Berieic of "*ci>if<t, IfSjOG. 



DISTINGUISHED EARLY AUSTRALIANS, 



By the Rev. Dr. Watkin. 



The first four native-born Australians to write 

 their names on our national history were William 

 C. Wentworth, Hamilton Hume, John Batman and 

 Rear-Admiral King. Of these Wentworth and King 

 •were bom in Norfolk Island, and the other two 

 in the ancient and historic town of Parramatta. 

 Norfolk Island figured largely in the early history 

 of New South Wales. Captain Cook's description 

 of its prolific soil led to its early occupation after 

 the founding of Sydney. One of the early de- 

 .spatches from the British Colonial Office suggested 

 to Governor Phillip that Norfolk Island should be 

 the principal settlement, instead of Port Jackson. 

 The want of a harbour there interfered with the 

 oaming out of the suggestion. 



WEXTTVORTH. 



Was bom in 1792, at Norfolk Island, where his 

 father was one of the staff of surgeons. He was 

 sent home to Cambridge University. There he won 

 distinction, in competing for a University prose 

 poem on the subject of Australia. The prose was 

 carried off bv the distinguished Winthrop Mack- 

 worth Praed. More modem literary judges think 

 that Wentworth's poem deserved the first place. 

 Its closing lines have often been quoted — 



May this lliy last-born infant then arise 

 To glad thy lieart, and greet thy parent eyes; 

 And Australasia rise, with flag unfurled. 

 A new Britannia in another world. 



Ill his early manhood, Wentworth was one of the 

 three explorers who discovered a pass across the 

 Blue Mountains. 



To present-day Australians, it seems strange that 

 New South Wales should have been settled for 25 

 yi-ars before the country beyond that range of moun- 

 tains was discovered. A number of adventurous 

 men had tried in vain to pass the mountain barrier. 

 .Among them was Bass, whose name was appro- 

 priately given to the Straits he discovered, separat- 

 ing Tasmania from the Australian mainland. He 

 stated that ' it was impossible to find a passage 

 through the Blue Mountains even for a foot pas- 

 senger. The earlier explorers had sought a gate- 

 way up the gorges, but found them.selves blocked 

 by towering cliffs. Blavland, Law'son and Went- 

 worth following up the tops of spurs, found, after 

 a month of great hardship, a pathway to the plains 

 beyond. Wentworth's fame is principally owing to 

 his political career. He was the first Australian 

 l>atriot. He has had no superior, perhaps not an 

 equal, among Australian-born statesmen. 



Sir Henry Park<'S. who, in his earlier political 

 <l;iys, was denounced by Wentworth as an arch- 

 .\narchist, readilv admitted th.it Wentworth " was 



From a Statue in the Sydney University. 



the ablest man in New South Wales, who, educated 

 at Cambridge, and trained for the bar, had large 

 capacity of mind, in a powerful and physical frame." 

 Although he would be regarded as a Conservative 

 now, Wentworth was in the early days of New South 

 Wales " a tribune of the people," the advocate of 

 a free press, trial by jury, and representative insti- 

 tutions. An orator of a high order, the wielder of a 

 powerful pen, with the courage of his convictions. 



