224 New South Wales. 
sions in different directions through the ‘adjoining country, o7 
both sides of the river. P 
“On Sunday, the 7th of May, the governor fixed on a site 
suitable for the erection of a town at some future period, to which 
he gave the name of Bathurst, in honour of the present. secre- 
tary of state for the colonies.—The situation of Bathurst is 
elevated sufficiently beyond the reach of any floods which may 
occur, and is at the same time so near to the river on its south 
bank as to derive all the advantages of its clear and beautiful 
stream. The mechanics and settlers of whatever description who 
may be hereafter permitted to form permanent residences to 
themselves at this place, will have the highly important advan- 
tages of a rich and fertile soil, with a beautiful river flowing 
through it, for all the uses of man. . The governor must how- 
ever add, that the hopes which were ence so satiguinely enter- 
tained, of this river becoming navigable to the Wester n Sea, have 
SE in disappointment. 
<* During the week that the governor remained at Bathurst, 
he made daily excursions in various directions : one of these ex- 
tended 22 miles in a south-west direction, and on that occasion, 
as well as on all the others, he found the country composed 
chiefly of valleys and plains, separated occasionally by ranges of 
tow hills ;—the soil throughout being generally fertile, and well 
circumstanced for the purpose of agriculture or grazing. 
“¢ The governor here feels much pleasure in being enabled ta 
communicate to the public, that the favourable reports which he 
had received of the country to the west of the Blue Mountains 
have not been by any means exaggerated,—the difficulties which 
present themselves in the journey from hence are certainly great 
and inevitable ; but those persons whe may be inclined to be- 
come permanent settlers there, will probably content themselves 
with visiting this part of the colony but rarely, and of course will 
have them seldom to encounter.—Plenty of water and a sufii- 
ciency of grass are to be found in the mountains for the support 
of such cattle as may be sent over them; and the tracts of fer- 
tile soil and: rich pasturage which the new country affords, are 
fully extensive enough for any increase of population and stock 
which can possibly take place for many years. 
< Within a distance of ten miles from the site of Bathurst, 
there is not less than fifty thousand acres of land clear of simber, 
and fully one half of that may be considered excellent soil, well ’ 
ealculated for cultivation. It is a matter of regret, that in pro- 
portion as the soil improves the timber degenerates; and it is 
to be remarked, that every where to the westward of the moun- 
tains if is much inferior both ia size and quality to that within 
the present colony: there is, however, a sufficiency of timber of 
‘tolerable 
