pretty sheet of water, 24 miles in
circumference {DIAMETER in published text}, very shallow, and at times
nearly dry. As I have previously observed of Lake Bonney, it is connected
with the Murray by the Rufus, and by this distribution of its waters,
the floods of the Murray are prevented from being excessive, or rising
above a certain height.

The southern shore of Lake Victoria is very picturesque, as well as the
line of the Rufus. The latter however is much wooded, whereas the S.W.
shore of the lake is low and grassy, and beautiful umbrageous trees adorn
it, in number not more than two or three to the acre. As Mr. Poole was
engaged near me, I remained stationary on the 13th, but on the following
day moved the camp seven miles to the westward, for his convenience. On
the 15th I again moved so as to keep pace with him, and was highly
delighted at the really park-like appearance of the scenery. This pretty
locality is now occupied as a cattle run, and must be a place of
amusement as well as profit.

We met Mr. Browne and Flood on their return to the camp from the journey
on which I had sent them, about an hour before we halted.

Mr. Browne informed me that the day he left me he rode for some miles
along the shore of the lake, and that after leaving it he encamped in the
scrub, having travelled about seventeen miles. The brush was very dense,
although there were open intervals; it consisted of trees and shrubs of
the usual kind, the soil was very sandy, and there was a good deal of
spinifex upon it.

The next day, still on a due east course (that on which he had travelled
from the lake), and at five miles from where he had slept, Mr. Browne
came on a salt lake, about 800 yards in circumference. A third of the bed
was under water, and half of the remainder was white with crystallized
salt, that glittered in the sun's rays, and looked like water at a
distance. At about five miles farther on there were two other lakes of
the same kind, but both were dry and without any salt deposits in their
beds. At five miles beyond these lakes Mr. Browne intersected the
Ana-branch of the Darling, which I had detached him to examine. To within
a short distance of the Ana-branch the country was similar to that
through which he had passed the day before, but on nearing it he crossed
an open plain. This old channel of the Darling had been crossed by Mr.
Eyre on a recent journey to the north, but at that time was dry. Where
Mr. Browne str