The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-24
CAvERNs OF ANTIQUITY.
Wonderful Subterranean Chambers
in New south Wales.


Wonderful subterranean Chambers
in New south Wales.
The Wellington Caves. in New South
Wales are remarkable. not only as being
among the first discovered in the colony.
but also as being the only ones in which
fossil remains have been found. thereby
establishing their prehistoric antiquity.
The town Of Wellington, In the vicinity OF
which the caves are situated. is in the
w;ste.n district. about 24S miles from sgd
ney. and is kind of western, sanatorium.
being nearly 1000 feet above sea level, on
the western margin Of the southern table
land.
The township is di7ided into two por-
lions by the waters OF the Macquarie and
bounded on either side by ranges of steep
hills. on the highest point OF which, Mount
Arthur, is cairn Of stones made by Sir
Thomas Mitchell when engaged in the
work OF exploring and surveying this por-
tion of the colony The caves were dis
covered by Sir Thomas Mitchell In 1880
while examining the limestone cliffs On
either side of the river. The limestone
everywhere presents a naked and rugged
surface. between which are small crevices
leading to caves and assures. From these
crevices,' says Sir Thomas Mitchell. "a
warm air ascends, accompanied by smell
peculiar to the caves. The worn appear
ance of the external rock. resembling half
dissolved ice, is very remarkable, particu-
larry near the largest caverns."
The crevice forming the entrance to the
caves is about leo feet above the river
level, and is easily reached by we'll con-
structed road The principal attraction to
the majority of visitors is the Great Cave.
It tr hal 30
opening and consists OF spacious and
lofty vaulted chamber. ornamented by an
immense stalactite. The passage descends
from hence considerable distance, and
as the roof begins to rise the floor is found
thickly covered with loose, dry red earth,
which rises in fine dust at every step. In
one place, behind the great stalactite, the
earth is OF white color. Here. when the
caves were first explored one Of Sir
Thomas MitcheTI's companions unexpect-
eddy sank to the waist, to his great alarm.
Passing through an opening to the left Of
the stalactite an abrupt descent with
level floor Of dry earth Of considerable
thickness. At the end of this cave further
progress is barred by deep Gssure. at the
bottom of which is water of unknown
depth. One remarkable feature of the two
chambers is the massive and unbroken ap-
pearance OF the roof and walls, suggesting
the idea that the chambers had been ex-
cavated out OF the solid rock. The red
earth is supposed to be a sediment depos-
tied by the water formerly flowing through
the caves.
About eighty feet to the west OF the
Great Cave is the Breccia Cave, one Of the
most important and interesting, from
scientific point of view, yet discovered in
Australia. 1t is a kind of deep pit or well,
and raet1. 10 a
of access is not much frequented by visit
o-s. The entrance is effected by means OF
ladders to the first landing place, depth
of seventeen feet. From here a further
descent Of about eleven feet is made be-
tween two nearly vertical walls OF rock,
landing midway in an irregular issure ex-
tending nearly north and south. Crawling
hence through a narrow tunnel in the
solid rock. small chamber, twelve feet
high, is entered. The floor is Of red earth,
OF considerable depth, the upper portions
containing large numbers Of bones.s,Ss
1t is stated that when Sir Thomas
Mitchell reached the mouth of the Breccia
Cave one OF his assistants, named Rudkin,
volunteered TO go down and see what was
at the bottom. He was lowered by rope,
which proved to be of insufficient length
Another rope was lowered to him and this
was made fast to a projection IL. the SIDE
of the pit. With this aid he began fuf-
Their descent, when. happily for science.
but unfortunately for Rudkin, the projec-
ton to which the rope Lad been fixed gave
way and he vas precipitated to the bot
tom. something striking him on the head
as he fell. Thinking this to be the stone
to which he had fastened the rope. he
picked 1t up and was astonished to find it
was in reality a bone.
Subsequently the skull of an animal was
found. which the late Prof. Owen. Of the
British Museum. pronounced TO be the head
Of an enormous kangaroo. 1t 1.-THE a1imaD
was at least thirteen feet long and ten feet
high when erect, and its foralegs wee
much longer than those of the kangaroo
which we know at present Prof Owen al
gave it as his opinion that there would be
found the remains of large carnivo- Gus
animal which had been coateu po:ary with
the gigantic kangaroo. his opinion being
based upon the fact that the herb-eaIrg
must have had natural enemy
This extraordinary prediction was suisse
quently verified, for in 1857 skull and sew
eral jawbones were found. the teeth beng
in excellent state of preservation. Thssere-
mains were ascertaiued TO be those of
lion of a savage and carnivofous ra-ure.
1t was also marsupial, carrying its
young in a kind of pouch.
Other skulls of the an-aal have been
found but q complete skeleton has yet 10
be obtained. The late Mr.. Gerard KFefft,
who was for some years curator of tie
Sydney Museum. and has left a mama IA
vorably known in the world OF scie-ce, took
much interest in the work of exploring tbs
Breccia Cave, and under his rperiEtedencs
many hundreds of fossil remains were re-
covered, not few of which are now in the
British Museum. Curiously enough 70
bones of birds have yet been found in the
,aves. The country around Wellington has
yet 20 be Systematically explored. When
his is done IT is probable tnat furthe- dis
,overies will be made, not only Of fossils,
tut also of gold, for it was in this nj III
,orhood that McGregor, : shepherd, found
races Of the aurifsrous astal lorg before
he finds at Ophir had ar l-ted pubic at
ention. although his ste 8 was generally
.iscredited at the time -ooklyn Eagle.