102 FROM SYDNEY TO BATHURST IN 1822 



of whatever she could steal from us. He was much fatigued, 

 not having had any refreshment all day. It was my intention 

 on my first arrival to have pitched the tent on the green, but it 

 was unfortunately on the top of the dray left with my husbanP. 

 Having my mattresses I spread them in the storeroom. The 

 earth was dirty, cold and damp. We could not think of 

 undressing the children and when in bed it looked most 

 miserable. I lay down with my baby and a very few minutes 

 convinced me I should get no rest. The bugs were crawling by 

 hundreds and the children were restless with them and the 

 confinement of their clothes. The old woman had contrived to 

 steal some spirits from our provision basket which, with what 

 had been given her, made the soldiers tipsy. All was 

 noise and confusion within doors, swearing and wrangling 

 with the men without. Never did I pass a night equal 

 to it. My husband remained all night on the green or 

 in the cart watching. In addition to the other noises, 

 a flock of sheep had been driven round the yard, and to avoid 

 the men they came close to the house and kept up a continual 

 pat-pat with their feet. You may be certain we were happy when 

 the morning came ; we got our breakfast, packed up our beds, 

 and bade adieu to the house at Springwood. Mother, myself, 

 and the three girls, as the morning was fine, walked on before. 

 It was such a relief to get away from that place that I never 

 enjoyed a walk more ; we gathered most delicate nosegays from 

 the shrubs that grew amongst the trees. You must understand 

 that the whole of the road from the beginning to the end of the 

 mountains is cut entirely through a forest, nor can you go in a 

 direct line to Bathurst from one mountain to another, but are 

 obliged often to wend along the edges of them, and often look down 

 on such precipices as would make you shudder. We ascended 

 our carts, and we had now three bullocks as we had so much 

 trouble to get on with two; but we were worse off than ever, as 

 the ascent became worse. They refornieil the dray, but every 

 few minutes first one would lie down and then another. The 

 dogs were summoned to bark at them and bite their noses to 

 make them get up. The barking of the dogs, the bellowing of 

 the bullocks, and the swearing of the men made our heads ache 

 and kept us in continual terror. This was exactly the case every 

 day of the journey with the bullocks. Frequently we all had to 

 get out, and more frequently our fears made us scream out. At 

 length we got to a hill so bad it seemed we never could get up 



