WELLS OF HOPE

As a former Royal Australian Survey Corps cartographer, I was involved in the creation of many maps of the outback (Big Picture, AG 139). Almost all had at least one wind-powered pump portrayed, and sometimes no other human-made features. All of these were described in the legend as windpumps, because this is technically correct. I often used to wonder in my early days if anyone other than us referred to them as such.

Once I commenced working in the field, I realised they were called many names in addition to those mentioned, including mill, pump and windpump. However, we didn’t care what they were called when driving through hot, dry, featureless areas, because a windpump sighted in the distance meant there was probably water ahead and time for a break from our survey work. STUART SYMONDS BENDIGO,VIC