Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- 193811 [2016/01/15 13:28] – [From Here, There and Everywhere] emmanuelle_c
+++ 193811 [2016/01/22 14:05] – [Grass] emmanuelle_c
@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 by Dot English.
-I wonder how many of you are aware that just about a hundred years ago Charles Darwin visited Australia, sailing into Sydney Cove on 12th January, 1836. He was naturalist aboard H.M.S. "Beagle", under Captain FitzRoy, and, together with other scientists, set out from England in December 1831. The object of the expedition
+I wonder how many of you are aware that just about a hundred years ago Charles Darwin visited Australia, sailing into Sydney Cove on 12th January, 1836. He was naturalist aboard H.M.S. "Beagle", under Captain FitzRoy, and, together with other scientists, set out from England in December 1831. The object of the expedition was to complete the survey of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego commenced under Capt. King five years previously; to survey the shores of Chile, Peru, and some of the islands in the Pacific; and to carry a chain of chronometrical measurements around the world.
-was to complete the survey of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego commenced under Capt. King five years previously; to survey the shores of Chile, Peru, and some of the islands in the Pacific; and to carry a chain of chronometrical measurements around the world.
-Their first view of Sydney - "A great and populous city" - was heralded by a long line of yellowish cliff and a solitary lighthouse, "the nearly level country being covered with thin scrubby trees bespeaking the curse of sterility." They
+Their first view of Sydney - "A great and populous city" - was heralded by a long line of yellowish cliff and a solitary lighthouse, "the nearly level country being covered with thin scrubby trees bespeaking the curse of sterility." They landed in the capital of Australia down by the cove among the warehouses and windmills, and made an inspection of the town, which favourably impressed the visitors, calling to mind some of the larger suburbs which stretch out from London.
-landed in the capital of Australia down by the cove among the warehouses and windmills, and made an inspection of the town, which favourably impressed the visitors,calling to mind some of the larger suburbs which stretch out from London.
-In order to gain a general idea of the appearance of the country, Darwin hired a man and two horses to take him to the village of Bathurst, about 120 miles in the interier, in the centre of a great pastoral district. The first stage of the journey took them to Parramatta, and our distinguished visitor was struck by the number of ale houses encountered en route. (Apropos of this, I recall the story of two travellers passing along the same route about a century later who, although pledged non-drinkers, had liquid refreshment at the local ale house at Petersham, and again at Parramatta, as the day was hot. While still more or less in possession of their reasoning powers, they realised that they should control their appetites in such
+In order to gain a general idea of the appearance of the country, Darwin hired a man and two horses to take him to the village of Bathurst, about 120 miles in the interior, in the centre of a great pastoral district. The first stage of the journey took them to Parramatta, and our distinguished visitor was struck by the number of ale houses encountered en route. (Apropos of this, I recall the story of two travellers passing along the same route about a century later who, although pledged non-drinkers, had liquid refreshment at the local ale house at Petersham, and again at Parramatta, as the day was hot. While still more or less in possession of their reasoning powers, they realised that they should control their appetites in such matters, so made a compact to have drinks only at those towns beginning with a "P", which was a most satisfactory arrangement as they were able to "slake their drouth" at Penrith, Pleura, Patoomba, Plackheath, and so on, till, erratically and in bibulous hilarity they rolled into Bathurst... and no names are mentioned.)
-matters, so made a compact to have drinks only at those towns beginning with a "1", which was a most satisfactory arrangement as they were able to "slake their drouth" at Penrith Pleura, Patoomba, Plackheath, and so on,1 till, erratically and in bibulous hilarity they rolled into Bathurst ***** and no names are mentioned.)
 Darwin stayed the night at Emu Ferry and next day, having crossed the shallow Nepean in a ferry boat, commenced the gradual ascent of the Blue Mountains, passing ironed gangs of convict road workers.
-He was struck by the extreme uniformity of the vegetation - the open woodlands
-of the never-failing Eucalypts with their scant foliage and vertically-hanging leaves, making the woods appear light and shadowless, and their partly-shed bark hanging in long shreds "which swing -about in the wind and give the woods a desolate and untidy appearance."
