NEW SOUTH WALES. '231 



totally false, and had arisen from a man, who, 

 as she made a little beer, and sold it to the 

 labouring people, had called for some one day 

 at her hut, and entered into, conversation with 

 her about the expected* arrival of ships with 

 stores from England. On this the old woman 

 recounted a dream she had the night be- 

 fore, and from which she was led to hope that 

 'ships would soon arrive. Out of this con ver-* 

 sation and dream, a story had been fabricated, 

 purporting that this poor old creature had pro- 

 phesied many extraordinary things. 



His Excellency told her he saw through the 

 whole, and desired she would no longer be un- 

 easy about the impression the first account 

 made on him. With this she appeared highly 

 gratified ; for she had been much distressed 

 before she had met with this opportunity of in- 

 forming him from whence this story originated. 



On the 2d of May, some of the Irishmen who 

 had for sometime been searching for a road to 

 China, were brought in by the settlers near 

 George's river. They had wandered through 

 the woods till nearly perished for want of food, 

 when they were discovered in an unexpected 

 way. Some people going from Botany Bay up 

 George's river, had lost themselves by follow- 

 ing an arm of that river never before looked into. 

 During this mistake, they met these people, 

 whose want of knowledge of the country 

 led them down on a point of land placed be- 

 tween two waters, where they remained nine 

 days, unable to return, and must have perished 



