SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 107 



of the scenery around. The entrance is merely a round hole on the top of 

 a hill, which leads to a small sloping path under a shelf of rock. Descending 

 this for about twenty-five feet, one gets a first glimpse of the magnificence 

 enshrined below. The observer finds himself at the entrance of a large 

 oblong square chamber, low, but perfectly lighted by an aperture at the 

 opposite end ; and all around, above and below, the eye is bewildered by a 

 profusion of ornaments and decorations of Nature's own devising. It resembles 

 an immense Gothic cathedral, and the numbers of half-finished stalagmites, 

 which rise from the ground like kneeling or prostrate forms, seem worshippers 

 in that silent and solemn place. At the farther end is an immense stalactite, 

 which appears like a support to the whole roof; not the least beautiful part 

 of it being that it is tinted by almost every variety of colour, one side being 

 of a delicate azure, with passages of blue, green, and pink intermingled ; 

 and again it is snowy white, finally merging into a golden yellow. The 

 second cave or chamber is so thickly studded with stalactites that it seems 

 like a carefully arranged scene, which, from the interminable variety of form 

 and magic effect of light and shade, might easily be taken to represent some 

 fairy palace. Very soon the cavern becomes as dark as night, and further 

 exploration to the numerous chambers and fissures beyond has to be made 

 by the assistance of torches. On leaving the last chamber, we return to the 

 light ; a narrow passage, richly wreathed with limestone, is observed on the 

 right hand going out. Proceeding a little way down, a large vaulted chamber 

 is reached, so perfectly dark and obscure that even torches can do but faint 

 justice to its beauty. Here, above all other portions of the caves, has 

 Nature been prodigal of the fantastic ornament with which the whole place 

 abounds. There are pillars so finely formed, and covered with such delicate 

 trellis-work, there are droppings of lime making such scroll-work, that the 

 eye is bewildered with the extent and variety of the adornment. It is like 

 a palace of ice with frozen cascades and fountains all round.' 



A special feature of the settlers' life in the ' far north ' is the increasing 

 use of camels. At Beltana a camel-breeding establishment has been in 

 existence for nearly twenty years. Sir Thomas Elder introduced the animals 

 first from Afghanistan, and, as they are found to be well adapted for work 

 in Central Australia, they are now largely used. They are broken in to draw 

 drays, or to trot with a buggy behind them; and the 'belle of Beltana' uses 

 one for a hack. Nearly a thousand camels have been provided from this estab- 

 lishment for hauling stores and for doing the every-day work of bullock 

 and horses. The ordinary team is composed of six camels. A team of eight 

 will drag a dray with three tons of goods through the heaviest sand. The 

 animals wear large leather collars, and their harness is in other respects very 

 similar to that used for horse teams. No great difficulty has been experienced 

 in training the camel to this novel sort of work. But the Australian bush- 

 man would not hesitate about putting a hippopotamus into harness. 



