72 Journey into the Interior of New South Wales. {Jax. 
ArrTic.e III. 
A Journey into the Interior of New South Wales, across the Blue 
Mountains, performed by his Excellency Colonel Macquarrie, 
Governor of the Settlement. From the Official Account, dated 
Sydney, June 10, 1815. With a Plan. 
Tuer Governor desires to communicate, for the information of 
the public, the result of his late tour over the Western or Blue 
Mountains, undertaken for the purpose of being enabled personally 
to appreciate the importance of the tract of country lying westward 
of them; which had been explored in the latter end of the year 
1813, and beginning of 1814, by Mr. George William Evans, 
Deputy Surveyor of Lands. . 
To those who know how very limited a tract of country has been 
hitherto occupied by the colonists of New South Wales, extending 
along the eastern coast to the north and south of Port Jackson only 
80 miles, and westward about 40 miles, to the foot of that chain of 
mountains in the interior which forms its western boundary, it must 
be a subject of astonishment and regret that amongst so large a 
population no one appeared within the first 25 years of the esta- 
blishment of this settlement possessed of sufficient energy of mind 
to induce him fully to explore a passage over these mountains; but 
when it is considered that for the greater part of that time even this 
circumscribed portion of country afforded sufficient produce for the 
wants of the people, whilst om the other hand the whole surface of 
the country beyond those limits was a thick and in many places 
nearly an impenettable forest, the surprise at the want of effort to 
surmount such difficulties must abate very considerably. 
The records of the colony only afford two instances of any. bold 
attempt having been made to discover the country to the westward 
of the Blue Mountains... The first was by Mr. Bass, and the other 
by Mr. Caley, and both ended in disappointment ; a circumstance 
which will not’ be much wondered at by those who have lately 
crossed those mountains, 
To Gregory Blaxland and William Wentworth, Esqrs. and 
Lieut. Lawson, of the Royal Veteran Company, the merit is due of 
having, with extraordinary patience and much fatigue, effected the 
first passage over the most rugged and difficult part of the Blue 
Mountains. 
The Governor being strongly impressed with the importance of 
the object, had, early after his arrival in this colony, formed the 
resolution of encouraging the attempt to find a passage to the 
western country, and willingly availed himself of the facilities 
which the discoveries of these three Gentlemen afforded him, Ac- 
cordingly, on the 20th of November, 1813, he entrusted the ac- 
complishinent of this object to Mr. George William Evans, Deputy 
Survéyor of Lands, the result of whose journey was laid before the 
