Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.3)

Jan. 1836. blue mountains. 523 immense gulf is unexpectedly seen through the trees which border the pathway, at the depth of perhaps 1500 feet. Walking on a few yards one stands on the brink of a vast precipice, and below is the grand bay or gulf (for I know not what other name to give it), thickly covered vnth. forest. The point of view is situated as if at the head of a bay, the line of cliiF diverging on each side, and showing headland behind headland, as on a bold sea-coast. These cliffs are composed of horizontal strata of whitish sandstone ; and so absolutely vertical are they, that in many places, a person standing on the edge, and throwing down a stone, can see it strike the trees in the abyss below. So unbroken is the line, that it is said, in order to reach the foot of the waterfall, formed by this little stream, it is necessary to go a distance of sixteen miles round. About five miles distant in front, another line of cliff extends, which thus appears completely to encircle the valley; and hence the name of bay is justified, as applied to this grand amphitheatrical depression. If we imagine a winding harbour, with its deep water surrounded by bold cliff-like shores, laid dry, and a forest sprung up on its sandy bottom, we should then have the appearance and structure here exhibited. This kind of view was to me quite novel, and extremely magnificent. In the evening, we reached the Blackheath. The sand- stone plateau has here attained the elevation of 3400 feet and is covered, as before, with the same kind of scrubby wood. From the road there were occasional ghmpses into a profound valley, of the same character as the one described but from the steepness and depth of its sides, the bottom was scarcely ever to be seen. The Blackheath is a very comfortable inn, kept by an old soldier ; and it reminded me of the small inns in North Wales. I was surprised to find that here, at the distance of more than seventy mUes from Sydney, fifteen beds could be made up for travellers. January 18th. — Very early in the morning, I walked about three miles to see Govett^s Leap : a view of a similar but even perhaps more stupendous character than that near