NEW SOUTH WAXES. 145 



of our cattle lost in 1788, two of them resolved 

 on ascertaining* the truth of these reports, and 

 tried hy different excursions, to discover their 

 retreat. On their return from the first, subse- 

 quent to the Governor's arrival, they reported, 

 that they had seen them. Being, however, at 

 that moment too much engaged in perfecting 

 the civil regulations for the settlement, the Go- 

 vernor could not go to that part of the country 

 -in which where they were said to have been 

 found ; but detatched Henry Hacking. His 

 report was so satisfactory, that on the 18th, the 

 Governor set off from Paramatta, attended by 

 a small party, Capt. Collins, Capt. Waterhouse, 

 and Mr. Bass, when after travelling two days, 

 in a direction S. S. W. from the settlement at 

 Prospect Hill, he crossed the river named the 

 Nepean ; and to his great surprize and satisfac- 

 tion, fell in with a fine herd of cattle, upwards 

 of 40 in number, grazing in a pleasant and fertile 

 pasturage. The day being far advanced when 

 he saw them, he rested for the night, hoping in 

 the morning to see the whole herd. A doubt 

 had arisen, of their being cattle produced from 

 what were brought from the Cape; as it was 

 thought they might be of longer standing ; 

 the Governor thought it worth determining, 

 and directed the attendants in the morning to 

 procure and kill a calf. This they were not 

 able to effect ; for while lying in wait for the 

 herd to pass (now seen to consist of upwards 

 of sixty young and old,) they were furiously 



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