Bhie Mountains in New South Wales. 157 



exploring the country with complete success, and leaving no- 

 thing to be desired with respect to it by the naturalists of 

 Europe. We do not find, however, that they have as yet taken 

 due advantage of their excellent opportunities ; and if we ex- 

 cept the works of Shaw * and Lewinf, both of considerable 

 merit, no particular work has made known in detail the natural 

 riches of a country still almost unknown, especially in its inte- 

 rior. We have much to hope from Mr Macleay, who has re- 

 ceived an appointment there J, and we have reason to regret the 

 departure of the last governor, General Brisbane, who did all 

 in his power to facilitate the pursuits of naturalists, and who 

 treated us with a benevolence for wliich it affords us pleasure to 

 testify our highest gratitude. The investigations, which have 

 had for their object to elucidate the zoology of New Holland, 

 are contained in our classical works and scientific collections ; 

 and every body knows the important researches of Messrs Cu- 

 vier, Geoffroy St Hilaire, De Blainville, Labillardiere, Peron, 

 Lesueur, Quoy, and Gaimard, in France ; of Messrs Banks, 

 White, Phillip, Latham, Knox, Home, Vigors, and Swainson, 

 in England ; Blumenbach in Germany ; and Temminck in 

 Holland. 



In this itinerary we shall follow the order of- our encamp- 

 ments, and of our progress across the Blue Mountains. But 

 before proceeding farther, we must make a remark or two re- 

 garding the manner in which this barrier has been broken, a 

 barrier rendered famous by what Peron has related of it, and by 

 the attempts which several Englishmen made to surmount it, 

 and especially the celebrated Bass. 



The year 1813 was very dry ; the springs disappeared, the 

 grass was burnt up, and the cattle perished for want of food. 

 Messrs Law son, Blaxland, and Went worth determined to at- 

 tempt the passage of the Blue Mountains, in search of fresher 

 pastures, in order to repair the disasters of the year. They 



• Shaw (George), Zoology of New Holland, Lond. 1794. 8vo. 



•f The Birds of New South Wales, by John Lewin, 4to. 26 plates. There 

 is also a work by the same author on the Lepidoptera of New South Wales. 

 1 vol. 4 to. 



X Named this year secretary-general of New South Wales, the most im- 

 portant office next to that of governor. 



