April

Tour to the New Discovered Country in April 1815.

1 Jno. Thos. Campbell Esqr. Secry.
2 Capt. H. C. Antill Major of Brigade.
3 Lieut. Jno. Watts Aid de Camp.
4 Wm. Redfern Esqr. Asst. Surgeon.
5 Wm. Cox Esqr. J. P. &c. &c.
6 Sir Jno. Jamison Knt.
7 Jno. Oxley Esqr. Surveyor Genl.
8 Mr. Jas. Meehan Dy. Surveyor Genl.
9 Mr. Geo. W. Evans Dy. Surveyor.
10 Mr. J. W. Lewin Painter & Naturalist.

Tuesday 25. April 1815.
At 8,O'Clock this morning Mrs. Macquarie and myself, after having taken leave of our beloved Infant, Set out in the Carriage on our long projected Journey to visit the new discovered Country to the Westward of the Blue Mountains. — Arrived at Parramatta at Half past 9,O'Clock. Breakfasted, and remained there till 1,OClock, and then Set out for Mrs. King's Farm on the South Creek, where we arrived at 3,O'Clock, and took our Quarters up here for the Night; the distance from Sydney being 32 Miles. — We were accompanied from Parramatta by Major Antill, Lieut. Watts, Doctor Redfern, and Mr. Hassall to Mrs. King's Farm, where we found Mr. Cox and Mr. Meehan waiting for us. We all dined here very Comfortably and went to Bed at an early Hour.

Wednesday 26. April.
Got up early and Set out from Mrs. King's Farm at 7,O'Clock this morning for Sir Jno. Jamison's Farm of Regent-Ville on the Left Bank of the River Nepean, where we had engaged to Breakfast. — We arrived here at 8,O'Clock – after a ride of 6 miles from Mrs. King's.

We Sent our Carriage and Horses to cross the River a mile lower down at Emu Ford. — We found Secretary Campbell and Mr. Oxley waiting for us at Sir Jno. Jamison's. – Sir John gave us a very hearty good Breakfast, and after resting ourselves at Regent-Ville for a Couple of Hours, we crossed the River from thence to Emu Plains in the Government Boat Pheasant, Sir John accompanying us and now making one of our Party.

Our Carriage and Horses were waiting for us at the Government Stock-Yard on Emu Plains; and the Government Herd of young Heifers having been collected there for the purpose by Mr. Hassall, we stopt [sic] for a little to inspect and look at them; after which we pursued our Journey across Emu-Plains. — Mrs. Macquarie and myself mounted our Horses at the Three Mile Tree from Emu Ford, which is immediately at the foot of the Mountains, at Half past 12,O'Clock, and we Continued our Journey up the Mountain, the ascent of which is pretty steep and sharp for about 3 quarters of a mile, and then we proceeded on a gentle aclivity as far as the First Depôt , distant 6 miles from Emu Ford, which we reached at 1,O'Clock and stopt [sic] there for about a quarter of an Hour. — Here a Corporal and 3 Privates of the Royal Veteran Company are stationed. —

Mr. Hassall and Mr. George Cox, son of Wm. Cox Esqr. accompanied us as far as the 1st Depôt and there took their leave of us. — From the 1st Depôt we continued our Journey through an open Hilly Forest with gentle ascents and descents occasionally, for Six miles – but the Road very good all the way. — We then Halted at three OClock in a very pretty wooded Plain near a Spring of very good fresh Water, and Pitched our Tent near the side of the Road.

This stage is 12 miles from Emu Ford and our first on the Mountains. — The Place being very pretty I have named it "Spring-Wood". — We dined at ½ past 4 – and Played Cards in our Tent in the Evening, Drinking Tea afterwards; – retiring to rest at an early Hour.—

Thursday 27. April !
Sent off our heavy Baggage at ½ past 7,O'Clock this morning from Spring-Wood. Breakfasted ourselves at ½ past 8, and set out in the Carriage at ½ past Ten on our Journey. — For the first few miles the Road was through an Open Forest and very good – but we soon came to a very hilly broken Country and rough Stony Road, especially on reaching "The Bluff Bridge", it being very bad and hilly from thence for Five Miles, with heavy pulls up Steep Hills for the Cattle and Carriages, which rendered it a severe and fatiguing day's work for them. — In the course of this Day's ride we had very fine and extensive views of the adjacent low Country towards Windsor, Parramatta, and Prospect, especially from Kealy's [sic] Pile, which I named "Kealy's Repulse", and from a very beautiful Table Land, which last I have named "The King's Table-Land". – This Table Land is extremely beautiful and has very fine Picturesque grand scenery – consisting of deep finely wooded Glens, stupendous Rocks & Cliffs, with high distant Hills and Mountains. From the King's Table Land, we could distinctly see Windsor and some of the Reaches of the River Hawkesbury. — We did not arrive at the 2d. Depôt till 5,O'Clock, distant from our last stage 16 miles, and here we halted for the Night. — Owing to the badness of the Road the last of our Baggage did not get up with us till 8,O'Clock – which obliged us to delay dining till then.

The 2d. Depôt is Situated in a very pretty looking Valley very well watered – but without much good Feed for Cattle.

