64 
HORN EXPEDITION—ANTHROPOLOGY. 
may be considerably deeper. Occurring often at long intervals apart, in the most 
unlikely situations, and with no conspicuous landmarks to indicate their presence, 
they are often difficult to find unless under the guidance of the natives or those 
well acquainted with the country. The accounts of explorers contain many 
references to such welcome and scanty sources of supply discovered with diffi¬ 
culty or unexpectedly come upon. Though frequently protected by brushwood 
this often fails to prevent access by wild dogs and other animals; these, in their 
attempts to I’each the water, frequently fall in, and being unable to get out their 
bodies remain to contaminate the water. 
Such native waterholes were visited by the section of our party which visited 
Ayers Rock and Mount Olga, and I give Professor Spencer’s description of them, 
as it will give some idea of the nature of the drink which sometimes awaits the 
thirsty traveller and his parched beasts. 
1. Native well, known as Kamaran’s Well; native name “ Urnturpata.” 
This is situated on a flat amongst sand-hills, between Winnall’s 
Ridge (about a mile and a half to the south of this) and Lake 
Amadeus. It is a deep hole in a deposit of travertine, about eight 
or ten feet in diameter at the top, and narrows down to four or 
five feet at the bottom, where there is a pool of water a foot, or at 
most, two feet deep. The surface of the water is some fourteen feet 
below that of the ground. At the time of our visit it contained the 
bones of five dead dingos, which had evidently ventured in, in search 
of water, and had been unable to clamber up the nearly vertical 
sides. 
2. Native well, known as Coulthard’s Well; native name “ KurtTtina.” 
Situated on a flat amongst sand-hills, about ten miles south of Lake 
Amadeus. This is also a deep hole in a deposit of travertine, but is 
much smaller th.an in the case of Kamaran’s Well. It starts with 
a diameter of three feet at most, and descends somewhat obliquely 
for ten feet, where there is just I’oom for one person to turn round. 
From the base of the main hole a smaller one runs off sideways, 
going down about two feet moi’e. In this is black damp mud, which, 
after having been scooped out, was replaced by water trickling in 
very slowly. After about twelve hours some three quarts were 
secured. 
