hat such should be the case; and that the formation at
each extremity of the great bank or bed of fossils should be the same.
Thus far, the waters of the lake had continued sweet; but on filling a
can when we were abreast of this point, it was found that they were
quite unpalatable, to say the least of them. The transition from fresh
to salt water was almost immediate, and it was fortunate we made the
discovery in sufficient time to prevent our losing ground. But, as it
was, we filled our casks, and stood on, without for a moment altering
our course.

PASSAGE ACROSS THE LAKE--ITS SHALLOWNESS.

It is difficult to give a just description of our passage across the
lake. The boisterous weather we had had seemed to have blown over. A
cool and refreshing breeze was carrying us on at between four and five
knots an hour, and the heavens above us were without a cloud. It almost
appeared as if nature had resisted us in order to try our perseverance,
and that she had yielded in pity to our efforts. The men, relieved for
a time from the oar, stretched themselves at their length in the boat,
and commented on the scenery around them, or ventured their opinions as
to that which was before them. Up to this moment their conduct had been
most exemplary; not a murmur had escaped from them, and they filled the
water-casks with the utmost cheerfulness, even whilst tasting the
disagreeable beverage they would most probably have to subsist on for
the next three or four days.

As soon as we had well opened the point, we had a full view of the
splendid bay that, commencing at the western most of the central
points, swept in a beautiful curve under the ranges. No land was
visible to the W.N.W. or to the S.S.W.: in both these quarters the lake
was as open as the ocean. It appeared, therefore, that the land
intermediate was an island. To the north the country was extremely low,
and as we increased our distance from it we lost sight of it
altogether. At noon we were nearly abreast of the eastern headland, or
in the centre of the strait to which I have alluded. At this time there
was an open sea from W.N.W. to N. by E. A meridian altitude gave our
latitude 35 degrees 25 minutes. The land to our left was bold and
precipitous; that to the right was low and wooded; and there was
evidently a considerable space between the shores of the lake and the
base of the ranges. The country to the eastward was hidden from us by
the line of cliffs, beyond which