+He was struck by the extreme uniformity of the vegetation - the open woodlands of the never-failing Eucalypts with their scant foliage and vertically-hanging leaves, making the woods appear light and shadowless, and their partly-shed bark hanging in long shreds "which swing -about in the wind and give the woods a desolate and untidy appearance."
 It struck him as curious to see in the midst of a civilised people "a set of harmless savages of good-humoured and pleasant countenance, wandering about without knowing where they shall sleep at night and gaining their livelihood by hunting in the woods."
-By mid-day Darwin and his companion had reached an elevation of 2,800 ft., where they stopped to rest their horses at the little Weatherboard Inn. Darwin then set out a further li miles to obtain his first real view from the Blue Mountains, which he describes as follows:- "Following down a little valley and it's tiny rill of water, an immense gulf unexpectedly opens through the trees which border the pathway, at the depth of perhaps 1,500 feet. Walking on a few yards one stands on the brink of a vast precipice. and below one sees a vast bay or gulf, for I know not what
-other name to give it, thickly covered with forest. The point of view is situated as if at the head of a bay, the line of cliff diverging on each side, and showing headland behind headland, as on a bold sea-coast. These cliffs are composed of horizontal strata of whitish sandstone and are so absolutely vertical that in many placed a person standing on the edge and throwing down a stone, can see it strike the trees in the abyss below. So unbroken is the line of cliff that in order to reach the foot of the waterfall formed by this little stream, it is said to be necessary to go 16 miles round. About 5 miles distant in front another line of cliff extends which thus appears completely to encircle the valley; and hence the name of bay is justified, as applied to this grand amphitheatrical depression. If we imagine a winding harbour, with its deep water surrounded by bold cliff-like shores, to be laid dry, and a forest to spring up on its sandy bottom, we should then have the appearance and structure here exhibited. This kind of view was to me quite novel and extremely magnificent."
+By mid-day Darwin and his companion had reached an elevation of 2,800 ft., where they stopped to rest their horses at the little Weatherboard Inn. Darwin then set out a further l 1/2 miles to obtain his first real view from the Blue Mountains, which he describes as follows:- "Following down a little valley and it's tiny rill of water, an immense gulf unexpectedly opens through the trees which border the pathway, at the depth of perhaps 1,500 feet. Walking on a few yards one stands on the brink of a vast precipice and below one sees a vast bay or gulf, for I know not what other name to give it, thickly covered with forest. The point of view is situated as if at the head of a bay, the line of cliff diverging on each side, and showing headland behind headland, as on a bold sea-coast. These cliffs are composed of horizontal strata of whitish sandstone and are so absolutely vertical that in many places a person standing on the edge and throwing down a stone, can see it strike the trees in the abyss below. So unbroken is the line of cliff that in order to reach the foot of the waterfall formed by this little stream, it is said to be necessary to go 16 miles round. About 5 miles distant in front another line of cliff extends which thus appears completely to encircle the valley; and hence the name of bay is justified, as applied to this grand amphitheatrical depression. If we imagine a winding harbour, with its deep water surrounded by bold cliff-like shores, to be laid dry, and a forest to spring up on its sandy bottom, we should then have the appearance and structure here exhibited. This kind of view was to me quite novel and extremely magnificent."
