SHOALHAVEN RIVER. 197 



which appear to owe their existence to some sud- 

 den convulsion of nature that had violently rent 

 the hills asunder ; down the steep sides, a dense 

 vegetation concealed their depth, although the 

 eye could reach, unimpeded, sufficiently deep to 

 enable some idea to be formed of the profound- 

 ness of these chasms. The largest and most ex- 

 tensive gully, said to possess the most beautiful 

 scenery, was five miles distant. 



The Shoalhaven river, which runs beneath, 

 was not visible, although its murmuring, broken 

 torrent could be heard . The wooded hills, varying 

 in denseness, some trees overhanging the abyss, 

 still further increased the sublimity of the scene ; 

 and occasionally in the evenings, a small species 

 of kangaroo, called " rock kangaroo" by the 

 colonists, was seen skipping about the hills. To 

 a geologist, the examination of these localities 

 would be highly interesting, as there are several 

 caverns, in their limestone formations, with 

 indications of fossil remains. Highly gratified 

 by the view, I departed ; and after leaving this 

 farm, crossed a small, insignificant rivulet : 

 this was the river (or, according to the co- 

 lonial vocabulary, " creek") which empties 

 itself into the Shoalhaven Gullies ; and its first 

 fall into them was at no further distance than a 



