The Jenolan Caves: An Excursion in Australian WonderlandCook, Samuel
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The Jenolan Caves: An Excursion in Australian Wonderland
Cook, Samuel
Australia -- Description and travel; Caves; Jenolan Caves (N.S.W.)
Eastward, about 40 feet, is the "Jewel Casket." On the way to it are
openings to numerous unexplored caves. Affixed to an immense block of
limestone are some 30 or 40 shawl-pattern formations of various sizes,
which give forth musical sounds when struck with a hard substance, and
which, with a little practice, could be played upon like a mammoth
harmonicon. _En route_ from the Exhibition to the Jewel Casket, although
the passage has not been so dry for twenty years, the rocks are covered
with moisture, and the lime can be scraped off like soft soap. From the
Exhibition there is a descent eastward of about 100 feet along the
gallery, which is somewhat narrow, but the roof of which is covered with
pretty stalactites. Near the entrance to the Casket is a remarkable
reticulated rock. The descent is by 23 steps east, and then proceeding
north about five yards the Jewel Casket is reached.
The Jewel Casket is at the end of a very remarkable cave. Its ceiling is
marvellously beautiful. The walls and ridges on each side sparkle like
gems of the first water. Some of the rocks are covered with virgin
white, and some are delicately coloured. The entrance to the Casket
itself is very small, being only about 15 inches by 8. Its upper portion
is of glistening rich brown, and slopes in varied graceful folds down to
the bed rock. When the magnesium light reveals the splendour of the
interior it is seen that the Casket stretches away to a considerable
distance; the floor is covered with white and amber brilliants and snowy
coruscating flakes of dazzling purity. Here are clusters of cave
diamonds, opals, and pearls, with delicate fawn-coloured jewels
scattered about promiscuously. Rich and rare are the gems this Casket
contains, and exclamations of delight are evoked when their charms burst
upon the view like a vision of fairyland. Neither tongue nor pen, nor
photographic art nor pencil-sketch, can ever do full justice to this
natural treasury of beautiful things.
JUDGE WINDEYER'S COUCH.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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