down from N.E. to S.W. and forming a great natural division of the continent.”  I hope I do not take too much credit to myself; if I say that I have set that question at rest; and that, considering the nature of the country into which I penetrated, no such chain can reasonably be supposed to exist.  If, indeed, any mountains had really been in the direction specified, it appears to me that I must have discovered them, but, as far as my poor opinion goes, I think the sandy ridges, both I and my readers have so much reason to hold in dread, are as extensive on one side of the Stony Desert as the other.  In truth, I believe, that not only is such the case, but that the same region extends with undiminished breadth even to the great Australian Bight, which occupies a space along the south coast of the continent, as nearly as may be of equal breadth with the sea-born Desert itself; and I cannot but conclude that that remarkable wall, shewing a perpendicular front to the ocean, but sloping inwards from the coast, was thrown up simultaneously with the fossil bed of the Murray, during the time those convulsions, by which the changes in the central parts of the continent, to which I have already called attention, were going on.  But I venture to give these opinions with extreme diffidence; they may be contrary to general views on the subject.  I merely record my own impressions from what I have observed, in the hope that I may assist the geologist in his inferences.  The ideas I would desire to convey are clear enough in my own mind, but I must confess that I feel a great difficulty in placing them so forcibly and so clearly before my readers as I could desire.

END OF VOLUME I

VOLUME II

TRAVELS IN AUSTRALIA

CHAPTER I.

Reflections on our difficulties—­commence the retreat—­Eyre’s creek—­pass
the native well—­RECROSS the stony desert—­find another well without
water—­natives—­successful fishing—­value of sheep—­Decide on A
retreat—­propose that Mr. Browne should leave—­his refusal to desert the
party—­Mr. Browne’s decision—­prepare to leave the camp—­remarks on the
climate—­again leave the depot—­singular explosion—­discover A large
creek—­proceed to the north—­recurrence of sand ridges—­salt water
lake—­again strike the stony desert—­attempt to cross it.