CHAPTER V.
Our journey resumed—The new road—Road-side flowers—Blackheath—The pass through Mount Vittoria—Talent and perseverance of Major Mitchell, the surveyor-general—Appearance of an iron gang—Leave the Blue Mountain range—Arrive at Collet’s Inn—Resume our journey towards Dabee—New line of road—Aspect of the country—Arrival at Mr. Walker’s farm—Residence of Mr. Dalhunty—Huge mounds of clay—Blackman’s Crown—Gum-trees—Bush travelling—Encamp for the night—Caution to travellers—Cherry-tree Hill—A deserted station—Encampment of Aborigines—The musk duck—Produce of Mr. Cox’s dairy-farm—Mount Brace—Infanticide—Custom of native women, relative to their dead offspring—Native practice of midwifery—Animal called the Cola—Belief in the doctrine of metempsychosis.
On the following morning, about seven A.M., after a good night’s repose and an excellent breakfast, we resumed our journey; the air was keen, but not so piercing as on the previous evening, and the sun shone brilliantly. The road we had passed, and the one we were still upon, are excellent; the new road is a great improvement. From what I had an opportunity of occasionally seeing of the old one it must have been wretched, and the great surprise was how vehicles could have passed it in safety; some parts, however, of a better character, were incorporated with the new road.
As we proceeded flowers again began to deck the road-sides, and the “Warratah or Tulip-tree” (Telopea speciocissima) now made its appearance in great abundance: the buds with which it was covered were not yet, however, sufficiently expanded to display the splendid crimson hue of the blossoms, which make it, perhaps, one of the most elegant and splendid flowering shrubs indigenous to the colony. The Acacia taxifolia was abundantly in flower, and diffused a delightful fragrance. The scenery, as we proceeded, increased rather than diminished in its grand and romantic character. At one place we passed a large quantity of a species of Eucalyptus, called the “mountain ash” by the colonists, and saw-pits had been erected near the spot for the purpose of cutting it into planks, it being much valued for shafts of gigs, as well as for other purposes, in which the wood can be better applied than any other kinds of the colonial timber.
We passed an inn, erected on a spot not unappropriately called “Blackheath,” and it was truly a dismal, bleak-looking place. After riding a distance of fourteen or fifteen miles, we turned off to the new road, nearly completed, but not yet thrown open to the public, passing through Mount Vittoria, so as to avoid the steep and stupendous pass of “Mount York.”[42] It would be well worth the trouble of the traveller to view both passes, by which he will be enabled to judge of the value that must be attached to an undertaking that ought to confer immortality on its projector and engineer, Major Mitchell, the surveyor-general of the colony. He will then appreciate the immense labour that must have attended the formation of a road through “Mount Vittoria,” which was always considered impracticable until the present highly-talented surveyor-general, surmounting all the difficulties, against both public and private opposition, showed what talent and perseverance can attain, and how superior minds can overcome the prejudices of ignorant or self-interested individuals. He has thus given to the colony a road, which, considering its peculiar situation, is not at present, nor perhaps ever will be, equalled.
Although not entirely completed, we were enabled to pass over it on horseback; (by leading our horses over one small unfinished portion of it;) the descent is gradual, and the solid rock of “Mount Vittoria” had been cut through in the formation of the road, a most laborious undertaking, as a great portion of it consisted of a kind of freestone. A large iron gang was still employed upon it, in order, as soon as possible, to throw it open to the public, as forming a portion of the splendid new line of road over the Blue Mountain range to Bathurst.
The iron gang employed upon this pass was just leaving for dinner when we passed, so we availed ourselves of the opportunity to visit the barracks, to see them mustered, and the messes served out. The clothes of these men were in bad condition, from the quarry work, in which most of them were employed; but as far as their personal state was concerned, they appeared plump and thriving. The barrack was a temporary stockade, in which the bark huts were situated, and around these a barricade was erected, outside which sentinels were stationed. It was miserable to see these men in so degraded a state, who, banished for crimes from their native land, subject themselves to a second punishment, when, by good conduct, they could become, not only useful members of society, but attain independent and comfortable circumstances for life.
Having left the Blue Mountain range by this splendid pass, the features of the country were not found to be materially changed, excepting the occasional appearance of granitic masses, and several trees and plants not seen on the Sydney side of the range. One species of Banksia was very abundant, its foliage resembling that of the rosemary, (B. rosmarinifolia?) and the subgenus of the Eucalyptus with white and opposite leaves, which contain a large quantity of camphorated oil, was now abundantly seen, as well as Lobelia, Gnapthalium, and other flowering plants. At noon we arrived at Collet’s inn, were we refreshed ourselves and horses, after a long ride of twenty-two miles from the “Weather-boarded Hut.”
About two P.M. we proceeded on our journey to visit “Dabee,” an estate, the property of our travelling companion, Mr. Edward Cox. The road we had to pass was not of the most agreeable description “either for man or horse,” having a descent into deep vallies, and a corresponding ascent up steep acclivities; but, fortunately for travellers, Major Mitchell is again at work with his gangs, and a road, in spite of all obstacles, is rapidly progressing; avoiding all the rough places we had now to pass, and also affording a more direct as well as pleasing route. To myself and fellow-traveller, the observation of, “We shall soon pass over some of Major Mitchell’s line of road,” was a certainty, as far as it might be completed, that it would be good, and the result always verified the correctness of the opinion we formed on this subject.