Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/359

This page needs to be proofread.
331
331

rents to the Crown, coutaitim^ not less than *5<i(K» aorcB. Mr. MacarLhur has represente*! that tht? laiicla he wishes to be cou eyed to him for thia pui'poae are situated near Mouut TauniB, iis being peculiarly adapted for sheep, and I thett^fore rtiii to express my wishes that he may be at'uoinmo- dated in thia situation/" (Convicts were to be asaigned as sheplienis,)

    • His Majesty's Gore rumen t takes a peculiar in te rest in forward mg the

Eject of this letter. I am therefore perauaded you will do everylhiutrf in power to promote its success, lund I shall be ohlij^ed for all such er vat ions as shall oecur to you upon the subject, and n*ay lend to promote an object so important for the colony." Macarthur showed shrewdness when invited in London to select a site in Austraha. Uightly conjectnring that the grasses whieh had arrested the straying cattle (lost in 1788) i betokened superior pastin*e, he at once lixed upon them, ' and the noble estate of Camtlen Park (named after his patron) still jiistities his choice. Another person, Mr. Davidson, nephew of Sir Walter Farqiihar, was promised a grant of 2000 acres contiguous to Macarthur's, and two respectable young men went out "to instruct others in the art of assorting wool and fmaUy to beconie settlers." A few other persons were allowed to aceompany Macarthur. The Governor hailed the arrival of Mr. Davidson. *' Your Lordship has prescribed 2000 acres of land for hiin, to which I shall add another. Macarthur's former vigiHous efforts to undermine King's position were not allowed to deter the latter from loyally promoting the experiment recommended by Lord Camden. It w^as alike creditable to Macarthur and to King that they acted as if the past had been forgotten. The Artfti arrived in Sydney on the 8th June. King re- ported (26th July 1H05) that^he had done all lie cotild to promote the object commended to him by Lord Camden. The enterprising Macarthur had brought a ship, to be employed in the whale fishery, to carry wool to England once in eigliteen montlis, and to return with articles of use and comfort for the inhabitants. King enlarged upon these prospective benefits. He had nevertheless shrunk from alienating the land on which the wild cattle were feeding, and had begged Macarthur to choose a larger quantit}^ on the east side of the Nepean* promising to mark out in the