ble only to the highest floods. The northern margin of
one of the salt lakes consisted of a bank of white sand on which grew
thickly a kind of pine, different from the trees around. The channels
between the river and the lakes seemed neither to belong to the original
arrangement of watercourses, nor to ana-branches of the rivers; for they
frequently extended upwards in directions opposed to that of the river's
course. The fact being established that some of these lakes have no
obvious connection with the river, it becomes probable that they are the
remains of what the surface was before the fluviatile process began to
carry off its waters. I had no difficulty in referring to an early system
of this kind other lakes which we had seen elsewhere, the anomalous
peculiarities of which were equally remarkable. Among these were
Cudjallagong and others adjacent; Waljeers; the two smaller on the
Murrumbidgee named Weromba; also Lake Benanee and Prooa its neighbour; in
all which the peculiarities accorded with what I had observed in those on
the left bank of the Murray.

MR. STAPYLTON'S EXCURSION IN SEARCH OF THE MAIN STREAM.

June 27.

The morning was clear and Mr. Stapylton set out with a party of six men
to trace, if possible, the branch on which we were encamped into the main
stream. At ten the weather became hazy; at noon the sky was overcast; and
at two P.M. a steady rain set in which continued until six P.M. when the
barometer began to rise and, the moon soon after shining out, the sky
became once more serene. A hill apparently covered with good grass was
within sight of our present camp but inaccessible from it because a reach
of deep and still water intervened. This day I sent Burnett with Piper to
the hill, and they brought me some of the soil which I found consisted of
loose red sand.

MY RIDE TO MOUNT HOPE.

June 28.

The morning being fine I at length proceeded towards the hill which we
had already twice seen from great distances. It bore 206 degrees 45
minutes (from North) and was exactly ten miles from our camp. After
riding six miles through box-forest we crossed a dry creek, and
immediately entered upon an extensive plain beyond which I had the
satisfaction of seeing the hopeful hill straight before me.

This hill consisted of immense blocks of common granite composed of white
felspar and quartz and black mica; and it appeared to form the western
extremity of a low range. It was indeed a welcome sight to