The sandy basin was from ten to twelve miles broad, but destitute of water opposite to us, although there were, both to the southward and northward, sheets of water as blue as indigo and as salt as brine.

These detached sheets were fringed round with samphire bushes with which the basin was also speckled over.

There was a gradual descent of about a mile and a half, to the margin of the basin, the intervening ground being covered with low scrub.

My first object was, to ascertain if we could cross this feature, which extended southwards beyond the range of vision, but turned to the westward in a northerly direction, in the shape in which Mr.Eyre has laid Lake Torrens down.

For this purpose Mr.Browne and I descended into it.