-Very early next morning, having reached Blackheath, Darwin and his companion walked 3 miles to view Govetts Leap, which proved to be even more stupendous than the view of the day before. "These valleys", said Darwin, "which so long presented
-insuperable barrier to the attempts of the most enterprising of the colonists to reach the interior, are most remarkable. Great armlike bays expanding at their upper ends often branch from the main valleys and penetrate the sandstone platform, on the other hand the platform often sends promontories into the valleys, and even leaves in them great, almost insulated, masses. To descend into some of these valleys it is necessary to go round twenty miles; and into others the surveyors
+Very early next morning, having reached Blackheath, Darwin and his companion walked 3 miles to view Govetts Leap, which proved to be even more stupendous than the view of the day before. "These valleys", said Darwin, "which so long presented insuperable barrier to the attempts of the most enterprising of the colonists to reach the interior, are most remarkable. Great armlike bays expanding at their upper ends often branch from the main valleys and penetrate the sandstone platform, on the other hand the platform often sends promontories into the valleys, and even leaves in them great, almost insulated, masses. To descend into some of these valleys it is necessary to go round twenty miles; and into others the surveyors have only lately penetrated and the colonists have not yet been able to drive in their cattle. But the most remarkable feature in their structure is that, although several miles wide at their heads, they generally contract towards their mouths to such a degree as to become impassable. The Surveyor General, Sir T.Mitchell, endeavoured in vain, first walking and then by crawling between the great fallen fragments of sandstone, to ascend through the gorge by which the river Grose joins the Nepean; yet the valley of the Grose in its upper part, as I saw, forms a magnificent level basin, some miles in width, and is on all sides surrounded by cliffs, the summits of which are believed to be nowhere less than 3,000 foot above the level of the sea. When cattle are driven into the valley of the Wolgan by a path, which I descended, partly natural and partly made by the owner of the land, they cannot escape; for this valley is in every other part surrounded by perpendicular cliffs, and 8 miles lower down it contracts from an average width of half a mile to a mere chasm impassable to man or beast. Sir T.Mitchell states that the great valley of the Cox River, with all its branches, contracts where it unites with Nepean, into a gorge 2,200 yards in width and about 1,000 feet in depth. Other similar cases might have been added."
-have only lately penetrated and the colonists have not yet been able to drive in their cattle. But the most remarkable feature in their structure is that, although several miles wide at their heads, they generally contract towards their mouths to such a degree as to become impassable. The Surveyor General, Sir T.Mitchell, endeavoured in vain, first walking and then by crawling between tho great fallen fragments of sandstone, to ascend through the gorge by which the river Grose joins the Nepean; yet the valley of the Grose in its upper part, as I saw, forms a magnificent level basin, some miles in width, and is on all sides surrounded by cliffs, the summits of which are believed to be nowhere less than 3,000 foot above the level of the sea. When cattle are driven into the valley of the Wolgan by a path, which I descended, partly natural and partly made by the owner of the land, they cannot escape; for this valley is in every other part surrounded by perpendicular cliffs, and 8 miles lower down it contracts from an average width of half a mile to a mere chasm impassable to man or beast. Sir T.Mitchell states that the great valley of the Cox River, with all its branches, contracts where it unites with Nspean, into a gorge 2,200 yards in width and about 1,000 feet in depth. Other similar cases might have been added."
 ===== A Few More Words About "F O O D". =====
-We take no responsibility for the following paragraph, which was sent to us recently by a correspondent. Our readers must "read, mark,learn, and inwardly digest" the contents at their own risk.
+We take no responsibility for the following paragraph, which was sent to us recently by a correspondent. Our readers must "read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest" the contents at their own risk.
 It is an Extract from "TIBETAN TREX" by Ronald Kaulback, and our correspondent suggests that it would be of particular interest to our pemmican addicts (if any), and to Marie Byles. Why? She is a vegetarian. Anyway, here it is...
@@ Line 66: / Line 66: @@
 ===== At Our Own Meeting =====
-The October Meeting opened at the usual time (8.15 p m.),and the first 'high, light" was the election of Mr,Barrett as Room Steward -,.on the nomination of Mrs.' Barrett.
+The October Meeting opened at the usual time (8.15 p.m.),and the first "highlight" was the election of Mr.Barrett as Room Steward - on the nomination of Mrs.Barrett.
-Two new members were welcomed by the President
-MesFrs. Dick -Schofield and Alan litryborn.
+Two new members were welcomed by the President:
+Messrs. Dick Schofield and Alan Wyborn.
 We wonder do they realise that the Barretts are "God's Gift to New Members"?
