NEW SOUTH WALES. 467 



folk Island, for salting all the provisions that 

 could by any means be spared, for the settlers, 

 convicts, &c. at Sydney. 



The Governor, ever anxious to prevent any 

 want falling on the inhabitants, had entered 

 into a contract with a merchant in India, for a 

 cargo of cattle and rice, fully satisfied, that 

 from the period of its arrival, the country 

 would be unquestionably competent to supply 

 its own wants, as far as related to grain and 

 cattle at least, as the stock of cattle was now 

 become very considerable, even independent 

 of the wild cattle in the woods ; and the pro- 

 mising crops of grain, now seemed enough to 

 defy any prospect of want when gathered. 



The cattle in the woods, were now to be es- 

 teemed seriously increased ; inasmuch, that 

 from the power of their numbers, and addi- 

 tional furiosity, all attempts to take them 

 alive, was become dangerous, and indeed al- 

 most absurd; and as they had strayed to the 

 western mountains, they had gained nearly in- 

 accessable retreats. Thus situated, it is by no 

 means improbable but they may at no very dis- 

 tant period, become objects of pleasure in the 

 pursuit ; and by their eventual deaths, furnish 

 a constant supply of food for the settlements, 

 and certainly in a chace of this kind, far more 

 real pleasure may be found, than in the pursuit 

 of the timid hare, which, even when taken, can 

 scarce serve half a dozen persons for a single 

 ineal. 



