This bearing, which was S 35 degrees 00
minutes E by compass, gave, with the latitude observed on each, the
distance between the two hills about eighteen miles in a direct line.
By this bearing, should there be occasion hereafter, a road through the
woods, from the head of the Hawkesbury, might be cut in the shortest and
most direct way to Parramatta.
At the head of this river, and upon the banks of that named the Nepean,
there was known to be a tract of excellent land, as rich as any on the
banks of the Hawkesbury which was then under cultivation, and where, at
some future period, a settlement might be advantageously established.
The governor, on his return from this excursion, had the mortification of
seeing a stack, containing about eight hundred bushels of wheat, burnt to
the ground. This happened at Toongabbie, near which place the country was
every where in flames, and where, unfortunately, much wheat belonging to
government was stacked. The fire broke out about eight o'clock in the
evening; the wind was high, the night extremely dark, and the flames had
mounted to the very tops of the lofty woods which surrounded a field
called the ninety acres, in which were several stacks of wheat.
Pages:
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47