nd deeper, till at
length it half covered the saddles of their horses. He was then forced
to turn back, and to seek a passage round this lake of mud; but, having
followed its shores for many miles, there seemed to be so little
prospect of reaching the end of the obstacle, that he turned his course
again, from west to north. After travelling about two hundred miles
through a very desolate country, he was once more arrested by coming
upon a similar sheet of salt-encrusted mud, which he called Lake Eyre.
Again there appeared no hope of either crossing the lake or going round
it; no water was to be found, and his supplies were fast failing, so
that he was forced to hasten back a long distance to the nearest stream.
Setting out once more, he twice attempted to penetrate westward into the
interior, but, on each occasion, the salt lakes barred his progress, and
as a last effort he urged his failing party towards the north-east. Here
the country was the most barren and desolate that can be imagined. It
was not always so, but after a period of drought, when the grass is
burnt to the roots and not a drop of fresh water to be seen in a hundred
miles, it has all the appearance of a desert. His supplies of water ran
short, and frequently the explorers were on the point of perishing. When
they approached the Frome River--a creek which flows northwards into
Lake Eyre--they were inexpressibly delighted to view from afar the
winding current; but its waters were found to be as salt as the ocean.
After a long and dreary journey, Eyre ascended a hill, in order to see
if there was any hope of finding better country; but the view was only a
great and barren level, stretching far away to the horizon on every
side. He had now no water, and his only course was to turn back; so,
leaving this place--which he called Mount Hopeless--he retraced his
steps to the head of Spencer's Gulf.

#3. Australian Bight.#--Here he changed the object of his journey, and
made efforts to go along the shores of the Great Australian Bight, in
order to reach West Australia. Three times he rounded Streaky Bay; but
in that bare and desert land the want of water was an insuperable
obstacle, and each time he was forced to retreat to less desolate
country. Governor Gawler now sent word to him to return to Adelaide, as
it seemed madness to make further efforts; but Eyre replied that to go
back without having accomplished anything would be a disgrace he could
never endure.