e and a half miles from this point we crossed a salt
water creek, having pools in it of great depth, but so clear that we
could see to the bottom; and wherever our feet sank in the mud, salt
water immediately oozed up. There were some box-trees growing near this
creek, which came from the north, and fell towards the ranges. At half a
mile further we crossed a small fresh water creek, and intermediate
between the two was a lagoon of about a mile in length, but not more than
three inches in depth. This lagoon, if it might so be called, from its
size only, had been filled by the recent rains; but was so thick and
muddy, from being continually ruffled by the winds, that it was unfit for
use. The banks of the fresh water creek were crowded with water-hens,
similar to those which visited Adelaide in such countless numbers the
year before I proceeded into the interior (1843). They were running about
like so many fowls; but, on being alarmed, took flight and went south.

The fresh water creek (across which it was an easy jump) joined the salt
water creek a little below where we struck it, and was the first creek of
the kind we had seen since we left the Depot, in a distance of more than
100 miles, and up to this point we had entirely subsisted on the surface
water left by the rains. The country we now passed through was of a
salsolaceous character, like a low barren sea coast. The sand hills were
lower and broader than they had been, and their sides were cut by deep
fissures made by heavy torrents. From a hill, about a mile from our
halting place on this day, we again saw the ranges, which had been
sighted the day before. South of us, and distant about a mile, there was
a large dry lagoon, white with salt, and another of a similar kind to the
west of it.

These changes in the character of the country convinced me that we should
soon arrive at some more important one. On the 4th we advanced as usual
on a bearing of 75 degrees to the west of south, having then chained 65
miles upon it. At about three miles we observed a sand hill in front of
us, beyond which no land was to be seen, as if the country dipped, and
there was a great hollow. On arriving at this sand hill our further
progress westward was checked by the intervention of an immense shallow
and sandy basin, upon which we looked down from the place where we stood.
The hills we had seen the day before were still visible through a good
telescope, but we could only distinguis