Above,
there was no difficulty in crossing it, the country being clear and open,
and of moderate height.
A kangaroo was chased to this fall, down which he
leapt and was dashed to pieces; like the hero of Wordsworth's "Hartleap
Well." It is wonderful that the dogs escaped the same fate. We had
been also successful in finding a passage nearer to the tent. About a
mile above Beckett's Cataract, a pass was discovered by which we might
descend, and the opposite side appeared equally favourable. It appears
that we have been hitherto deceived respecting the magnitude of the river
which runs through the glen, owing to the vast height from which it was
viewed, and to our being seldom within a mile of it. The geologist would
here have a most interesting field for research, and would doubtless be
enabled to account for those natural phenomena, which, from their
defiance of all rule, perplex us so greatly. These mountains abound with
coal and slate. The dip of the rocks on this side (the north) of the
glen, is about twenty degrees to the west.
September 15. - We first attempted the pass nearest to us, and which was
reported to be practicable. The horses with tolerable ease descended the
first ridge, which was about one third down; but it was impossible to
proceed a step farther with them: indeed we had the utmost difficulty to
get them back again. Three of them actually rolled over, and were saved
only by the trees from being precipitated to the bottom. Quitting this
place, we proceeded up the glen, into which many small streams fell from
the most awful heights, forming so many beautiful cascades. After
travelling five or six miles, we arrived at that part of the river at
which, after passing through a beautiful and level though elevated
country, it is first received into the glen. We had seen many fine and
magnificent falls, each of which had excited our admiration in no small
degree, but the present one so far surpassed any thing which we had
previously conceived even to be possible, that we were lost in
astonishment at the sight of this wonderful natural sublimity, which
perhaps is scarcely to be exceeded in any part of the eastern world. The
river, after passing through an apparently gentle rising and fine
country, is here divided into two streams, the whole width of which is
about seventy yards. At this spot, the country seems cleft in twain, and
divided to its very foundation: a ledge of rocks, two or three feet
higher than the level on either side, divides the waters in two, which,
falling over a perpendicular rock two hundred and thirty-five feet in
height, forms this grand cascade. At a distance of three hundred yards,
and an elevation of as many feet, we were wetted with the spray which
arose like small rain from the bottom: the noise was deafening; and if
the river had been full, so as to cover its entire bed, it would have
been perhaps more awfully grand, but certainly not so beautiful.
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