It had large white patches of clay on it, the shallow receptacles of rain water, but they were all dry.
The plain was otherwise covered with low salsolae, excepting on the higher ground, on which samphire alone was growing.

It was surrounded on all sides by sand hills of a fiery red, and not even a stunted hakea was to be seen.

From this plain we again crossed alternate sand hills and flats, the former covered with spinifex, the latter being quite denuded of all vegetation; but one of the horses at last knocking up, I was obliged to halt in this gloomy region, at the only puddle of rain water we had seen since leaving the grassy plain.

I was sure, however, from the change that had taken place, and the character of the country around us, that we were approaching that feature, the continuance of which, in order to elucidate its probable origin, it had been a principal object in my present journey to ascertain.

I felt so convinced on this point, that I could not have returned to Adelaide without having satisfied my mind on the subject.