rth-east and south-west, narrowing
at the ends; distance, fourteen miles; tried to cross it but found it too
boggy; rounded it on the south-west point, where we discovered a spring;
no surface water, but soft, and the same all round for about two acres
square, covered with grass reeds of a very dark colour and very thick,
showing the presence of water underneath. Proceeded round the lagoon to a
high hill, which seemed to have reeds upon the top of it; after a good
deal of bogging and crossing the bends of the lagoon, we arrived at the
hill, and found it to be very remarkable. Its colour is dark-green from
the reeds and rushes and water-grass which cover it. It is upwards of one
hundred feet high, the lower part red sand; but a little higher up is a
course of limestone. On the top is a black soil, sand and clay, through
and over which the water trickles, and then filters through the sand into
the lagoon. Where the water is, on the top, it is upwards of one hundred
feet long. Immense numbers of tracks of emus and wild dogs, also some
native tracks, all fresh. On the north-west side there is one solitary
gum-tree, and about half a mile in the same direction is another bed of
reeds, and a spring with water in it. All the banks round the lagoon are
of a spongy nature. I am very glad I have found this; it will be another
day's stage with water nearer to the Spring of Hope. We can now make that
in one day, if we can get an early start. By the discovery of springs on
this trip, the road can now be travelled to the furthest water that I saw
on my last trip from Adelaide, and not be a night without water for the
horses. The country to the south and south-east of the last springs
(which I have named the William Springs, after the youngest son of John
Chambers, Esquire), is sand hills and valleys, rich in grass and other
food for cattle. Thence I proceeded to hill bearing 10 degrees south of
north, distant three miles, from the top of which I could see no rising
ground to the westward, nothing but sand hills. Changed my course to
south, to a white place under some stony hills; at ten miles reached it,
and found it to be a salt creek, but no springs. The last ten miles were
through hills not so high as those I crossed on my way out, but more
broken, with plenty of feed. It is my intention to push for the Strangway
Springs tonight, so as to get an early start in the morning. Arrived at
10 p.m., found that one of the horses had not been