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Sat 3 Nov 1883 - Leader (Melbourne, Vic. : 1862 - 1918)
Page 33 - THE TRAVELLER.
THE TRAVELLER.
i 01
A MOUNTAIN COAL MINE.
By T. W. G.
Starting from Sydnoy at half-past nine a.m.
while yet the fog hangs like a mantle over " our
beautiful harbor," the Iron horse speeds us along
for Mount Victorla, in tho environs of which,
we are informed Is, amongstt other attractions.
a coal mine of surpassing richness. Our com
partment is conveniently filled. My vis-A-vis
it a genial brother journalist from a sister
colony, and wo "exchange notes" on our
yarious poregrinations at tho antipodes. Tho
party is mado up of a doctor of laws from ono
of tho South American republics— a "much-
travelled" philosophical man of tho world, who
has no oyo for tho "beautiful," proforring, lileo
Burns, a gnarlod man to n gnarled trco ; a
I couple of flock masters, who aro bent on having
a "spell" in the invigorating ntmospliero of
tho Blue Mountains, after years of hard work
and monotonous lifo on tho back blocks of tho
Darling ; and an elderly English tourist, who
s seeking ionewod youth amid—
Tho frngranco of tho mountain breeze,
Far from hi. uativo woods nnd skies,
Through tossing boughs of ancient tree
Borne of us aro merely acquaintances of a few
days, having met occasionally at a table d'hitt.
Notwithstanding this faot tliero is no restraint.
Tho squatters, who are veritablo verbiagcurs,
characteristically absorb tho "lion's sharo" of
attention on tho (to them) congenial eabject of
cattlo and sheep. My friend, tho doctor, is
much interested in merino sheep in lira coun
try, whero ho owns a terrain of 50 squaro
miles I The little man has paid great atten
tion to shcop brooding solely on account of
tho wool, nnd ho thcroforo deems himself an
fail in imparting a " wrinklo or two" to tho
squatters. By tho time wo pull up at tho
historlo town of Parramatta, " old Sol" lins
camo out in tho full zenith of
his glory, and tho sky is undimmed
try a single cloud. Wo start again after a fow
minutes' delay, and nro now in tho orango
country, amid tho mingled perfumo of tho
pretty blossoms and of tho deep yellow juicy
fruit that lies in profusion underneath tlio wido
spreading branches. At every station you can
purchase oranges from tho vendors at a penny
npieco. After quitting Emu Plains station,
wo bid adieu to tlio country familiarly knowu
as tho " Cow Pastures," and tho train slowly
asoends towards tho first zigzag. Y ou can now
feast your eyes on n magnificent expanse of
country, stretching far away down in tho
goigo of the Nepcan. Tho majestic river by
that natno looks like a broad bluo ribbon
traversing and winding through miles of this
charming vista. Crossing the Knapsack Gully
viaduct, which is 338 feet long, consisting of
seven successivo arches— five of 50 feet and
two of 20 feet span — tho train suddenly tnrns
fa tho left, and wo bavo already commenced to
elirab tho "baby zig-zag." After travelling
Semo hundreds of yards we are reversed, and
the train is launched back upon another steep
gradient, in a different direction, up to a corre
sponding point. Tho transition of climato is
hardly noticeable. You might experience a
similar variation of temperature on tho cam-
punilo of the Exhibition building, or that at
Soncaster. We had novcr " dono" the moan-
tuns before, and thcroforo drank in tho
bounties of tho campaign to tho fullest extent.
Deep ravines and gnlohos are passed like a
panorama, and every now and then wo discern
gjguntio masses of wcathor-worn rook, which
might havo been taken bodily out of India, so
closely do they rosomblo some of her ancient
monuments. Noble specimens, these, of tho
grandeur and sublimity of nature. A short
tunnel Is passed through, and our Mecca — tho
.harming, sleepy little township of Mount
IHrtoria — la reached at two p.m. Another
tmin is awaiting our arrival to tako it. dopar-
tiro for Sydney, for of courao there is only a
tingle line in this mountainous region. There
are a few idlers on the platform, and three or
, four inn servants, who aro conspicuous by tho
names of their respective houses on their cap
hands. A capital idea this, as all unnecessary
(portioning respecting tho house yon have been
tusominended is obviated. Touting is pretty
vifo here, and there is a keen com-
petition amongst tho men to socuro
tourists, A " wire" from Sydney had
preceded us, and after pouncing on our
®sn, wo were driven to tho Mount Victoria
Hotel — a handsome stono building, containing
Over sixty apartments. Tho doctor nrocoeded
at ouco to ingratiate himself into "tho good
paces of " mine host" after a most ingenious
mi '0'nt'nS tho cabinet photo of an
elderly aristocratic gentleman whioh was
mngmg in the hall, tho doctor, addressing Mr.
