It is well that this idle tale bears with it such intrinsic proof of its untruth. All that Hacking did was known to the government which trusted him ; but no government reported the finding of the salt as a fact.^ It will be convenient to summarize the incidents of Auh- tralian discovery at ihia period, when (from ILMS, ReUance) Bass and Flinders infused fresh life into it. In Dec. 1789, Lt. Dawes, being sent to explore, returned after nine days. He had encountered ravines almost im- passable, and failed to pierce the mountains. The same fate attended an expedition under an officer (Tench) in Aug. 1790. The Nepean River was seen in these excur- sions, and was named by Phillip. In 179B Captaui PatersoUj by means of small boats, ascended the river, which he named (after the Ac tmg- Governor) the Grose ; be | returned after ten days. In 1794 Henry Hacking, formerly quarter-master in the Sirms, with '* a companion or two/' boldly ventim*ed *' twenty miles fiu'ther than any other European." He reached the mountains, and toiled over |
- eighteen or nmeteen ridges of high rocks,'* and when hBJ
gave up the task ** still had in view the same wild and inaccessible country/' In Feb. 1795 Paterson, the Acting- Governor, sent Grimes, the surveyor, to explore Port Stephens, taking with liim Wilson, the convict, who could converse with natives. i One Cummings, an officer in the New South Wales corpe, ' on a small expedition to the south of Botany Bay, heard from natives that there were horned animals running in the interior, and hopes were excited of regaining the cattle lost from Sydney in 1788. Cummin gs vainly searched for them afterwards. When Governor Hunter arrived in 1795 hej sent Henry Hacking, in whom he confided, to ascertain the.J truth. Hacking returned successful, and piloted Hunter,,] with Collins, Waterhouse, and Bass (18th Nov. 1795),) ^ Hunter (1798) s^ent uthei*a with Wilson oti expeditious^ in whiulil Wilson shot game to procure food. The joiinial of one of Vilsou*s oom-l muioiirt ('* Historic^,! Records of N.8.W.," vol »i, |>. H23) records thii* fact, ] The jourueys were abort. In one (from 9th March to *2nd April i, Hacking 1 uceonipanietl WilsrOn^ ami the latl who was with them wrote that ou ihel 12th March, about 3^ miles from ProBpect HilK WiI»ou and Hai.-king| fooad veins of Bait 8 and Ti feet thick. Hunter scut the jouinal to fcsir J.J Mmks in ISOI, but in no way voueked for its correctness.
