The Devil's Punch Bowl, near Mount Schanck

Plate 34: Part of the text accompanying the illustration reads 'One of the most remarkable of the volcanic wells occurring in the neighbourhood of Mount Schanck and Mount Gambier, is that designated as the "Devil's Punch Bowl". This singular phenomenon was discovered by Mr Burr ... in May 1844. The accompanying sketch was taken immediately upopn the discovery of the spot ... Towards the afternoon, a vast circular cavity was discovered in the coral limestone, about 260 yards in circumference; its perpendicular side perforated with holes; and at the bottom, about fifty feet below the surface, was a lake of pure fresh water, that looked black from its extreme depth. Attempts were made to fathom it by fastening "tether" ropes together, but at 130 feet no bottom was obtained close to its precipitous margin'.

This is one of 60 coloured lithographs found in the 1847 edition of 'South Australia Illustrated' by colonial artist George French Angas, together with a descriptive passage for each. The lithograph was created by J.W. Giles from Angas' original painting. The date assigned is assumed to be approximately when the lithographs were created; the original paintings were done in earlier years.