-Mr.Dunphy repprted that eawmilling was about to be started in the Couridjah Corridor and asked that a letter of protest be sent at once to thellinister for Mines and Forests, and also a letter to the Federation asking them' to take similar action as soon as possible. Mr. Dunphy explained that there would be no. Council Meeting of the Federation for a fortnight, and, in the meantime, the sawmill machinery might be installed, after which any action for its removal would probably not be taken. In view of the urgency of the matter, the meeting resolved that both letters be sent.-
-There being no further business, the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 8.50 p n.
+Mr.Dunphy reported that sawmilling was about to be started in the Couridjah Corridor and asked that a letter of protest be sent at once to the Minister for Mines and Forests, and also a letter to the Federation asking them to take similar action as soon as possible. Mr. Dunphy explained that there would be no Council Meeting of the Federation for a fortnight, and, in the meantime, the sawmill machinery might be installed, after which any action for its removal would probably not be taken. In view of the urgency of the matter, the meeting resolved that both letters be sent.
-ft r,... r
-Reprinted from the Melbourne Women's 'Walking Club's Magazine, "WAYFARING" -- and they quote it as coming from an old South African newspaper clipping on Grassoigned by "John Ingall"
+There being no further business, the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 8.50 p.m.
+Reprinted from the Melbourne Women's Walking Club's Magazine, "WAYFARING" and they quote it as coming from an old South African newspaper clipping on __Grass__ signed by "John Ingall"...
 ===== Grass =====
-Grass is the forgiveness of Nature - her constant benediction. Fields trampled with battle,Saturated with blood, torn with the ruts,of cannon,.grow green again with grass, and carnage isforgotten. Streets abandoned by traffic become grass- grown like rural lanes, and obliterated. Forests decay, harvests peris14 flowers vanish, but graSs is immortal.. Beleagured by the even hoste. of winter, it withdraws into the impregnable fortresses of its subterranean'vitality,,and emergeS'upon the first solicitation of Spring. Sown by the winds, by the wanderinglArds, propagated by the subtle horticulture of the'elements, which are its minister d and servants, it softens the rude outline of the world. Its tenacious fibtes hold the earth in its place and prevent its subtle compounds from mashing into the wasting sea. It.
+Grass is the forgiveness of Nature - her constant benediction. Fields trampled with battle, saturated with blood, torn with the ruts of cannon, grow green again with grass, and carnage is forgotten. Streets abandoned by traffic become grass-grown like rural lanes, and obliterated. Forests decay, harvests perish, flowers vanish, but grass is immortal. Beleagured by the even hosts of winter, it withdraws into the impregnable fortresses of its subterranean vitality, and emerges upon the first solicitation of Spring. Sown by the winds, by the wandering birds, propagated by the subtle horticulture of the elements, which are its ministers and servants, it softens the rude outline of the world. Its tenacious fibres hold the earth in its place and prevent its subtle compounds from mashing into the wasting sea. It invades the solitude of the deserts, climbs the inaccessible slopes and forbidden pinnacles of mountains, modifies climates and determines the history, character, and destiny of nations. Unobtrusive and patient, it has immortal vigor and aggression. Banished from the thoroughfare and field, it bides its time to return, and when vigilance is relaxed or the dynasty perished, it silently resumes the throne from which it has been expelled, but which it never abdicates. It bears to blazonry of bloom to charm the senses with fragrance and splendour, but its homely hue is more enchanting than the lily or the rose. It yields no fruit in earth or air, and yet, should its harvest fail for a single year, famine would depopulate the world.
-invades the solitude of. the deserts, climbs the inaccessible-slope6 and forbidden pinnacles of mountains, modifies climates and determines the history, character, and destiny of nations. Unobtrusive and patient, it has immortal vigor and aggression. Banished from the thoroughfare and field, it bides its time to return, and when vigilance is relaxed or the dynasty perished, it silently resumes the throne from which it has been expelled, but which it never abdicates. It bears to blazonry of
-bloom to charm the senses with fragrance and splendour, but its homely hue is more
-enchanting than the lily or the rose. It yields no fruit in earth or air, and yet, should its harvest fail for a single year, famine would depopulate the world.
 Let us bring grass to our camping-ground at Morella-karong.
 ===== News - for Those About to Go Abroad =====