THE FOUNDING OF AUSTRALIA 219 



South Wales. He wishes he could go himself, and settle 

 on the Hawkesbury River : 



"I see the future prospect of empires and dominions 

 which cannot be disappointed. Who knows but that 

 England may revive in New South Wales when it has 

 sunk in Europe ? " 



Plans for exploration were thought of. It was in- 

 tended, in 1798, to send out Mungo Park in charge of an 

 expedition to the interior. At present, life was centred 

 in the little settlements at Port Jackson, and on the 

 Hawkesbury and the Paramatta rivers. As yet there 

 was no evidence that the Colony would furnish a return 

 in merchandise for the expense and the exertions of the 

 Mother Country. In truth, the steps hitherto taken had 

 been too rudimentary. For several years the settlers had 

 been dependent for food and necessaries upon importa- 

 tions from England. And the penal side of the popula- 

 tion made a horrible drag on the resources of the little 

 colony. 



Several men were distinguishable from the crowd of 

 settlers by their intelligence and energy. One of these 

 was John Mac Arthur. He had come out with Major 

 Grose, whose mission was to raise a New South Wales 

 Corps. Lands were allotted to the officers of this body ; 

 a step which more than anything else contributed to the 

 prosperity of the Colony. Indeed, Grose declared later 

 that these were the only settlers to be relied upon. 



In 1794 MacArthur had two hundred and fifty acres 

 in cultivation. As a practical farmer, he left his brother- 

 officers behind ; and was presently given (by Grose) a 

 sort of Inspectorship of the district. At length, several 

 sheep brought from the Cape of Good Hope were offered 

 for sale. They were of a Spanish breed, which had been 

 thriving at the Cape, and MacArthur bought some of 

 them. After several years' trial as a breeder, he met with 

 surprising success. In October, 1800, he sent eight 



