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THE JENOLAN CAVES.

[Illustration: THE CORAL GROTTO. [_Frontispiece_]




  THE

  JENOLAN CAVES:

  AN

  EXCURSION

  IN

  AUSTRALIAN WONDERLAND.

  BY SAMUEL COOK.


  _ILLUSTRATED WITH TWENTY-FOUR PLATES AND MAP._


  EYRE & SPOTTISWOODE,

  Her Majesty's Printers:

  LONDON--GREAT NEW STREET, FLEET STREET, E.C.

  1889.

[Illustration: Coat of Arms]




PREFACE.


THE following historical and descriptive account of the Jenolan
(formerly called the Fish River) Caves was written for the _Sydney
Morning Herald_. By the kind permission of the proprietors of that
journal (Messrs. John Fairfax and Sons) and, at the request of numerous
correspondents, it is now republished. The author is conscious, however,
that neither tongue, nor pen, nor pictorial art can convey an adequate
idea of the magnificence and exquisite beauty of these caves. Words are
too poor to express the feelings of admiration and awe which are
experienced by those who wander through the marvellous subterranean
galleries embellished with myriads of graceful and fantastic forms of
purest white alternating with rich colour and delicate tints and shades.
Of all the caves in New South Wales those at Jenolan are the most
beautiful, and well-travelled men admit that they are unrivalled in any
other part of the world. As they are so little known this book may be
interesting, and serve to give some impression concerning geological
transformations and the slow processes of Nature in the production of
works at once grand, ornate, and unique.

The illustrations are from photographs by Messrs. Kerry and Jones of
Sydney, who have generously permitted the author to make selections from
their beautiful and extensive series of cave pictures.




CONTENTS.


   CHAPTER I.                                                       PAGE

   HOW THE CAVES WERE DISCOVERED                                      13


   CHAPTER II.

   THE APPROACH TO THE CAVES                                          17


   CHAPTER III.

   THE EXTERNAL FEATURES OF THE CAVES--THE GRAND ARCH                 20


   CHAPTER IV.

   THE DEVIL'S COACH HOUSE                                            33


   CHAPTER V.

   THE NIGHT CAVES                                                    39

   CHAPTER VI.

   THE NETTLE CAVE                                                    43


   CHAPTER VII.

   THE ARCH CAVE                                                      48


   CHAPTER VIII.

   THE CARLOTTA ARCH                                                  55


   CHAPTER IX.

   THE ELDER CAVE                                                     58


   CHAPTER X.

   THE LUCAS CAVE--THE MUSIC HALL--THE SHAWL CAVE                     65


   CHAPTER XI.

   THE EXHIBITION--THE BROKEN COLUMN--THE JEWEL CASKET--JUDGE
       WINDEYER'S COUCH--THE UNDERGROUND BRIDGE                       73


   CHAPTER XII.

   THE LURLINE CAVE--THE FOSSIL BONE CAVE