Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/489

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[ Dametl the Hastings) reaebed and named Port Macquarie, twelve weeks after leaving the Macquarie river. Even then his journey to Sydney was full of hazard. Horses died of exhaiiBtion ; the Manning; river was only crossed by meana of a stranded boat seen on the shore twelve miles off, aed by great exertion carried by men to the river, Oxley reached Newcastle on the Himter with an advance party, and obtained provisions to relieve his companions. Early in Maequarie's reign a man born for exploration appeared, and succeeded in all his attempts. Hamilton Hume (the son of a coimnissariat officer, who after being wrecked in the Gnardiatt with Eiou, reached Sydney in the Ladtf Juliana), was born at Parramatta in 1797. The ease with which he could move from place to place in a mountainous and thickl}^ wooded country, — Beeraing intuitively to divine the most practicable coiu'se, — was wonderful in the eyes of those who accompanied him* When seventeen years old, he, with a brotlier and a black boy, went beyond the Cowpastures, threaded iiis way through Bargo Brush, and discovered the country about Bong Bong ami Berrima, Two years afterwards he led Mr. Throsby to that neighbourhood, and afterwards discovered Goulliurn Plains on the Wollondihy, and Lake Bathurst. ^¥ov this exploit Macquarie granted him three hundred acres III land.^*"* Thus in a few years were the bounds of the ^colony extended, mid new regions made known, and Mactpiarie was in imagination the master of the ceremonies, Lpresenting a fertile continent to his country. Exploration Iby sea was continued duruig his rule. Captain Phillip Parker King, sou of the late Governor King, was selected ■ The BQttlemcinl iiiaile tit (ioulbtiin Plains was rciiiarkabk' for being of the few at vvbicli theiia wiis uo feud Ijetween the lUack and wliite fraces. The tirst settlers were tircuiiispect antl kiiidly to the natives, who ll'eapondedi amicablw One etockmau indeed detained by foice a native ^ivoman- The tril* remonstrated, and tohl the man they wouhl kiU him rather than aUow him to keep tlieir countrywoman from them. Tim man was confident against them, Init they kept their M^ord. An Linjuiry wua inatituted, but when tlie fact.s were known, no atepa were taken by the authorities to avenge the stockman's tieath. No other victim feU mi either 1 8id e aiil^sequ en tly . I Familiar with thedifltriet, the author knows these facts on the authority of W. P. Faithful!, Esq., one of the first who went thither; who lon^ resided In it with the esteem of all ; and was Qie q1 'a «jivtV^%Xi xe^'tciefcXsJww- I in the Legis}iitart