152 THE BLUE MOUNTAINS. [CH. I. 



Prospect Hill, which is the most conspicuous eminence in 

 the county, and is cultivated to the summit. The rich red 

 soil derived from the subjacent trap-rock, produces crops 

 as abundantly now, as when it was first tilled, upwards of 

 thirty years ago. 



Nearly the whole of the western portion of this county, 

 consists of soil equally good ; but it remains for the most part 

 occupied by the original wood. It is, however, very gene- 

 rally enclosed by substantial fencing, and affords good pas- 

 turage. There is some rich, alluvial land on both banks of 

 the Hawkesbury, and some of it, near this road, is let for 

 as much as 20s. per acre. 



The mansion of Sir John Jamieson, situated several miles 

 above Emu, commands an extensive view over that noble 

 stream, the rich margins of which are hemmed in, on the 

 west, by the abrupt precipices of the Blue mountains. The 

 intermediate space beyond the ford, is called Emu plains. 

 At the inn near this ford, I passed the night, being desirous 

 to cross the Blue mountains next day. 



April 1. — At day-break we crossed the river in the punt. 

 The Hawkesbury is 130 yards broad at this ferry, being the 

 broadest fresh-water stream known in Australia, before the 

 discovery of the Murray. 



We now entered the county of Cook, so named by me, in 

 considering that its lofty summits must have been the first 

 land, that met the eye of the celebrated navigator, on his 

 first approach to the eastern coast. Here again, we meet 

 with that precipitous, inaccessible kind of country, which dis- 

 tinguishes the sandstone formation, so extensive in Australia. 

 This arenaceous deposit, for a long time, confined the colo- 

 nists within the line of the Hawkesbury, and until the want 

 of fresh pastures, during dry seasons, compelled them to ex- 

 plore these rocky regions. One party succeedcMl in penetra- 

 ting the country to the westward, by following the continuous 

 line of high land, which separates the ravines of the valley 

 of the river Cox on one side, from those which belong to the 