Friday 28. April !
Got up early and took a walk forward for a mile to look at the Road. — Sent off the Baggage between 7 and 8 O'Clock. — Breakfasted at 8 O'Clock, and set out in the Carriage at 9,O'Clock. — This day's Stage was over a hilly high Country, but the Road was very good and easy for the Cattle and Carriages. — On the left we passed a very extensive deep romantic Glen, full of very Picturesque and wild Scenery. — It commenced at the 33d. Mile Tree and continues all the way from thence to the 41 Mile Tree, where we halted for this day, being 13 miles from our last Halting Place at the 2d. Depôt . —Here we found tolerable good Feed for our Cattle and plenty of fresh water – it being an open Forest. — We arrived at our Ground at the 41 Mile Tree at 3,O'Clock. Dined at 5, Drank Tea at 7, and went to Bed between 9 and 10 O'Clock. —

I named the Grand and Picturesque extensive Glen we passed this day on our left "The Regent's Glen" in Honor of H. R. Highness the Prince Regent —

Saturday 29. April !
Rise early – and sent off our heavy Baggage between 7 and 8 O'Clock. Breakfast at 8 O'Clock and Set out from the 41 Mile Tree at ¼ past 9,O'Clock. — At 11. OClock, reached the termination of the Blue Mountains ending in a very abrupt descent almost perpendicular. — Here we halted for a little while to view this frightful tremendous Pass, as well as to feast our eyes with the Grand and pleasing Prospect of the fine low Country below us and now in view from this termination of the Blue Mountains.

Mr. Cox and his Party with incredible labour and perseverance have constructed a very safe Carriage Road down the face of this Mountain which does him and them infinite honor; – it being a most difficult and most arduous undertaking, and one which most People would have at first view abandoned in despair as being impracticable. — From the beginning of the Pass to the foot of the mountain is one mile and a quarter in length – the Road being made in Traverses in as easy a manner as it was practicable to Construct it; – but still exceedingly steep in most Places along the declivity of the Mountain, which is above 600 Feet in Perpendicular Height from the Plain below. — The distance from our last stage at the 41 Mile Tree and the Grand Termination of the Blue Mountains is 7 ¾ miles; and this Mountain being one of the most prominent and remarkable of the whole Range, I have named it "Mount York" in honor of H. R. Highness the Duke of York, on account of its being the only one by which it is at all practicable to descend into the low Country. — The Pass constructed here by Mr. Cox and his Party I have named "Cox's Pass" in honor of that Gentleman and as a just tribute due to his indefatigable zeal and meritorious exertions in Constructing and finally Completing this grand and important Pass. —

The Road down the mountain being so extremely steep as to render it hazardous to drive down it in the Carriage, we had the Horses taken out of it and had it brought down by hand, and the same method was adopted in regard to bringing down our Caravan and heavy loaded Carts. This retarded our Journey a long time, the whole of the Carriages not having been got down the Pass till 2,O'Clock, tho' the first of them began to descend at 11,O'Clock.

Mrs. Macquarie and myself accompanied by Mr. Cox and Mr. Secretary Campbell walked down the whole of the Pass, and waited at the foot of the mountain till all the Carriages had come down.

At ¼ past 2. P.M. we pursued our Journey in the Carriage over a fine plain verdant Country of open Forest Land through a beautiful extensive Vale of Five Miles, which I have named "The Vale Clwydd" after the Vale of the same name in Wales. — This Vale terminates at a River running South formed by two smaller ones coming from the Westward and Eastward, and which unite at the distance of Five Miles from Mount York.

I have named the river thus formed "Cox's River", in honor of Mr. Cox. — We arrived at this River at 3,O'Clock, and Encamped on the Left Bank of the Western Branch of it; having here good Grass and plenty of fine Water for our Cattle.

We dined at 5,O'Clock and played Cards in the Evening after Dinner till Tea-Time, retiring early to Bed. — The distance of this day's Journey is 14 miles from the 41 Mile Tree.—

The Ground about and adjacent to the 41 Mile Tree being a good stage for both Water and Forage, and it having rather a wild Heath-like appearance, I have named it "Hounslow".—

Sunday 30. April !
We halt all this day at Cox's River on account of keeping the Day holy. – After Breakfast I had all our Servants and Followers regularly Paraded and Mustered, and had Divine Service performed – the whole of our Party being present. — As Divine Service had been performed, the Gentlemen of our Party accompanied me on a Ride to Mount Blaxland, leaving Mrs. Macquarie in Camp. — Mount Blaxland is distant 3 ½ miles West from Cox's River, through a fine open hilly Country of good Pasture. We ascended to the Top of the Mountain from whence we had a fine prospect of the adjacent Hilly Country and of Wentworth's and Lawson's Sugar Loaves in the immediate vicinity of Mount Blaxland. — We returned to Camp by ½ past 3, dined at 5,O'Clock, and retired early to rest.—

Source
Macquarie, Lachlan. Journal of a Tour of the Newly Discovered Country West of the Blue Mountains. 25 April 1815 - 19 May 1815.
Original held in the Mitchell Library, Sydney.
ML Ref: A779 1-10 ff. [Microfilm Reel CY303 Frames #4-21].