Miscellanea. 
429 
creek for the supply of water, we found several ponds nearer the 
ranges, in which there was a sufficient supply of water for our 
cattle, for a month. On gaining the table land, therefore, I 
turned to the north, and passing through another gap in the 
ranges, returned to the camp by a line somewhat to the eastward 
of that by which I had left; and immediately removed the party 
to the hills. 
On the 6th of November I again proceeded to the N.W. with 
the same party, but without a native. At about fifteen miles we 
surmounted the ranges, and descended to a plain of apparently 
boundless extent. The ranges trended to the north, but as I 
wished to pursue a N.W. course, I moved obliquely to them. 
For the first fifteen miles we passed over barren stoney plains, from 
which we entered a low brush, and on issuing from it found our¬ 
selves in a country, in which long narrow flats alternated with 
sandy ridges, on which cypresses were growing, and on which 
there was no want of grass. I had brought the light cart with 
me, and had filled it with water, and penetrated into this country 
until our supply was exhausted, when we were obliged to turn 
back without having been able to ascertain to what distance this 
dreary region extended. We had scarcely reached the hills, on 
our return to the camp, when it commenced to rain, and conti¬ 
nued so to do for two days. On reaching it, therefore, I deter¬ 
mined to avail myself of so favourable an opportunity, by sending 
Mr. Poole to the N.W. to pass the point to which I had gone, 
lat. 30° 29', and, if possible, to gain Lake Torrens. Mr. Poole 
left me on the morning of the 18th, and pursued the course I had 
laid down for him, until he passed lat. 29° 44'; when seeing no 
likelihood of a change of country, and as, from his observations 
and reckoning, he considered that he ought to have been at the 
Lake, he turned to the westward, and ultimately reached its 
shores, opposite to three remarkable peaks, laid down by Mr. 
Eyre. At this extreme end, Lake Torrens appeared to Mr. Poole 
to consist of a succession of lakes, formed by the drainage from 
the hills; but he could not see very far to the north, in which 
direction it might have been unbroken. Its waters were slightly 
salt, and its bed was composed of black mud, thinly encrusted 
