$%6 ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [September, 



Blue Mountains, from the appearance which land fo high and diftant 

 generally wears',) fet off from the fettlement with a fmall party of gen- 

 tlemen, well provided with arms, and having provifions and neceffa- 

 ries fufficient for a journey of fix weeks, to make the attempt. Boats 

 were fent round to Broken Bay, whence they got into the Hawkefbury, 

 and the fourth day as far as Richmond Hill. At this place, in the 

 year 1789, the Governor's progrefs up the river was obftru&ed by a 

 fall of water^ which his boats were too heavy to drag over. This diffi- 

 culty Captain Paterfon overcame by quitting his large boats, and pro- 

 ceeding from Richmond Hill with two that were fmaller and lighter. 

 He found that this part of the river carried him to the weft ward, and 

 into the chafm that divided the high land feen from Richmond Hill, 

 Hither, however, he got with great difficulty and fome danger, meeting 

 in the fpace of about ten miles with not lefs than five water-falls, one 

 of which was rather fteep, and was running at the rate of ten or twelve 

 miles an hour. Above this part the water was about fifteen yards from 

 fide to fide, and came down with fome rapidity, a fall of rain having 

 fwollen the ftream. Their navigation was here fo intricate, lying be- 

 tween large pieces of rock that had been torn down by torrents, and 

 fome flumps of trees which they could not always fee, that (after hav- 

 ing loofened a plank in one boat, and driven the other upon a flump 

 which forced its way through her bottom) they gave up any farther 

 progrefs, leaving the we (tern mountains to be the objecT of difcovery at 

 fome future day. It was fuppofed that they had proceeded ten miles 

 farther up the river than had before been done, and named that part of 

 it, which until then had been unfeen, " the Grofe and a high peak 

 of land, which they had in view in the chafm, they called Harrington 

 Peak. Captain, Paterfon, as a botanift, was amply rewarded for his la- 

 bour and difappointment by difcovering feveral new plants. Of the 

 foil in which they grew, however, he did not fpeak very favourably. 



He faw but few natives ; and thofe who did vifit them were almoft 

 unintelligible to the natives of Port Jackfon who accompanied him. 

 He entertained a notion, that their legs and arms were longer than 



thofe 