t-eusjns, inquired, with an air of simplicity
worthy of Pickwick, "Is that your father 1"
i no host looked astonished for the moment,
smiled one ot his good natured Bniiles, and
replied, " No, sir ; that's a likeness of tho
Governor, Lord Augustus Loftus, which his
i, u y. I)rC3cnled to mo during his last
visit hero.' No ono but a foreigner could put
a similar quostlou with so much artfulness.
As tho doctor subsequently explained to mo,
M's is a " way ho has" of making himself
w a stratigo house,
. We aru ainongBt tho very last this year to
it i moantalnH, and consequently havo tlio
ntfre place almost to onrselvos, which adds ou
uninutakablo charm to our visit. A lltllo
. t"or ai)d tliero would havo been swarms of
ungry sightseers from all parts of the colonics,
nropo and America, A waggonette and pair
await ub, and after we havo satisfied tho inner
n, a start is made for tlio cool mine, which
the head of the Groso Valley,
Si -t '10 covher, a gaunt, remark-
rno lookipg fellow, who had "roughed it" iu
«0 far West ?f Queensland, intimated to mo
that ho preferred dead level plains to majostio
mountains, and that ho sighed to bo once moro
la tho saddlo, galloping after cattle during tho
muster.' Our courao lios through a good
clear track, but wo encounter two or three
protty Btiff "pinches." It la too lato in tho
yoar for tho lovely crimson waratabs, but tho
air is redolent with tho cucalyptoldes and
hnkcas, Suddenly wo como upon two gontlo-
men a littlo off the track, ono of whom is,
adjusting a theodolite, and we therefore con
jecture that tlioy are "running a line,"
Upon making inquiries, wo find they aro Mr.
Phillip Winohester,. prospector and general
manager of tho mino ; and Mr. Kenneth
Mackenzie, engineer, a brother of Dr. W. P.
Mackenzio, of _ Sydney, tho proprietor of tho
colliery. We introduce oursolves and explain
thoobject of our visit. They gracofully leavo
their work and return to tlio mino to " 6how
ns round." Their camp reached, wo alight
and then commcnco our journey into tho
valley, Tho track, about a yard in width, was
out out of tho face of tlio mountain by Air. Win
chester and a couple of workmen. As wo
rapidly descend, wo aro impressed with tho
grandeur of tho scenery that meets the eye nt
overy turn. Hero thero are evidences of the
silent workings of timo nnd nature on n
stupendous scalo — tho gradual disintegration,
owing to tile atmosphorio and pluvial forces.
Mr. Winchester is fairly versed in tho lore of
geology. There is poetry, ho says, in geology
for those who havo eyes to soo it and ability
to delineato it. Geology, ho argues, is not
that dry dusty science that soino suppose, but
instinct with lifo and beauty in every part.
Varieties of shrubs and ferns abound in rich
profusion. Tho foliage, in its luxuriance, very
much resembles that found in the gullies
around Fernslmw. Wo continue our winding
journey down into the valley, and unexpectedly
come upon a coal seam cropping out on tho
faco of the mountain. It is 3 feet thick and
was opened in November last. Wo each light
a small piece of candle and follow Mr. Win
chester into tho drivo for n distance of 30
yards. Standing in this " forest of another
world" somo years ago, the thoughtful would
liavo inquired, " What could have produced
this singular-looking blnck inflammable rock 7"
How many times this waB asked before science
could return nn answer ! This siio now
does with confidence. Coal was onoo growing
vegetable matter. According to my lato
friend, Professor Denton, there aro nbont
12,000 mites of coal lands in Great Britain,
and more than 30,000,000 tons of coal are
taken out every year. It lias been calculated,
at tho present rato of use, the coal of England
will not last more than 200 years. In tho
United States thero are about 120,000 square-
inile3 underlaid by known workable coal bods,
besides what remains yet to bo discovered.
