came upon a large island five or six miles in length; and at
fifty miles there was a still larger river than the last coming
in from the northwest, the course of the main stream having now
changed to northeast by southwest. The water was quite free from
reptiles, and the vegetation upon the banks of the river had
altered to more open and parklike forest, with eucalyptus and
acacia mingled with a scattering of tree ferns, as though two
distinct periods of geologic time had overlapped and merged.
The grass, too, was less flowering, though there were still
gorgeous patches mottling the greensward; and lastly, the fauna
was less multitudinous.

Six or seven miles farther, and the river widened considerably;
before us opened an expanse of water to the farther horizon, and
then we sailed out upon an inland sea so large that only a shore-
line upon our side was visible to us. The waters all about us
were alive with life. There were still a few reptiles; but there
were fish by the thousands, by the millions.

The water of the inland sea was very warm, almost hot, and the
atmosphere was hot and heavy above it. It seemed strange that
beyond the buttressed walls of Caprona icebergs floated and the
south wind was biting, for only a gentle breeze moved across
the face of these living waters, and that was damp and warm.
Gradually, we commenced to divest ourselves of our clothing,
retaining only sufficient for modesty; but the sun was not hot.
It was more the heat of a steam-room than of an oven.

We coasted up the shore of the lake in a north-westerly direction,
sounding all the time. We found the lake deep and the bottom