COMMUNICATED BY HON. A. NORTON, M.L.C. 106 



details of each days' journey. At length we reached Cox's River. 

 Here we remained two days ; the children had the benefit of bath- 

 ing, and their clothes were washed, oar tent was pitched, some 

 fowls cooked, and we all were much refreshed. Nothing but the 

 usual difficulties occured until we reached Mount York. It was 

 awful to look on the road we had to descend, and as it was 

 thought the drays would be long in getting down, it was thought 

 advisable that the cart with the family should proceed ; the 

 children that could walk did so, and we all reached the bottom 

 at two o'clock, a most wild and desolate place. Here, seated oa 

 fallen trees, we remained hour after hour ; one of the children 

 had a small pannikin, and we found water to drink. In this 

 state we remained until seven o'clock and the children got very 

 tired ; at that time some of the men came froui tlie drays bring- 

 ing such things and refreshments as we required. I then put 

 the children to bed, some in the cart and some on the ground in 

 the open ir. The reason we had been so long left to ourselves 

 was that one of the drays had nearly gone over the precipice* 

 and every man was required to help to save it. It was ten 

 o'clock before all got safely down, and our tent was put up. 

 The next morning my spirits gave way. I suppose it was from 

 the fatigue and fright of the day before that had overcome me. 

 I sat in the tent and cried and sobbed like a child. They all left 

 me to myself for a little time and I recovered. I went 

 outside the tent ; it was a most lovely morning ; everything 

 looked bright, and the children all cheerful and happy. At a 

 little distance seated on a hill were two gentlemen, and my hus- 

 band went to them; one was Mr. Marsden, the chaplain of the 

 colony, returning from his first visit to Bathurst. "Oh," he 

 said, " I congratulate you ; you are all giong to the land of 

 Goshen." Again we started, and at length arrived at O'Con- 

 nell's Plains ; a woman who was there very kindly gave the 

 children milk and such food as they wanted. It was such a 

 comfort to see a house and a woman in it. We next reached 

 Bathurst Plains, and what joy we felt, what spirits it put us all 

 in to see an open country and home in view! It was nearly 

 dark when we arrived at the River Macquarie, which we had to 

 cross ^, this was rather a serious undertaking, the banks on each 

 side being steep and the water rather deep. I believe everyon®^ 

 In the settlement came to witness the sight ; we crossed in safety 

 and got to our " Home " ; and such a home after a six months' 

 voyage and eighteen days' travelling over the mountains ! It 



