coated over, as had been the dry part of the bed of the main lake, with a
very pungent salt, with mud and sand and water intermixed beneath the
upper crust.

Following the arm downwards I came to a long reach of water in its
channel, about two feet deep, perfectly clear, and as salt as the sea,
and I even fancied that it had that peculiar green tinge which sea-water
when shallow usually exhibits.

This water, however, was not continuous; a little further on, the channel
again became dry, as it increased in width in its approach to the main
lake, the bed of which, near its shores, was also dry. From a high bank
which I ascended, I had a full view of the lake stretching away to the
north-east, as far as the eye could reach, apparently about thirty miles
broad, and still seeming to be bounded on its western shores by a low
ridge, or table land, beyond which nothing could be seen. No hills were
visible any where, nor was there the least vegetation of any kind.

I was now upwards of 100 miles away from my party in a desert, without
grass or water, nor could I expect to obtain either until my return to
the creek, where I had left the twelve gallons, and this was about fifty
miles away. The main basin of Lake Torrens was still four or five miles
distant, and I could not expect to gain any thing by going down to its
shores; as on previous occasions, I had ascertained that to attempt to
cross it, or even to reach the water a few miles from its outer edge, was
quite impossible, from the boggy nature of its bed. From my present
elevation, the lake was seen bending round to the N. E., and I became
aware that it would be a barrier to all efforts to the north. My horses
were suffering, too, from want of water and food; and I had, therefore,
no alternative but to turn back from so inhospitable and impracticable a
country.

With a heavy heart, and many misgivings as to the future, I retreated
from the dismal scene, and measured back my steps as rapidly as possible
towards the creek where our stock of water was buried. From the state in
which our horses were, I knew, that to save their lives, it was necessary
to get them to water without loss of time, and I therefore continued our
homeward course during the whole night, and arrived early in the morning
at the place where I had parted from the cart.

August 15.--It was now necessary to use great caution in the management
of our jaded animals. During the last two days we had ridden th