HISTORICAL REVIEW OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



77 



densely-timbered gullies which make up the now famous scenery of the mountains. 

 They had to cut grass wherever they could find it, and to carry it with them to feed 

 their horses. On the 3151 of May, when they had travelled fifty miles, finding them- 

 selves in fine grass-land, they conceived that they 

 had " sufficiently accomplished the design of their 

 undertaking, and on the following day they bent 

 their steps homewards." A tree was marked on 

 the old Bathurst Road, at the heights of the 

 mountains overlooking the Kanimbula Valley, and 

 it still stands as a monument of a gallant enterprise. 

 In the following November, Macquarie dis- 

 patched George W. Evans, Deputy-Surveyor-General, 

 with five men, to define the track which VVentworth 

 and his companions had cut. He followed it to 





FORT MACQUARIE, SYDNEY COVE. 



the end, and continued his exploration for twenty-one days, passing beyond the 

 ranges and on to the edge of the western plains. The country he discovered 

 was described by him as " equal to every demand which this colony may have for 

 extension of tillage and pasture lands for a century to come." Convicts were soon set 

 to work at making a road across the mountains, which was completed and opened in 

 April, 1815. A site for a town, now known as Bathurst, was selected by Macquarie, 

 who paid a visit of inspection to the new territory. The settlers were not long in 

 availing themselves of the fresh pastures for their sheep and cattle ; Hocks and herds 

 were sent to occupy the grassy lands watered by the western rivers, and the colony 

 entered on a new and still more prosperous era. 



Notwithstanding his errors of policy, Macquarie's Administration is entitled to take 

 high rank in our history. It was distinguished by his energetic endeavours to promote 



