The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-06-28
TIE GREAT CAVES
NEAR WELLINGTON
discovered by Sir Thomas Mitchell
in the Year 1880.
WATER OF AN UNKNOWN DEPTH
Bars Progress in One Dircction-pis-
covcries Valuable TO Science Have
Been Made of Bones and
Fossils and Skulls.
WATER OF AN UNKNOWN DEPTH

The Wellington Caves in New South
Wales are remarkable, not only as DeAHs
amongst the FIRST discovered IN the coiofiy'
but also as being the only ones IN when
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
western district about PAS miles from
Sydney, and is a kind of western sanato-
rum. being nearly Loco feet above sea
level, on the western margin of the SOUTH
sra table land The township is divided
into two portions by the waters OF the
aacqparie. and bounded on either side by
ranges of steep hills. on the highest point
of which Cs1ount Arthur is a cairn OF
stones made By Sir Thomas Mitchell when
Engaged IN the work Of exploring and sur
veying this portion of the colony. The
caves We're discovered by Sir THOMAS
Mitchell in 1890 while examining the lime
stone cliffs on either side of the river The
limestone everywhere presents nakd and
rugged surface. composed OF pointed, wea-
ther-worn blocks. between which are small
rTevices leading TO caves and assures
From these creviccs.'' says Sir Thomas
Mitchell "a warm air ascends, accom-
panied by q smell peculiar TO the caves
The worn appearance of the external rock,
resembling half-dissoIved ice. is very re-
caverns- The crevice forming the en-
trance to the caves is about 100 feet above
the river level, and is easily reached by
well-constructed road
THE GREAT CAVE.
The principal attraction to the majority
Of visitors is The Great Cave. Il is APP
preached bT a steep and rugged opening,
and consists Of a spacious and lofty vaulted
chamber, ornamented by an immense
TGia Hc
hence a considerable distance, and as the
roof begins TO rise the floor is found thitkly
Powered with loose, dry red earth. which
rises in fine dust at every step In one
place, behind the great stalactite. the
Earth is of a white color Here, when the
raves were first explored, one of Sir Thos.
Mitchells companions unexpectedly sank
10 the waist, TO his great alarm. Passing
through an opening to the left OF the
stalactite an abrupt descent of about %
leet leads to q smaller cavern. with a level
floor of dry red earth OF considerable thick
ness At the end of this cave further pro-
gress is barred by deep f1ssure, at the bot
tom OF which Is water of unknown depth
One remarkable feature OF the two cham
bers is The massive and unbroken appear-
ance of the roof and walls, suggesting the
Idea that the chambers had been excayated
out OF the solid rock. The red earth is
supposed to be a sediment deposited by
the water formerly flowing through the
caves. About 50 feet to the west of the
Great cave is the Breccia Cave. one of
the most important and interesting from
a scientific point OF view. vet discovered
In Australia. Ii is kind of deem nil or
Wen, and from its small size and the diff
cuilE OF access is not much frequented by
Visitors The entrance is effected by
means of ladders to the first landing place.
depth of Il feet
A FURTHER DESCENT.
From here a further descent of aboI,t II
feet is made between tvs nearly. vertical
"ai!s OF rock, landing midway in an ire
gular fssure, extending nearly north and
South Crawling hence through a narrow
tunnel in the solid rock a small chamber.
~ feet high, is entered The floor is OF
red earth, of considerable depth the upper
portion containing large numbers of bones.
1t Is stated that when Sir Thomas Mitchell
reached the mouth of the Breccia Cave
pne OF his assistants named Rudkin volun-
teered TO go down and see what was at the
bottom. He was lowered by a rope which
proved to be of insufficient length. An
pther rope was lowered to him. and this
was made fast to a projection in the side
IF the pit. With this aid he began a
further descent. when. happily for science,
but unfortunate for Rudkn, the projection
TO which the rope had been fixed gave
way, and he was precipitated to the bot
ION. something striking him on the head
as he fell Thinking this 10 be the stone 10
which he had fastened the rope, he picked
It up and was astonished to find it was in
reality a bone.
Subsequently the skull of an animal was
found. which the late Professor owen, of
ths British Museum, pronounced to be the
head of an enormous kangaroo. II (the
anmalo was at least Is feet long and 10
feet high twhen erect, and its forelegs
1F +l1a kan
CARGO which wa know at present.
Professor Owen also gave it as his oDin-
ION that there would be found the remains
OF a large carnivorous animal. which had
been contemporary With the gigantic kan
saroc. his opinion based upon the fact that
thu herb-eatins 1narsupiai must have had
natural enemy This extraordinary pre-
dction "ss subsequently verified, for in
1887 a skill and several jawbones were
found, the teeth being in an excellent state
% preservation. These remains We're as
certained to be those of 8 lion of a savage
and carriVorouS nature. II was also
marsupiai. carrying its young in a kind
o. pouch
Other skulls of the animal have been
found. but complete skeleton has vet
to be obtained. TIE late Mr.. Gerard
krefft, who was for some years curator
Of the Sydney Museum. and has left a
name favorably Known in the world of
eSttiiGS. tpoh uiGSii interest IN the work
Of exploring the Breccia Cave. ana under
his superintendent many hundreds of
fossil remains Were recovered. not a few
Of which are now in the British Museum.
Curiousiy enough. no bones Of birds have
yet been found in the caves.
The country around Wellington has yet
70 be- systematically explored. When
this IS done it is probable that further
discoveries VIII be made. not only of
fossils. but also of gold, for ii was in
this neighhorhood that McGregor. a shep-
herd, found traces of the auriferous
metal long before the finds at Ophfr had
attracted public attention, although his
story was generally discredited at the