58 On the Supply of Water 



nating influences arising from sheep or wool-washing establish- 

 ments ; and, being far removed from population, there are 

 few floating impurities in the air, and no sewage matter to 

 deteriorate the surrounding soil ; scarcely a human being, all 

 being still, save the occasional ringing note of the solitary 

 woodman's axe : and it should not be forgotten that animal 

 matter taken hold of in any shape by the solvent power of 

 pure water, though in minute particles, is held by the first 

 authorities to be prejudicial in regard to health. 



It should further be borne in mind (and it is no slight 

 recommendation,) that from the very natural configuration of 

 the thousands of acres in this forest, it never can, in all time, 

 become an agricultural district — must remain as it is, save 

 being denuded of its timber, thereby giving an assurance that 

 coming generations will, equally with the present, enjoy a 

 pure water-gathering ground and pure water, without the 

 intervention of artificial filters, many of which, in some of 

 the finest works in the mother country, are exceedingly 

 troublesome, and liable to get out of order. 



The Retreat yields water of the greatest natural purity, 

 the pellucid stream of which is comparatively free from even 

 vegetable contamination, (notwithstanding the adjacency in 

 such numbers of the tall but graceful and luxuriant tree-fern, 

 and other plants of an almost tropical growth ;) little or no per- 

 ceptible change has been imparted to the water thereby ; it is 

 deliciously cool, strongly reminding me of the bright sparkling 

 waters of the mother country ; it is almost as pure as the 

 purest known, and very much better adapted for domestic 

 uses than most, being less impregnated either with mineral 

 or chemical constituents — (vide Dr. Macadam's Report) — 

 not requiring filtration, pure, brilliant, and entirely unexcep- 

 tionable in colour or taste, betraying no organic taint, and 

 evincing prima facie great purity. 



Having shown that more than a sufficiency of water is 

 procurable, it now rests with my Commission to order the 

 necessary steps next in progression to be taken, by which so 

 abundant a supply can be made available for the town, by 

 the construction of such works as may be required for 

 collecting, conveying, and distributing that which nature has 

 put within our grasp, namely, the fundamental groundwork 

 for creating a never-ceasing gravitation supply. 



Having given much and serious study to the ichnographi- 

 cal features of the town and its suburban districts, with a 

 view to high and constant service, it but remains for me to 



