782 
N E W HOLLAND. 
remarked, that every-where to the weftward of the moun¬ 
tains it is much inferior both in fize and quality to that 
within the prefent colony; there is, however, a fufficiency 
of timber of tolerable quality within the diltridt around 
Bathurft for the purpofes of lioufe-building and hulban- 
dry. The governor has here to lament, that neither coals 
nor lime-llone have been yet difcovered in the weftern 
country; articles in themfelves of fo much importance, 
that the want of them mult be feverely felt whenever that 
country lhall be fettled.” 
The fite deligned for the town of Bathurft, by obferva- 
tion taken at the flag-ftaff which was erefted on the day 
of Bathurft receiving that name, is fituated in lat. 33. 24. 
30. S. and in Ion. 149. 37. 45. E. of Greenwich, being 
alfo twenty-feven miles and a half north of Government- 
lioufe in Sydney, and ninety-four and a half weft of it, 
bearing weft 20. 30. N. eighty-three geographic miles, or 
ninety-five ftatute-miles and a half; the meafured road 
diftance from Sydney to Bathurft being 140 Englifh miles. 
The road conftrutfted by Mr. Cox, and the party under 
him, commences at Emu Ford, on the left bank of the 
river Nepean, and is thence carried ioi-| miles to the flag- 
ftaff at Bathurft. This road has been carefully meafured, 
and each mile regularly marked on the trees growing on 
the left fide of the road proceeding towards Bathurft. 
On Thurfday the nth of May, the governor and fuite 
fet out from Bathurft on their return, and arrived at 
Sydney on Friday the 19th. On the 10th of June, the 
governor publifhed an official account of his journey, 
with a map or plan; and, on the 8th of July, his excel¬ 
lency publifhed a farther or fupplementary account, in 
coniequence of the fafe return of Mr. Evans, who had 
been dilpatched, (as we have noticed,) while the gover¬ 
nor’s party remained at Bathurft, to proceed from thence, 
and purfue his difcoveries as much farther weftward as his 
means of carrying provifions,. the nature of the country 
through which he fhould pafs, and the unforefeen occur¬ 
rences to which, as a traveller, in an unexplored country, 
be might be expofed, would permit. 
On the 13th of May, Mr. Evans commenced this his 
fecond tour of difcovery ; and on the 2d of June, finding 
his provifions would not enable him to proceed farther, he 
began to retrace his courfe back to Bathurft, where he ar¬ 
rived on the 12th, having been abfent thirty-one days. 
In the courfe of this tour Mr. Evans was fo fortunate as 
to travel over a vaft number of rich and fertile val¬ 
leys, with fucceffions of hills well covered with good and 
ufeful timber, chiefly the llringy bark and the pine, and 
the whole country abounding with ponds, and gulleys of 
fine water; he alfo fell in with a large river, which he 
conceives would become navigable for boats at the dif¬ 
tance of a few days’ travelling along its banks. From 
its courfe, he conjectures that it mull join its waters with 
thofe of the Macquarrie River ; and little doubt can be en¬ 
tertained, that their joint ftreams mult form a navigable 
river of very conliderable fize. At a diftance of about 
fixty miles from Bathurft, Mr. Evans difcovered a num¬ 
ber of hills, the points of which ended in perpendicular 
heads, from thirty to forty feet high, of pure lime-ftone 
of a mifty grey colour. At this place, and alfo through¬ 
out the general courfe of the journey, kanguroos, emues, 
ducks, See. were feen in great numbers ; and the new river, 
to which Mr. Evans gavethe name of the Lachlan, abounds 
-with fifh, although, from the coolnefs of the feafon, he 
was not able to catch any of them. In the courfe of this 
tour Mr. Evans alfo difcovered a very unufual and extra¬ 
ordinary production, the proper or fcientific name of 
which cannot at prefent be afligned. It pofl'effes much 
of the fweetnefs and flavour of manna, but is totally 
different in its appearance, being very white, and hav¬ 
ing a roundifh irregular furface, not unlike the rough 
outlide of confectioners’ comfits, and of the fize of the 
largeft hail-ftones. Mr. Evans does not conftder it to be 
the production of any in left, tree, or vegetable, of the 
country; and from hence the molt probable conjecture 
appears to be, that it is a production of the fame nature 
with that which is found in Arabia, and there called 
“ wild honey,” or “ the Almighty’s fugar-plums,” and 
there fuppofed to be a dew. Where this fubftance was 
found molt plentiful, Mr. Evans faw the kanguroo in 
immenfe flocks, and wild fowl equally abundant. The 
natives appeared more numerous than at Bathurft; but 
fo very wild, and apparently fo much alarmed at the fight 
of white men, that he could not induce them to come 
near, or to hold any intercourfe whatever with him. 
