1816.]

coach police-office for the time he acts as coach inspector, I would propose that he should undertake the protection of the coach he travels with, so as to do away the necessity of any other guard. As constable he would possess sufficient authority to take into custody any persons conducting themselves amiss, and to detain any others who might be necessary as witnesses till they could be examined by a magistrate, and the business investigated and settled.

I would also propose that a sum be anually paid for every coach that is accompanied by a coach-inspector, equal to the pay or support of a guard, as the price of a license for the coach. The money so arising, with one moiety of all fines and such addition from some public fund as may be necessary, to be formed into a fund for the discharge of all expenses attending the investigation and settling of the various cases that may occur; so that the person aggrieved may never incur any expense in seeking redress: for it is exceedingly hard, after an individual has sustained an injury in his person, and been impeded in his business or pleasure by the wanton conduct of a stage-coachman, that he should have to run the gauntlet of a law-suit from term to term to obtain redress at his own expense.

To prevent any improper understand ing or connexion being formed between the coach-inspectors and coachmen, I would propose that they attend no one coach more than three or six months, when they should be removed to another coach; in the same manner as the constables at the London Docks are removed from warehouse to warehouse.

The names and residence of the proprietors of all hackney-coaches, as well as the numbers, I would propose should be written or printed on one or more conspicuous places on the inside as well as outside of the coach. If this were done, frequently by only dropping a line to the proprietor, redress might be obtained without bringing the coachman to the coach police-office for that purpose.

The Legislature has often enacted laws for the regulation of coaches, but they very soon become a mere dead letter from the want of a person to see that they are put into execution; but by employing a coach-inspector, whose business it would be to enforce them, there would be in future (if he did his duty) very little ground for complaint on that subject; nor should we so frequentlyhear

13

of accidents, or of the improper behaviour of coachmen or others on the road; and from the ease and expedition with which redress could be obtained at the end of the journey, much time and expense would be saved.

Hoping some of your better informed and able friends will soon favour us with a more efficient plan than the above, and that the Legislature will enact such laws for the regulation of coaches as will effectually prevent the so frequent recurrence of improper behaviour of coachmen in future, I remain, VECLEE. Dec. 18, 1815.

MR. EDITOR,

IN your magazine, of which I am a constant reader, I find in the fourth volume, page 402, a letter from MoмUS, requesting a remedy for a curious complaint. As I am sure, whenever the inclination lays hold of him, he must be in danger of what he most richly deserves, a sound thrashing, I will throw out a hint or two that I hope may be of service to him; but I must observe, that his schoolmaster never did his duty towards him, by not punishing in the severest mode so great a breach of good manners, and by not (as the term at all schools is) flogging it out of him.

First, He must bear in mind that a'l habits, especially if rooted in our youth, require much perseverance and selfcontroul to eradicate.

Secondly, That he now more than in his younger days, deserves a hearty horsewhipping whenever his faculties are so far beyond his command that he is guilty of what appears conformable only to the behaviour of an ideot.

Thirdly, That although he may be grown to maturity, as he expresses it, and which can be deemed nothing else than childish maturity, there are many who can and will reward him as he merits, by applying a cane across his shoulders till he begs the pardon of those whom he has insulted; and that all in whose company he may be, whether male or female, upon a repetition of his risibility at a trifle, will unite their efforts to kick him out of the room, in case the power of one is not found sufficient.

I offer him the consideration of the above as a remedy for so boyish and foolish a tendency, and advise him never again, until he has learnt better, to enter a society where good breeding is esteemed an essential qualification, and where he himself is expected to observe the

Official Report of a Journey into the Interior of New South Wales, performed by his Excellency Colonel MACQUARRIE, Governor of the Settlement. THE governor desires to communicate, for the information of the public, the result of his late tour over the Western, or Blu Mountains, undertaken for the purpose of being enabled personally to appreciate the importance of the tract of country lying westward of them; which had been explored in the latter end of the year 1813, and beginning of 1814, by Mr. George William Evans, Deputy Surveyor of Lands.

The governor being strongly impressed with the importance of the object, had, early after his arrival in this colony, formed the resolution of encouraging the attempt to find a passage to the western country, and willingly availed himself of the facilities which the discoveries of these three gentlemen afforded him. Accordingly, on the 20th of November, 1813, he entrusted the accomplishment of this object to Mr. Geo. Win. Evans, Deputy Surveyor of Lands, the result of whose journey was laid before the public through the medium of the Sydney Gazette, on the 12th of February, 1814.* Evans of the country he had explored The favourable account given by Mr. induced the governor to cause a road to be constructed for the passage and conVeyance of cattle and provisions to the from amongst a number of convicts who interior; and men of good character,

had volunteered their services, were selected to perform this arduous work, on condition of being fed and clothed dur

western boundary, it must be a subject of astonishment and regret that amongst so large a population no one appeared within the first twenty-five years of the establishment of this settlement possess ed of sufficient energy of mind to induce him fully to explore a passage over these mountains; but when it is considered that for the greater part of that time even this circumscribed portion of country afforded sufficient produce for the wants of the people, whilst on the other hand the whole surface beyond those limits was a thick and in many places nearly an impenetrable forest, the surprise at the want of effort to surmount such difficulties must abate very considerably.

