, does it appear to be of 
great depth any where. It contains eels, and a small 
kind of fish. In 1835 it was frozen over, and upon a 
thaw taking place multitudes of dead eels were driven 
upon the land. During the same winter vast numbers 
of kangaroos perished through the cold. In some places 
about the lakes they were found dead in heaps, as though 
they had congregated for the sake of warmth : yet these 
animals, are still very numerous on the Western Range, 
and one man alone killed during last summer no less 
than 1100 in the vicinity of Lake Arthur; the skins of 
which he sold at thirteen shillings a dozen. We saw 
ourselves a great number, one of which was of a cream 
or buff colour. The white kangaroo is seldom met with, 
nor have I seen more than three altogether. One of these 
belonged to a gentleman on the southern side, and being 
quite domesticated roamed about the farm as it pleased. 
On one occasion, when annoyed by a small dog belong¬ 
ing to its owner, it suddenly seized its tormentor and 
dropped it into a water-hole, and then with great gravity 
watched its attempts to get out. I know of one instance 
in which a tame kangaroo accompanied the owner’s dogs 
in pursuit of its own congeners. 
With reference to the lakes of Tasmania, it is remark¬ 
able that nearly all are at great elevations above the sea. 
The principal are the Great Lake, and Lakes St. Clair 
