Wednesday 21st.
---I set out this morning immediately after Breakfast, accompanied by Mrs. M. and the rest of our Party on Horseback, to explore the Country to the Southward and Westward of Mr. Thompson's Estate, and those Farms granted to several Individuals by the late Usurped Government. ---We first rode through those Farms and for about two miles to the South West of them, and found the Land in general very good for both Tillage and Pasturage, and well watered. ---Having rode about six miles in this direction, Mrs. M. returned Home attended by Mr. Meehan (as her Guide) and Capt. Antill, and one of the Dragoons. ---I prosecuted my ride with the rest of the Party for about three miles in a Westerly direction, from where we fell in with the first Rocks, towards the River Nepean -- and the Land still continued very good during the whole of that extent. --- I met with some fine Herds of Cattle belonging to Mr. Campbell in this last ride, grazing in very fine Pasture, and which I supposed could not be more than about three miles from the River Nepean opposite to Mr. Davidson's Farm and where I had seen the River and that Farm on Monday afternoon. ---From the place I saw Mr. Campbell's Cattle grazing in, we returned back in a North East direction through a very fine Country for about six miles to St. Andrews. ---The principal and indeed only objection to the Land we last rode through for six miles is the great want of Water --there being very few Ponds in all that extent, and the Creeks or Gullies (of which there are a great many) we met with and crossed are all dry at this Season of the Year, with the exception of one or two; so that this last Tract of Country is not so well Calculated for small Settlers. We got back to St. Andrews about 3 o'clock p.m. and finding that Mrs. M. had gone after returning home to see Dr. Townson's Farm and Bunbury Curran Hill immediately in the vicinity of St. Andrews, we all followed her thither, and met her returning home again after having ascended the Hill, accompanied by her Guide Mr. Meehan & a Dragoon. ---We also met Capt. Antill and Mr. Moore, who had come from George's River this morning to see me, on their return home from a walk to Dr. Townson's Farm. ---The accounts given me by Mrs. M. of the beautiful prospect she had from the top of Bunbury Curran Hill, then very near where we met her, induced me to ascend it, which I did on Horseback, and was highly gratified with the noble extensive view I had from the top of it of the surrounding Country. On my return from the Hill, we overtook Mrs. M. on Dr. Townson's Farm, where we stopt [sic] for a few minutes to speak to the Doctor and to look at a very ill chosen situation he has fixed on for the scite [sic] of his new intended House. ---We arrived at our Head Quarters at St. Andrews at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, after being fully six Hours on Horseback, which I fear will knock up Mrs. M. as it is much too long a ride for her in such very hot sultry weather; having rode not less than 15 miles on Horseback, besides walking up the high steep Hill of Bunbury Curran. ---This morning's ride has also deprived us, I am afraid, for some time of the use and Services of our excellent Coach-man and Groom Joseph Big, who unfortunately received a very bad kick from one of the Horses returning home, which has made a deep cut on the Shin Bone of his Left Leg and made a dent in the Bone itself. ---There are hopes however that the Bone is not materially injured and that he will soon recover the use of his Leg again. ---We dined at 5 o'clock, Mr. Moore having staid [sic] to pass this day with us.----

20 November 1810 | 22 November 1810