Tho extent of Now South Wales's coalfields
Is at present unknown, but iu the for distant
future tho Southern Newcastle may send coals
to her Northern prototype. Adits will shortly
be driven into tho mine, thus obviating tho
necessity of a second shaft and tho expense of
pnmplng machinery. The colliers will then
lie supplied witli fresh air, and the water will
be easily carried away. Wo descend still
further in a somewhat circuitous manner, and
discern another splendid seam of coal crop
ping out on tho face of tho mountain. This is
likewise about 3 feet thick, lint has not yet
been driven into. A liugo " dusky diamond"
stands out in bold relief from tho rock and
(Ubris occasioned by tlie action of an exquisito
waterfall, which has an indescribably beautiful
effect. The value of tho colliery is enhanced
by the presence of a seam of kerosene shalo,
which is overlying the lower scam of coal.
Tlio following analysis of the coal was made
by the department of Mines in Sydney during
last April : —
Hydroscopic moisture .. .. .. 0.60
Volatile hydrocarbons 29.70
Fixed careens- .. .. .. 09.74
Ash .. .. .. .. (i.89
„ 100.00
Sulphur In coal .. M .. O.Ofl
Specific gravity. 1.31
Cuko O'J.7
' Color ot ash — white.
The colliery consists of 4200 acres, and Mr.
Fletcher, M.P. for Newcastle, who is a coal
expert, estimates that there are 48,000,000
tons underneath it. The coal is fur superior
to any Western coal, and equal to the very
best Newcastle coal. A light Tailway,
miles in length, will shortly bo constructed
from the Great Western line to the mino, and,
fortunately for tho proprietor, tho Bteopest
gradient in connection with the work is only
1 In 30.
The snn goes down with a olear light, and
tho varied shade of delicate coloring causod by
tho moving mists upon mounts King Geoigo,
Hay, Wilson, and Toonmh and tho waving
tree tops upon tho distant ridges add another
oharm to the scone end increase tlio wander of
' the spectator. There Is almost an nbsenco of
unimnl lifo in these parts, hut tho great alti-
tado may he a sufficient explanation of tho
fact.
In tlio winter of 1813, Wentworth, Blox-
land and Lawson, names to bo remembered
by every patriotic Australian, discovered a
pass over tlio Bluo Mountains by way of the
Groso Valley, aftor encountering almost in-
sunnonntablo difficulties. So modest were
tlieso pioneers, that only the barest records of
their labors were given to tho world j the
dangora nnd perils ore all left unspoken of. The
world has only been told that ono morning In
tho July of tho year named these bravo mon
passed over tho highest reach of tho Bine
Mountains and opened out tho track of a new
nnd richer Australia beyond.
Wo havo now to tnrn our faco3 homewards,
and rctraco our steps, for it is past six and
we havo acurco an hour of daylight left and
fur to olimb. As : darkness spreads over tho
sun-clad heights, tlio full moon steals upon
the far off ridges and sheds her simple glory
over tho silent world. Even tho sweet tink
ling noto of tho boll-bird has died away and all
is still na in the untroubled asms ere dis
covery.
How sweet, how sweet Is so'ltudo
Hut give inn just one frit-nd in my retreat
To him to whlspor solitude is awout,"
Luna's light Bolilom falls across our path,
but wo see its sleepy beams 'fulling
in softest patches amongst tlio trunks
and limbs it has bathed in silver light from
cunntless centuries beforo tho mountains were
desecrated by any human foot. Wo leave tho
valley with tho greatest regret, nnd many
times andlongftilly do we look back to It be
fore a turn in the mountain hides it from our
gaze. Arrived at the dining tent, nt tho invi
tation of Mr. Winchester, wo accept of "pot
luck" in tlio shape of n mug of good " hot and
Btrong" ton (with condensed milk) and broad
and butter. We then say au revoir to our
genial guides, and start on the return journoy.
By this time it in pitch dark, but tho eretwhile
drover " knows every inch of tho groand, sir,"
and pilots us Bafely to our hotel, after on hour's
jolting, plunging and rolling in the waggonette.
A substantiation awaited us, which as juvenilo
reporters proverbially remark in their notices
of " muffin struggles," was " done full justice
to." Tired nature's sweet restorer camo to our
assistance about ten o'clock, and we slept tho
sloop of tho just. Noxt morning wo were up
betimes, and continued bur rambles into tho
romantia and secluded Vaio of Hartley.