Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 1.djvu/359

 cosws or AUStriA. '297 day; Which was unsuccessfully spent in exomiu- ing the gullies in' search of fresh water: a hole sept.. was dug in one' of the most favourable spots we could find; and,' at the depth of three or four feet, the earth gradually became so moist as to flatter us with the hope that our labours would be rewarded by success :' at' three feet deeper, water beoon to ooze through; but,'upon tasting it; it turned out to be quite salt. Another place higher up was tried with the same result, upon which further search was abandohed as useless. In the evening we ascended a hill near the an- chorage; whence a favorable view was obtaifed for the construction of my chart. The space behind the beach to the foot of the hill, is occu- pied by a level plain that has evidently' been formed by the deposition of alluvial soil; over which, in many places, the last night's high tide had passed; but those parts which it had not reached were covered with a thin layer of salt, which at a distance exacfiy resembled hoar- frost. Upon .it was observed the tck'of a dg that had evidently been running towards the salt water-pits to quench its thirst; and this, I fear, is only a proof of the total' absence of fresh water,' which,. indeed the desolate and burnt up appearance of every thing around was sufficient of itself to bespeak. ' The cottatry /t the bottom

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