nly converted into a land of
milk and honey. The Surveyor-General, Colonel Freeling, immediately
started out, taking with him both a boat and an iron punt with which to
float on these new waters. But there was a sudden fall to their hopes
when a letter was received from him stating that the cliffs, the bay, and
the head-lands were all built up on the airy foundation of a mirage. The
elves and sprites of this desolate region had been playing a hoax upon
Goyder's party. But it is no wonder that Goyder had been so open to
deception after unexpectedly finding fresh water in the lake that had
been so long known as salter than the sea.

On reaching the lake, Freeling found the water still almost fresh; but
one of Goyder's men who accompanied him, told him that it had already
receded half-a-mile since the latter's visit. An attempt to float the
punt was made, but after dragging it through mud and a few inches of
water for a quarter of a mile, the men abandoned the attempt as hopeless.
Freeling and some of the party then started to wade through the slush,
but after proceeding three miles, and then sounding only six inches of
water, they returned. Some of the more adventurous extended their muddy
wade, but only met with a similar result. Lake Torrens was re-invested
with its evil name, only somewhat shrunken in proportions.

In the same year, 1857, Stephen Hack started with a party from Streaky
Bay to examine the Gawler Range of Eyre, and investigate the country west
of Lake Torrens. He reached the Gawler Range and examined the country
very carefully, finding numerous fresh-water springs, and large plains
covered with both grass and saltbush. He also discovered a large salt
lake, Lake Gairdner. Simultaneously with Hack's expedition, a party under
Major Warburton was out in the same neighbourhood; in fact, Hack's party
crossed Warburton's tracks on one or two occasions. Strange to say, the
reports of the two were flatly contradictory. Warburton described the
country as dry and arid; but Hack's account was distinctly favourable. Of
the two men, however, it is most probable that Hack possessed the more
experience and knowledge of country, and, moreover, Time, the great
arbitrator, has endorsed his words.

The year 1857 saw much exploration done in South Australia. One party,
consisting of Swinden, Campbell, Thompson, and Stock, at about seventy
miles from the head of Spencer's Gulf, found good pastoral country and a
permanent wat