NEW SOUTH WALES. 271 



Maitland is a widely scattered village, with many neat dwellings, 

 stores, and shops, &c, built of brick and other materials, and much 

 better than could have been anticipated. Near Harper's Hill, a place 

 noted for the fossils which have been found there, a chain-gang was 

 seen at work on the road, with their attendant guard. They were 

 generally young and hearty-looking men. 



Some natives were passed who were quite naked, but they did not 

 attempt to approach. There are no wild tribes in this vicinity. 

 These poor creatures are becoming rapidly exterminated by the 

 whites, who are not over-scrupulous as to the means. The natives 

 have now and then committed a murder, but in general they are 

 more sinned against than sinning. It is remarkable that they do 

 not complain of their lands being taken from them, but confine their 

 lamentations to the destruction of the kangaroos by the whites ; and 

 they think it very hard that they should be punished for killing the 

 white man's kangaroo, (a sheep or a bullock.) 



Mr. Hale made a journey to the Wellington Valley, about two 

 hundred and thirty miles to the northwest of Sydney, and on the 

 frontiers of the colony. It was first occupied, seventeen years ago, 

 as a military post, when several small brick buildings were erected, 

 and some of the land, which is considered the most fertile in the 

 colony, brought into cultivation. It was afterwards converted into a 

 penal station, for a description of convicts called " Specials," or such 

 as were superior in education and social rank. 



In 1832, it was granted by government to the Church Missionary 

 Society, in trust for the aborigines, with an annuity of five hundred 

 pounds, in part as the support of a mission establishment on the 

 grant ; and ever since, there have been two ministers of the Society 

 resident at the place, employed in endeavouring to convert and 

 civilize the natives. 



The only conveyance is the mails, unless a vehicle is purchased, 

 the outlay for which would be about four hundred dollars. The 

 mail was taken in preference to this mode, both as avoiding cost and 

 as less liable to the dangers of journeying alone. On account of the 

 numerous Bush-rangers and runaway convicts, travelling in New 

 South Wales is not considered safe. 



The mail leaves Sydney once a week for Wellington Valley. 

 There is some difficulty in procuring a seat, and the fare is thirty- 

 two dollars and fifty cents ; a very exorbitant charge considering the 

 mode of conveyance, which was a two-wheeled vehicle, with seats for 



