Got up early -- and Breakfasted at 8 o'clock. -- At 1/2 past 9 Mrs. M. and myself set out in the Carriage, accompanied by all the Gentlemen of our Party, to see "Mount Pleasant" and "Pine-Hill" -- and the Country in the Vicinity of those Hills. -- The Country between Bathurst and Mount Pleasant for Five miles is one continued Plain of fine rich fertile Land, with beautiful verdant low wooded Hills skirting it. Beyond Mount Pleasant the Country breaks into Hills, and the Plain ceases. We left Mrs. M. in the Carriage at Mt. Pleasant, the Country beyond it being too rough to admit of its proceeding any farther in this direction. -- The rest of the Party accompanied me on Horseback as far as "PineHill" about 7 miles to the westward of Mt. Pleasant. -- Our ride to this Place was a very rough one over a succession of steep Hills and deep Vallies [sic] alternately. -- On reaching Pine Hill we saw the Pine-Tree of this Country in great numbers and of a considerable Height, but of no great circumference, none of them we saw being above one foot in diameter. -- On our way to Pine Hill soon after passing Mount Pleasant, we entered a beautiful rich Valley extending from Mt. Pleasant in a South West direction for about 8 or 9 miles. -- This Valley is very fertile and well watered, having fine verdant Hills rising on each side of it, affording excellent Pasturage. I named this fine rich Vale "Campbell Valley" in honor of Mrs. Macquarie.

On our descent from Pine Hill we stopt [sic] to look at a Ford and small Fall on the Macquarie River three miles to the westward of Mt. Pleasant; we then continued our Journey to the latter and rode up to the top of it, which is a Table-Land -- and from whence there is a very fine extensive Prospect. -- We found on the very top of Mount Pleasant several Cairns or Piles of Stones -- which have every appearance of having been collected there by the Hands of Man. From the top of Mt. Pleasant we descended on the opposite side to that we ascended, and joined Mrs. M. at Half past 2 o'clock. -- I then went into the Carriage and we all returned Home, arriving at Bathurst at 1/2 past 3 o'clock, much gratified with our day's Excursion. -- We dined at 5 o'clock and spent the Evening as usual. ---

8 May 1815 | 10 May 1815