2 IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS 



army subaltern, and Wentworth, in after years a leading 

 Australian statesman, were the first to find a path over 

 the Blue Mountains; but for several decades after their 

 exploit the exploration of the range was left almost 

 entirely to rough stockmen, whose chief, and perhaps sole, 

 object was to find cattle-runs. One of the paths now 

 most used, up which a prosperous railway winds its way, 

 was discovered by a band of runaway convicts, who 

 lurked in one of those singular valleys which are a striking 

 feature of the mountains. Though they were traced to 

 this valley, it was not until the police sought the help of 

 aboriginal trackers that the entrance was discovered, and 

 one of the largest of the now renowned exitless valleys 

 was opened to the colonists. This, and other paths, have 

 long since been improved ; but formerly many of them 

 could only be used at imminent risk of life or limb ; and 

 this is still the case with some remote and little-known 

 passes. 



One of the most difficult and dangerous that I have 

 explored is about 40 miles north-west of Picton, and 

 scarcely more than 12 south of the celebrated Penrith 

 viaduct ; but owing to the roundabout route that must be 

 taken to reach it, it is difficult to estimate the distances. 

 This pass, which seems to be nameless in the survey, 

 cannot be reached from the east side of the mountains, 

 and will probably not be opened up until the quarrymen 

 are attracted thither: for it is impossible for cattle to 

 reach it. It took myself and two companions, under 

 the guidance of an old prospector, five days to reach 

 this spot: and the journey may be described as a sixty- 

 mile climb, the whole distance being a region of broken 

 rock and rugged gully. Both the east and west sides of 

 the mountain are here precipitous cliffs of great height, 

 with a pretty level plateau at the top covered with forest. 

 The valley beneath is a level plain, also covered with an 

 unbroken forest of large gum trees, and bounded on all 

 sides with walls of rock. These rocks project, like giant 

 buttresses, into the valley, in many places forming head- 

 lands with deep recesses between them ; but though the 



