I794-] OF NEW SOUTH WALES, a?l 



being taken down from the halberts declared, with exultation, that 

 all they could do mould not make him better. 



The Britannia was hired by the Officers of the Civil and Military 

 Departments, to procure them cattle and other articles at the Cape of 

 Good Hope. 



During the month a building, confifting of four cells for prifoners, 

 which had been greatly wanted, was added to the guard-houfe. 



A paffage over the inland mountains, which form the weftern boun- 

 dary of the county of Cumberland, being deemed practicable, a feaman 

 (formerly quarter-mafter in the Sirius) fet off in Auguft, with a com- 

 panion or two, determined to try it. After feven days abfence they 

 returned, with an account of their having penetrated twenty miles 

 further inland than any other European. Hacking, the feaman, re- 

 ported, that on reaching the mountains, his further route lay over 

 eighteen or nineteen ridges of high rocks ; and that when he halted, 

 determined to return, he ftill had in view before him the fame wild 

 and inacceffible kind of country. The fummits of thefe rocks were of 

 iron-ftone, large fragments of which had covered the intermediate 

 valleys, in which water of a reddifh tinge was obferved to Magnate in 

 many fpots. The foil midway up the afcent appeared good, and af- 

 forded ihelter and food for feveral red kangooroos. The ground every 

 where bore figns of being frequently vifited by high winds ; for on 

 the fides expofed to the fouth and fouth-eaft it was ftrewed with the 

 trunks of large trees. They faw but one native in this defolate region, 

 and he fled from their approach, preferring the folitary enjoyment of 

 his rocks and woods, with liberty, to any intercourfe with them. 

 Thefe hills appearing to extend very far to the northward and fouth- 

 ward, an impaffable barrier feemed fixed to the weftward, and little 

 hope was left of extending cultivation beyond the limits of the county 

 of Cumberland. 



By the return of the Francis fchooner from Norfolk Ifland, it ap- 

 peared that the harveft had been prodigioufly productive ; in fo much 

 that Lieutenant-Governor King had purchafed from the fetders up- 



wart-4 



