THE FIRST GREAT PAST0RALI8T 45 



wanted — at least, it was all that he needed. Thus 

 fortified, he found Lord Camden still more sympathetic, 

 or less timid, than the Privy Council. That instructed 

 the Governor of New South Wales to convey to McArthur 

 in perpetuity 5,000 acres " fit for the pasture of sheep." 

 And he expressed a wish that the land should be selected 

 in the locality desired by McArthur. Among the many 

 evidences of official blundering connected with the 

 colonisation of Australia, we record with pleasure and 

 eulogy this just and beneficent act. 



McArthur 's troubles were not therefore at an end. 

 Sagacious and upright though he was. Governor King 

 did not at once give effect to the instructions of the 

 Secretary of State. He demurred to McArthur's 

 choice of a locality and recommended another. Mc- 

 Arthur was loyal, but found the proposed locality un- 

 suitable, and King properly yielded. Then McArthur 

 was placed in possession of 5,000 acres at Mount Taurus, 

 where his discerning eye perceived the pastoral possi- 

 bilities, because some cattle that had, many years 

 before, strayed away from the Government settlement 

 had there found a home and multiplied. He carved 

 out the noble estate to be known to all time as Camden 

 Park, having been named after the enlightened Secretary 

 of State \\ho had granted the concession. 



Even now his warfare over his estate was not over. 

 Governor King's successor, the half -insane Bhgh, had 

 evidently made up his mind that McArthur was a 

 dangerous man, Avho must be kept within bounds. A 

 few days after he had entered on office Bligh showed a 

 strong animus against him. The story has been told 

 by McArthur, and has several times been repeated, 

 but it must be told over again. 



Meeting with Bligh at Government House, Parramatta, 

 McArthur led the conversation to his all-absorbing 

 theme and gave Bhgh an opportunity of acquainting 

 him with any wishes the Home Government had ex- 

 pressed. Then Bhgh, he relates, burst into a towering 

 rage. " Are you," he cried, " to have such flocks of 



