NEW SOUTH WALES. 251 



establishment was accordingly begun on this lake, on the opposite side 

 to that now occupied by Mr. Threlkeld, who at once planned his 

 station on the only footing by which he thought a reasonable chance 

 of success would be insured, that of a farming establishment, extensive 

 enough to give employment to the natives, and induce them to settle. 

 Their number, as is usually the case, had been greatly overrated ; he 

 soon, however, collected about fifty around him, and began to employ 

 them in felling trees, turning up the ground, and building; at the same 

 time labouring with them himself, in order to obtain such a knowledge 

 of their character, language, habits, &c, as might enable him to 

 become useful on the great subjects of his mission. 



The expense of forming such an establishment was far greater than 

 had been anticipated, but was indispensable in a country like New 

 South Wales, where all the necessaries of life, at the commencement 

 of a settlement, have to be purchased. Added to this are the droughts 

 to which they are subject, and the expenses of transportation. 



In consequence of the demands made upon them, the directors of 

 the Society became alarmed, and after reproving him severely for his 

 extravagance, finally dishonoured one of his drafts, and refused to pay 

 it until compelled by a lawsuit. This, of course, broke his connexion 

 with the Society, as Mr. Threlkeld was naturally indignant at the 

 undeserved disgrace to which they had subjected him. 



The directors offered to pay his passage to England, but this he 

 refused, having determined to carry on the work by his own unassisted 

 efforts. 



That he might be independent of any funds of the Society, and to 

 prevent its being said that, he had derived any profit from them, he 

 removed in 1828 to the opposite side of the lake, a position far less 

 advantageous. 



After struggling for two years to conduct the mission and maintain 

 his large family, he received a stipend of one hundred and fifty pounds 

 from the government, with the assignment of four convicts. With this 

 assistance he has been able to provide for his family, and devote him- 

 self to the instruction of the aborigines ; but he has found his means 

 inadequate to keep a number employed about his station, in such a 

 manner as to overcome their natural tendencv to a wandering life. 



The consequence was, that the blacks, from the attraction held out 

 to them of indulging in drunkenness and other vices, left his neighbour- 

 hood to frequent the towns, where they had been rapidly diminishing 

 in number. 



Mr. Threlkeld did not find the natives deficient in intelligence ; but 

 he has not been able to overcome their aversion to a fixed residence. 



