XIX BATHURST 471 



Australia by judging of the country from the roadside, nor 

 too good a one from Bathurst ; in this latter respect I did 

 not feel myself in the least danger of being prejudiced. The 

 season, it must be owned, had been one of great drought, and 

 the country did not wear a favourable aspect ; although I 

 understand it was incomparably worse two or three months 

 before. The secret of the rapidly growing prosperity of 

 Bathurst is, that the brown pasture which appears to the 

 stranger's eye so wretched is excellent for sheep -grazing. 

 The town stands, at the height of 2200 feet above the sea, on 

 the banks of the Macquarie : this is one of the rivers flowing 

 into the vast and scarcely known interior. The line of 

 watershed, which divides the inland streams from those on the 

 coast, has a height of about 3000 feet, and runs in a north 

 and south direction at the distance of from eighty to a hundred 

 miles from the seaside. The Macquarie figures in the map 

 as a respectable river, and it is the largest of those draining 

 this part of the watershed ; yet to my surprise I found it a 

 mere chain of ponds, separated from each other by spaces 

 almost dry. Generally a small stream is running ; and 

 sometimes there are high and impetuous floods. Scanty as 

 the supply of the water is throughout this district, it becomes 

 still scantier farther inland. 



22nd. — I commenced my return, and followed a new road 

 called Lockyer's Line, along which the country is rather more 

 hilly and picturesque. This was a long day's ride ; and the 

 house where I wished to sleep was some way off the road, and 

 not easily found. I met on this occasion, and indeed on all 

 others, a very general and ready civility among the lower orders, 

 which, when one considers what they are, and what they have 

 been, would scarcely have been expected. The farm where I 

 passed the night was owned by two young men who had only 

 lately come out, and were beginning a settler's life. The total 

 want of almost every comfort was not very attractive ; but 

 future and certain prosperity was before their eyes, and that not 

 far distant. 



The next day we passed through large tracts of country in 

 flames, volumes of smoke sweeping across the road. Before 

 noon we joined our former road and ascended Mount Victoria. 

 I slept at the Weatherboard, and before dark took another 



