Journals of Two Expeditions into the Interior of New South WalesOxley, John
History
Journals of Two Expeditions into the Interior of New South Wales
Oxley, John
New South Wales -- Discovery and exploration; Oxley, John, 1783-1828
September 15.--We first attempted the pass nearest to us, and which was
reported to be practicable. The horses with tolerable ease descended the
first ridge, which was about one third down; but it was impossible to
proceed a step farther with them: indeed we had the utmost difficulty to
get them back again. Three of them actually rolled over, and were saved
only by the trees from being precipitated to the bottom. Quitting this
place, we proceeded up the glen, into which many small streams fell from
the most awful heights, forming so many beautiful cascades. After
travelling five or six miles, we arrived at that part of the river at
which, after passing through a beautiful and level though elevated
country, it is first received into the glen. We had seen many fine and
magnificent falls, each of which had excited our admiration in no small
degree, but the present one so far surpassed any thing which we had
previously conceived even to be possible, that we were lost in
astonishment at the sight of this wonderful natural sublimity, which
perhaps is scarcely to be exceeded in any part of the eastern world. The
river, after passing through an apparently gentle rising and fine
country, is here divided into two streams, the whole width of which is
about seventy yards. At this spot, the country seems cleft in twain, and
divided to its very foundation: a ledge of rocks, two or three feet
higher than the level on either side, divides the waters in two, which,
falling over a perpendicular rock two hundred and thirty-five feet in
height, forms this grand cascade. At a distance of three hundred yards,
and an elevation of as many feet, we were wetted with the spray which
arose like small rain from the bottom: the noise was deafening; and if
the river had been full, so as to cover its entire bed, it would have
been perhaps more awfully grand, but certainly not so beautiful. After
winding through the cleft rocks about four hundred yards, it again falls
in one single sheet upwards of one hundred feet, and continues in a
succession of smaller falls about a quarter of a mile lower, where the
cliffs are of a perpendicular height, on each side exceeding one thousand
two hundred feet, the width at the edges about two hundred yards. From
thence it descends as before described until all sight of it is lost,
from the vast elevation of the rocky hills which it divides and runs
through. The different points of this deep glen seem as if they would fit
into the opposite fissures which form the smaller glens alternately on
either side. The whole is indeed a grand natural spectacle, and is an
indubitable mark of the vast convulsions which this country must at one
period have undergone. The rocks are all slate, the upper romanae of
which are of a light brown colour, rotten, and easily separated. Nearer
the base or surface of the water they are of a dark blue, and of a firmer
texture. The waters are quite discoloured, owing to the nature of the bed
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