The records of the colony afford only two instances of any bold attempt having been made to discover the country to the westward of the Blue Mountains. The first was by Mr. Bass, and the other by Mr. Caley, and both ended in disappointment; a circumstance which will not be much wondered at by those who have lately crossed those mountains.

To Gregory Blaxland and Wm. Wentworth, esqrs. and Lieut. Lawson, of the Royal Veteran Company, the merit is due of having, with extraordinary patience and much fatigue, effected the first passage over the most rugged and difficult part of the Blue Mountains.

being granted emancipations as their final reward on the completion of the

work.

The direction and superintendence of Cox, esq. the chief magistrate at Windthis great work was entrusted to Wm. sor; and to the astonishment of every one who knows what was to be encoun

tered, and sees what has been done, he effected its completion in six months from the time of its commencement, happily without the loss of a man, or any serious accident. The governor is at a loss to appreciate fully the services ren

The report of Mr. Evans, after a brief notice of the general features of the country traversed by him, and more circumstantially described by Governor Macquarrie, concludes with the following particulars respecting some of the natives whom the former met with: The most remarkable circumstance during my journey was, my suddenly coming upon two native women and four children, whose terror and surprise exceeded all belief; violently trembling they fell down before me; and it was some consilook up; at length, somewhat appeased, derable time before they would venture to they took a tomahawk each, some fish hooks

and twine, which I offered them, and ran away; never once daring to look behind them. Both women had their right eye destroyed, as if purposely. I saw no men ; but I have reason to think, from the many distant columns of smoke I occasionally beheld, that the inhabitants were numerous; besides, I frequently came upon their deserted camp ground," EDITOR.

dered by Mr. Cox to this colony, in the execution of this arduous work, which promises to be of the greatest public utility, by opening a new source of wealth to the industrious and enterprising. When it is considered that Mr. Cox voluntarily relinquished the comforts of his own house, and the society of his numerous family, and exposed himself to much personal fatigue, with only such temporary covering as a bark hut could afford from the inclemency of the season, it is difficult to express the sentiments of approbation to which such privations and services are entitled.

Mr. Cox having reported the road as completed on the 21st of January, the governor, accompanied by Mrs. Macquarrie, and that gentleman, commenced his tour on the 25th of April last over the Blue Mountains, and was joined by Sir John Jamieson at the Nepean, who accompanied him during the entire tour, The following gentlemen composed the governor's suite: Mr. Campbell, secretary'; Capt. Antill, major of brigade; Lieut. Watts, aid-de-camp; Mr. Redfern, assistant-surgeon; Mr. Oxley, surveyor-general; Mr. Meehan, deputysurveyor-general; Mr. Lewin, painter and naturalist; and Mr. G. W. Evans, deputy-surveyor of lands, who had been sent forward for the purpose of making further discoveries, and rejoined the party on the day of arrival at Bathurst Plains.

The commencement of the ascent from Emu Plains to the first depot, and thence to a resting place, now called Spring Wood, distant twelve miles from Emu Ford, was through a very handsome open forest of lofty trees, and much more practicable and easy than was expected. The facility of the ascent for this distance excited surprise, and is certainly not well calculated to give the traveller a just idea of the difficulties he has afterwards to encounter. At a further distance of four miles a sudden change is perceived in the appearance of the timber and the quality of the soil, the former becoming stunted, and the latter barren and rocky. At this place the fatigues of the journey may be said to commence. Here the country became altogether mountainous, and extremely rugged. Near to the 18th mile mark (it is to be observed that the measure commences from Emu Ford), a pile of stones attracted attention. It is close to the line of road, on the top of a rugged and abrupt ascent, and is supposed to have been placed there by Mr. Caley, as

the extreme limit of his tour. Hence the governor gave that part of the mountain the name of Caley's Repulse. To have penetrated even so far was at that time an effort of no small difficulty. From hence to the 26th inile is a succession of steep and rugged bills, some of which are almost so abrupt as to deny a passage altogether; but at this place a considerably extensive plain is arrived at, which constitutes the summit of the western mountains; and thence a most extensive and beautiful prospect presents itself on all sides to the eye. The town of Windsor, the river Hawkesbuy, Prospect Hill, and other objects within that part of the colony now inhabited, of equal interest, are distinctly seen. The majestic grandeur of the situation, combined with the various objects to be seen from this place, induced the governor to give it the appellation of the King's Table Land. On the south-west side of the King's Table Land the mountain terminates in abrupt precipices of immense depth, at the bottom of which is seen a glen, as romantically beautiful as can be imagined, bounded on the further side by mountains of great magnitude, terminating abruptly as the others, and the whole thickly covered with timber. The length of this picturesque and remarkable tract of country is about twenty-four miles, to which the governor gave the name of the Prince Regent's Glen. Proceeding bence to the thirty-third mile, on the top of a hill, an opening presents itself on the south-west side of the Prince Regent's Glen, from whence a view is obtained particularly beautiful and grand

