Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/362

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BARRALLIER'S EXPLORATIONS.

resuming her reign in this heretofore unhappy place."[1] With a Secretary of State like Lord Camden, a Governor like King, a man of enterprise like Macarthur, and a climate like that of Australia, the success of wool-culture was assured.

The discoveries by land in the time of King were unimportant. Barrallier was his right hand. At Western Port and afterwards at the Hunter river, where land exploration was followed up, Barrallier was the moving spirit. While Bandin was at Sydney, Barrallier was despatched to seek a passage through the Blue Mountains. M. Peron informs us that King declined to accede to his request to be permitted to accompany Barrallier. On the 30th Oct. 1802 King reported that Barrallier had been unsuccessful, but was about to start again. He started in November.[2] The direction he took was westward from the Cow-pastures, which led him to the steep-down rocks and gorges of the Burragorang district. After leaving the Nattai river, as the party struggled over the mountains, the fragments of rock detached by the men in front threatened to crush those in the rear. Two Nattai natives were with them. At the foot of a mountain, the whole of the party "being more or less maimed and bruised," some natives were surprised and fled. A Nattaian advanced and spoke. Understanding the cause of the visit, the fugitives returned to their camp-fires. The Nattaian told Barrallier to remain still; and seated himself between the black and white bands. After some minutes of silence his countrymen "called him and placed him in the middle of the tribe." He narrated the doings of the party; how on that day a vain attempt was made to reach the pinnacle of a mountain scarped with inaccessible rock; how Barrallier collected stones, at which droll idea "they laughed most violently." They gave the Nattaian food and a white head-ornament. The other Nattaian, Gogy, then seated himself as his companion had done,

  1. ↑ These anticipations were confirmed during King's stay. In June 1806 Macarthur wrote to Piper, the recipient of his complaints in former times: "The Governor is uncommonly kind and obliging, in so much that I give you my word I am not very anxious for an immediate change." When the change for which he had once sighed took place, Macarthur became its victim.
  2. ↑ MS. in possession of P. G. King, Esq, Banksia, Sydney.
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