Geology 



we set out to explore the country beyond the cliff. It 

 was first necessary to find a point where the cliff could 

 be scaled. Climbing on these limestone rocks is often 

 dangerous, owing to their being loose and rotten near 

 the surface, and the holds, in consequence, extremely 

 treacherous. 



Crossing the river and walking towards the north- 

 west, we found that the cliffs were not so high and that 

 large quantities of fallen material had accumulated as 

 a " talus" along their foot. Still farther on, the rough 

 talus was replaced by a grassy slope, surmounted by the 



FIG. 23. a, Reefs of Grit in bed of stream ; b, Limestone ; <:, Cave ; 

 ft Supposed position of fault. 



continuation of the cliff-line, now only some 50 feet in 

 height. Numerous gulleys occurred in this part of the 

 cliff, and one of them gave easy access to the summit. 



On reaching the top of the cliff we found ourselves 

 on the edge of a wilderness of bare limestone, which 

 extended as far as the eye could reach, rising terrace 

 upon terrace, and uninterrupted except by an occasional 

 stunted tree, rooted in some crevice, and distorted by 

 the keen winds which prevailed on this upland plateau 

 (Plate VII.). 



The surface consisted of great slabs of limestone, 

 intersected by numerous deep rifts, on the bottom and 



144 