At the termination of the tour, Mr. Evans faw a good 
level country, of a moft interelting appearance, and a 
very rich foil; and he conceives that there is no barrier to 
prevent the travelling farther weftward to almoft any ex¬ 
tent that could be derived. He ftates that the diftance 
travelled by him on this occafion was 142 meafured miles 
out; which, with digrefiions to the fouthward, made the 
total diftance 155 miles from Bathurft: he adds at the 
fame time, that, having taken a more direft line back to 
Bathurft than that by which he left it, he made the dis¬ 
tance -then only 115 miles; and he obferves, that a good 
road may be made all that length without any confider- 
able difficulty, there not being more than three hills 
which may not be avoided. 
From the entire tenor of Mr. Evans’s narrative of this 
tour-, it appears that the country over which he paffed 
has even exceeded the country leading to and furround¬ 
ing Bathurft, in richnefs, fertility, and all the other va¬ 
luable objefts for the fuftenance of a numerous population. 
“ Before clofing the prefent account, the governor de¬ 
fires to obferve, that, having accidentally omitted fome 
particulars in his own tour, which he had meant to re¬ 
mark on, he avails himfelf of the prefent occafion to no¬ 
tice them. 
“ When the governor arrived at Bathurft, on the 4th of 
May, he found there three native men and fix children 
Handing with the working-party ; they appeared much 
alarmed, particularly at the horfes ; but this foon ceafed, 
and they became quite familiar, eating whatever food was 
offered them, and appearing very proud of fome little ar¬ 
ticles of drels which were given them. Frequently dur¬ 
ing the governor’s ftay at Bathurft, fmall parties of men 
and boys came in, and they always got meat and fome 
articles of flop-clothing, and tomahawks; which latter 
feemed to be highly prized by them. Thefe natives are 
in appearance very like thofe of Sydney, though rather 
better looking and ftronger made; fome of them were 
-blind of one eye, though not always on the fame fide. 
Theirlanguage being altogether diffimilar to that of the 
natives ot this part of the country, it was impoffible to 
learn whether their being thus blinded was the refult of 
any eftablilhed cuftom amongft them, or merely acciden¬ 
tal; the probability is, however, that it is intentional, 
whatever might be the caufe. A native who attended the 
governor from this fide of the mountains was much 
alarmed at the appearance of the ftranger-natives ; but 
afterwards, perceiving that they did not attempt to in¬ 
jure him, he endeavoured to hold a converfation with 
them ; their, languages, however, appeared totally diffe¬ 
rent, neither party leaning to underlland a fingle word 
fpoken by the other. Thole men were covered with Ikins 
of different animals, neatly fewed together, and wore the 
fur-fide inwards ; on the outer or Ikin fide, they had cu¬ 
rious devices wrought. The governor obferved on one 
of thele drelfes or cloaks, as regularly-formed a St. George’s 
crofs as could be made, though he could not conneCt that 
circutnftance with any other which might lead to the af- 
figning it to a religious ceremony. The manner of form¬ 
ing thefe figures, mult be by the throwing up a flight part 
of the Ikin with a fliarp inftrument, round the outlines of 
the figure. They appeared, judging from the neatnefs of 
the fewing and work on tliele cloaks, to have made fome 
little advance to civilization and comfort beyond what 
the natives of this part of the country have done. In 
other relpeCts they feem to be perfectly hannlefs and in- 
3 offenfive, 
