XIV. NORMAN SELFE. 



Perhaps the most notable work left by Major Mitchell is his 

 beautiful three sheet feature map of the settled portion of New 

 South Wales; this was engraved in the colony by Carmichael in 

 1834, and afterwards republished in London. The details of the 

 features are said to be largely due to Mr. Assistant Surveyor 

 Govett, the gentleman whose name is perpetuated by the waterfall 

 at Blackheath. About Mr. Govett's doings the wildest stories 

 are told, although his original sketches, still preserved, shew that 

 he was a very hard worked man like ourselves. Mitchell utilised 

 Govett's surveys of these mountain districts, and certainly no 

 other map, up to the present, exhibits the physical characteristics 

 of New South Wales so clearly. Having so far dealt with the 

 progress of Civil Engineering in the young colony, let us for a 

 while turn our attention to its advancement in the mechanical 

 branches. 



Mechanical Engineering in Neiu South Wales — TheFirst Mills. — 

 Nothing seems to have thrown more responsibility upon the 

 shoulders of the first Governors than the maintenance of the food 

 supply for the young settlement; for, notwithstanding the despatch 

 of vessels to the Cape and elsewhere, circumstances brought it to 

 the brink of starvation several times. Bread being the staff of 

 life, the ground was cultivated at once, and a farm was established 

 where the Botanic Gardens now flourish (hence the name of Farm 

 Cove). Grain was also grown, with seed brought by the new 

 arrivals, at Rosehill (afterwards Parramatta). To convert grain 

 into meal however, involves a mechanical process, even if it is 

 only crushing it in a mortar. Next to that crude operation comes 

 the hand-mill of metal or stone, and then follows the mill driven 

 by power, which power may be obtained from the work of men, 

 or horses, or cattle, or be supplied by the action- of wind, water, 

 or steam. At the beginning of the century, the mechanical 

 engineer as we now know him, was only in embryo; and probably 

 the most important craftsman of the day, certainly so far as the 

 conversion of food products is concerned, was the now fast dis- 

 appearing millwright. Although it is an out-of-date calling at 



