She alfo mentioned, that one of the men who . went off with theta
had been killed by the natives, and that the other had periftied with
hunger.
The proprietors o f this valuable article o f ftock were rather unfortunate
in the care o f it, notwithftanding the high price which it
bore. The adting commilfary loft a very fine mare, through the
ftupidity o f an Irifh fervant, who put a fhort halter round her neck,
with a running knot, b y which the was ftrangled in the night; and
information had been received o f the death o f two foals belonging to
government. This accident proceeded from want o f proper care
in thofe who were appointed to look after them ; but unfortunately,
though they were often changed, the change was never found to be
for the better.
When Hacking was fent to the falt-hill in the preceding month,
he was accompanied by Wilfon and another man, who were directed
to penetrate as far into the interior o f the country as thepro-
vifions which they were able to carry would permit them. They
returned after an abfence o f three weeks, and reported that they
had been about 140 miles in a direction S. W. by S. from Profpeflt-
Hill. In the courfe o f their journey they travelled over a vaft
variety o f country, and fell in with more falt-hills. They alfo met
with many narrow rivers or creeks (with which the country appeared
to be much interfered), and found fome very extenfive traCts o f open
luxuriant ground, as well as much unpromifing land. They a t
cended feveral hills o f great height, from which their profpeCt was
extenfive, and whence they difeovered mountains riling upon-
mountains to the weftward ; all o f which appeared exceedingly
high. They did not, however, meet a Angle native in all their
journey (a proof that the human race was but thinly fcattered over
the interior part o f this extenfive country) ; but they brought with
them another of thofe beautiful birds before deferibed.
Wifhing to afeertain the truth o f every report that tended to
improve our knowledge o f the internal advantages which this country
l °S
try poflefled, the governor fent a fmall party, with fome natives,
to determine whether there was any fait in the neighbourhood of
Broken-Bay. Captain Waterhoufe (of the Reliance), who undertook
the fearch, found the place that had been deferibed, and alfo
difeovered fome fa it; but it had been produced by the fpray of the
fea near which it laid, and which, breaking over fome rocky parts o f
thelhore in bad weather, and draining down behind, had occafioned
the accumulation o f a large quantity o f that article among the land,
and upon the adjacent rocks.
The fettlers, although certainly undeferving of the attention which
they met with from the governor, were conftantly laying their
complaints before him. He now received a petition from them,
in which they reprefented the great diftrefs that they laboured
under, as well from the high wages which they gave to hired
fervants for working their ground, as from the immenfe price which
they paid for every article neceflary to carry on that bufinefs. On
this account, they requefted that the price o f maize might be continued
at the fame rate as in the laft year.
The governor, fenfible of their diftrefles, and ever ready to liften
to any reafonable application which thofe diftrefles might induce
them to make, gave directions to the commiflary to receive it at
the price which they petitioned for. But,, as it was no lefs his duty
to diminifh the heavy expences o f the colony, than it was his wilh
to render the fi'tuation {of the induftrious farmer eafy and comfortable,
they were informed, that they muft very Ihortly look
forward to a redu&ion in the price of grain o f every kind.
They laboured, however, under another evil, which was the
effe& o f an unbounded rage for traffic that pervaded nearly
the whole fettlement. The delivery o f grain into the public ftore-
houfes, when open for that purpole, was fo completely monopo-
lifed, that the fettlers had but few opportunities o f getting the full
VOL. II. P value