WATER SUPPLY TO SYDNEY BY GRAVITATION. 109 



labour of getting through it is so great that I deemed it prudent 

 to beat a retreat, but with the intention of striving to pass through 

 it to Mount Kiera another time. I was convinced, however, from 

 what I saw from the elevation above the Cataract River, that my 

 theory of the application of the great north-westerly dip of the 

 coal basin and country was virtually reduced to practice. 



These expectations, I am happy to say, were realized by the 

 result of three subsequent aneroid surveys made behind Wonona 

 and Mount Kiera. Passing some four miles along the top of the 

 coast range from the Bulli Pass to Wrixon's Pass, behind Wonona 

 and Bellambi, I found the level of that gap was about the same 

 as the gap at the Bulli Pass ; so much so that I considered that 

 it would require a more perfect survey with the proper instruments 

 to determine the relative height of the two spots ; but as we have 

 40 feet 2 inches to spare at the lowest point of the Bulli Pass, so 

 I estimated that the channel from the south could pass along this 

 depression at Rixon's Pass by bringing it close up to the eastern 

 boundary of the cliffs overlooking Wonona, Bellambi, and the sea. 

 I saw also that should the level of such pass prove to be too low 

 for the channel, it could be easily remedied there by erecting a 

 flume of some 8 or 10 chains long, to be made out of the fine tur- 

 pentine timber which abounds near that spot, and where there 

 are the remains of a deserted weatherboard building. Or it might 

 be that at this or any other possible depression the so-called in- 

 verted iron syphon could be made in substitution for the flume if 

 found to be cheaper, although the wooden flume would nowhere 

 be so safe from running fires. 



Thence to Mount Kiera the country rises for some five miles 

 very considerably, until it meets the westerly dividing range, 

 along which the old road from Wollongong to Appin passes. 

 A further aneroid survey indicated that we could lead the channel 

 along and around this country a few hundred feet below the 

 Mount Corrimal, or " Brockersnose," and the Mount Kiera 

 ranges. The westerly dividing range (running at right angles 

 with the coast range) being reached, I found that the channel 

 could be advantageously continued for many miles to the west- 

 ward under the north side of the Appin Road, and by which all the 

 drainage from the swamps which feed the Cataract River below 

 could be all gathered into my proposed channel, to lead the 

 waters north into Sydney. Beyond this country, I consider that 

 it is quite unnecessary to go in search of more waters for Sydney ; 

 but as I have before stated, this western range, which divides the 

 Cordeaux waters from the sources of the Cataract River, could be 

 pierced by a short tunnel of about half a mile ; and the further 

 almost illimitable supply of waters from the south could be led 

 north by the continuance of a canal for this purpose, much in the 