mountains rising beyond mountains, with stupendous masses of rock in the fore ground here strike the eye with admiration and astonishment. The circular form in which the whole is so wonderfully disposed induced the governor to give the name of Pitt's Amphitheatre (in honour of the late Right Hon. Wm. Pitt) to this offset or branch from the Prince Regent's Glen. The road continues from hence for the space of seventeen miles on the ridge of the mountain which forms one side of the Prince Regent's Glen, and there it suddenly terminates in nearly a perpendicular precipice of 676 feet high, as ascertained by measurement. The road cor structed by Mr. Cox down this rugged and tremendous descent, through all its windings, is no less than three-tourths of a mile in length, and has been executed with such skill and stability as reflects

much credit on him. The labour here undergone, and the difficulties surmounted, can only be appreciated by those who view this scene, In order to perpetuate the memory of Mr. Cox's services, the governor deemed it a tribute justly due to him to give his name to this grand and extraordinary pass, and he accordingly called it Cox's Pass. Having descended into the valley at the bottom of this pass, the retrospective view of the overhanging mountains is magnificently grand. Although the present pass is the only practicable point yet discovered for descending by, yet the mountain is much higher than those on either side of it, from whence it is distinguished at a considerable distance when approaching it from the interior; and in this point of view it has the appearance of a very high distinct hill, although it is in fact only the abrupt termination of a ridge. The governor gave the name of Mount York to this termination of the ridge, in honour of H. R. H. the Duke of York.

On descending Cox's Pass, the governor was much gratified by the appearance of good pasture land and soil fit for cultivation, which was the first he bad met with since the cominencement of his tour. The valley at the base of Mount York he called the Vale of Clwyd, in consequence of the strong resemblance it bore to the vale of that name in North Wales. The grass in this vale is of a good quality and very abundant, and a rivulet of fine water runs along it from the eastward, which unites itself at the western extremity of the vale with another rivulet containing still more water. The junction of these two streams forms a very handsome river, now called by the governor Cox's River, which takes its course, as has been since ascertained, through the Prince Regent's Glen, and empties itself into the River Nepean; and it is conjectured, from the nature of the country through which it passes, that it must be one of the principal causes of the floods which have been occasionally felt on the low banks of the River Hawkesbury, into which the Nepean discharges itself. The Vale of Clwyd, from the base of Mount York, extends six miles in a westerly direction, and has its termination at Cox's River. Westward of this river the country again becomes hilly, but is generally open forest land and very good pasturage.

Three miles to the westward of the Vale of Clwyd, Messrs. Blaxland, Wentworth, and Lawson, had formerly termi

nated their excursion; and when the various difficulties are considered which they had to contend with, especially until they had effected the descent from Mount York, to which place they were obliged to pass through a thick brushwood, where they were under the necessity of cutting a passage for their baggage-horses, the severity of which labour had seriously affected their healths, their patient endurance of such fatigue cannot fail to excite much surprise and admiration. In commemoration of their merits, three beautiful high hills, joining each other at the end of their tour at this place, have received their names in the following order, viz. Mount Blaxland, Wentworth's Sugar Loaf, and Lawson's Sugar Loaf. A range of very lofty hills and narrow vallies alternately form the tract of country from Cox's River for a distance of sixteen miles, until the Fish River is arrived at; and the stage between these rivers is consequently very severe and oppressive on the cattle. To this range the governor gave the name of Clarence Hilly Range.

Proceeding from the Fish River, and at a short distance from it, a very singular and beautiful mountain attracts the attention, its summit being crowned with a large and very extraordinarylooking rock, nearly circular in form, which gives to the whole very much the appearance of a hill-fort, such as are frequent in India. To this lofty hill Mr.. Evans, who was the first European discoverer, gave the name of Mount Evans. Passing on from hence the country continues billy, but affords good pasturage, gradually improving to Sidmouth Valley, which is distant from the pass of the Fish River eight miles. The land here is level, and the first met with unencumbered with timber. It is not of very considerable extent, but abounds with a great variety of herbs and plants, such as would probably highly interest and gratify the scientific botanist. This beautiful little valley runs north-west and south-east between hills of easy ascent thinly covered with timber. Leaving Sidmouth Valley, the country becomes again hilly, and in other respects resem bles very much the country to the eastward of the valley for some miles. Having reached Campbell River, distant thirteen miles from Sidmouth Valley, the governor was highly gratified by the appearance of the country, which there began to exhibit an open and extensiveview of gently rising grounds and fertile plains. Judging from the height of the