It behoved me to ascertain
these two points with as little delay as possible, for the surface water
was fast drying up, and we were in danger of having our retreat cut off.
Whether the country was practicable or not, in the direction I was
anxious to take, it was clear that I could not have penetrated as far as
I then was, with the heavy drays, with any prudence.
To be more satisfied, however, as to the nature of the country to the
westward, I rode towards the N.E. angle of the Sandy Basin, on the
morning of the 4th, sending Mr. Stuart southwards, to examine it in that
direction; but, neither of these journeys proving satisfactory, I
determined on fixing the position of the hills in reference to our
chained line, and then return to the Depot, to prepare for a more
extensive exploration of the N.W. interior. I found the country perfectly
impracticable to the N.W., and that it was impossible to ascertain the
real character of this Sandy Basin. On the other side of it the country
appeared to be wooded; beyond the wood there was a sudden fall; and, as
far as I could judge, this singular feature must have been connected with
Spencer's Gulf, before the passage that evidently existed once between
them, was filled up.
On the 5th I ran a base line from the end of the chained line to the
north-west, on a bearing of 317 degrees, to the only prominent sand hill
in that direction, distant from the staff 5 1/2 miles, from the
extremities of which the ranges bore as follow:--
BEARINGS FROM THE FLAG STAFF AT THE TERMINATION OF THE CHAINED LINE.
Pages:
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367