The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1856-07-24
BLACK THURSDAY.


As the vayager approaches the shores Of
Victoria, the first welcome land which greets
him is the bold promontory of Cape Otway.
Ifit be at night, the blaze from the light
house on its southern point sends him its
cheering welcome for many league across
the ocean which he has so long traversed
in expectation, aad calls forth rapturous
hurrahs from the throng of passengers who
crowd to the forecastle. If it be day, the
eye rests on its lofty forest hills with quiet
and singular delight. These heights fully
respond to the ideal OF a new land
only recently peopled. Clothed with for
ests from the margin OF the sea 10 their
very SUBMITS, they realize vividly the ap.
proach to vast region of primnval nature
The tall white stems Of the gum-trees stand
;hickly side by side like SO many hoary
columns; aud here and there among them
descend dark rayines, while piles ofrocks on
the heights, alternating with jagged chimes
and projecting spurs OF the mountains, pre-
sent their solitary masses to the breeze Of
ocean.
Amongst the rocks of this wild shore
there arc sea-caves of vast extent and sol
emn aspect, which have never yet been
thoroughly explored. The forest, extend
: ing Fifty miles or more in all directions, is
one of the most dense and savage in the
whole colony. Until lately il was almost
smpassable from the density of the scrub,
and from the masses Of vines, (ihatis, atinas.
or creeping cord like plants, chiefly paras-
tical,) which, as in the forests Of South
Ameiica, climb from tree 10 tree, knitting
the woods into an obscure and inpenetra-
ole shade Expecting along the track from
Mr. Roadkuigit's station, near the sources
Of the Barwar, through the heart Of the
forest to Apollo Bay, Il distance of forty
miles, you might eat Your way with an aye,
but -~oull find i, difficult to make progress
otherwise. Tie greater part Of tic pro
inontory consisting of steep hills covered
viii, gigantic trees in.ersected hy shelving
valleys, aud dark with congrcga,cd fern
trees, beeiling precipces. and stony declivi-
ties --atlords no food for cattle In one day,
however, known TO the colonists rs Black
Thursday, II hd.ricane of flame opened It's
rude and imptacticable Wilderness 10 the
foot Of man, but presented linn ut The same
with black and blasted chaos OF clarred
trees aud gigantic fallen trunks and bran.
chcs.
""s III 't's ioIeH', ih lhe early morning
vi th's memorable day, the sixth OF Febru
arg, eighteen hundged and fifty one, that
young man opened his eyes and sat up TO
look about him. lie had, the day before,
driven :-hcrd of fifty bullocks from the sta.
uoh OF Mr.. hoadknlght thus far on his way
towards ,c's.a ms own residence IN the country
Between Lake Corangamitc and Mount Gel.
librand. lie had reached at evening
shis'i grassy valley III inc outskirts OF the
iofest' wa'erea oy creek falling into the
western Darwar, and had there paused for
me "'sn'' AiS n'oo OF catiie, Iii II AM
nunsry' "ero ho' 'ici'heu 10 stray from the
na, P''u i1s1;I oeio,e 'T. '"e.n' ana, hoooi'hs
oas n's spe"u'u o'HcA morse oorcerer' he
ppsl; pyTme" ~ f'sss sne h'ght IN 'he slihpio
rIioa ~. y, .,v '1.S s1s.'1' y" surn journeys.
"t eu 'upp"eu n,'n ,i, WIZ WIN :" convenient
49,. , a,;a% aG n"s qu'Ihy y, rom me dead
s sn'.n 10y pen''iu'iy around ana
e t;'s eoi' ,ep'In'sneu =, ~ tue {. sek, was
,Lr,,s. ,t "nN con WIN us sac
aI NV .~o SioMi"s h'o; ne had
49, g. 49, @ ~, " "a! iis"'oo s"nu"'cneS' ana
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Ioo os tho An0,s.,;an III. 'oosu1h"i cue
ear main, tbn nsar,nI , a. 1'iH MS
solitary 1,a SUI norl.I'e ee sun lore
L;s tsauo,l;n 10 'ey ooon ro''eG h'insen IN
before the f;1ebor;nr 49, "r ne,;nI "'',i1e't % Iown
fresh snnnlv Of ,;nhor Srd PV'O"o'y P.'Iu "
bis ir,,stv docs Law ana wharo ces "e"' "n'!o
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