The Jenolan Caves: An Excursion in Australian WonderlandCook, Samuel
History
The Jenolan Caves: An Excursion in Australian Wonderland
Cook, Samuel
Australia -- Description and travel; Caves; Jenolan Caves (N.S.W.)
The next chamber is about 14 feet by 12 feet, at the end of a slight
declivity as white as snow. It is in the form of an ordinary retort, and
is succeeded by another chamber of somewhat similar contour, the
principal ornamentation being on the floor. Thence the course is
upwards, and the most attractive formation is from the roof. The
stalactites are in clusters, and for the most part small. Some of them
are like twigs, but clear as a limpid stream. Here also are stalagmites
about nine inches high, formed on the ends of huge rocks. In addition to
these are other smaller stalagmites near to a hole about 14 feet deep,
and on the floor are fossil remains. In this hole are passages
unexplored. Hard by is a pretty "shawl" hanging from the roof, and
beyond it a rock about three feet high, the edge of which is covered
with a fine substance like down, which, when blown upon, flies about
like the winged seeds of thistles. Descending from this cavern, about
10 yards through a narrow passage, there is a steep fall of nearly 10
feet, which leads to a chamber, the roof of which is about 10 feet high.
On the right hand side of this cave are some very white shawl pattern
formations and stalactites, and to the left are fine shawls, clear as
glass, from four to eight feet long, and from 6 to 12 inches deep. Just
beyond is a crisp, velvety floor, like that which characterises a
chamber previously described, but not of the same colour. This floor is
in some parts very red, as though it had been coloured with clay, and
other parts are like glass stained with red ochre. The stalactites are
thin, and formed in all sorts of peculiar shapes. The floor is uncommon,
being of a piebald character, appearing as though buckets of solution of
lime had been cast upon it, in the midst of some large stalactites that
give character to the cave, which is about 40 feet by 40 feet. Passing
on you come to a pretty chamber ornamented with stalactites, composed
mostly of yellow crystal. The cave then runs nobody at present knows
where. There are unexplored chambers all around. This cave is named
after the Government geologist, and is to be known as the Wilkinson
Cave.
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