mares in foal, that have strayed from the settlement, besides goats, and many of the deer, that were introduced by Mr. Harris and others, leave no room to doubt of those animals multiplying to a boundless extent.-The breed of sheep, horses and other cattle, already so much improved by Mr. M'Arthur, was still further meliorated, by the liberality of that benevolent nobleman, the late Duke of Northumberland.

The climate of New South Wales, is found by experience to be in a high degree salubrious.

The following is a diary of the weather at Sydney, for a year.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

Passage of the Mountains.

THE HE passage of the mountains to the west of the settlement, so long an object of the highest interest and curiosity, was effected towards the beginning of 1814, by Mr. George William Evans, and the nature of the country beyond, ascertained. By the beginning of 1815, a road was made over them, and in the month of April following, they were crossed by the governor in person; the particulars of whose narrative, as published by him on the occasion for the information of the colony, we here subjoin.

"Government House, Sydney,

June 10, 1815.

"The governor desires to communicate, for the information of the public, the result of his late tour over the Western or Blue 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.

"To those who know how very limited a tract of country has been hitherto occupied by the colonists of New South Wales, extending along the eastern coast to the north and south of Port Jackson only eighty miles, and westward about forty miles to the foot of that chain of mountains in the interior which forms its 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 possessed 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 of the country 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 only afford two instances of any bold attempt having been made

1