arrived early at Mrs. Dillon's inn, where I took up my quarters, in order
that I might complete, with less interruption, a report which I was
instructed to make to the Governor from this place, respecting the state
of the works along the road.

April 3.

My friend Rankin called and insisted on my accompanying him to his
residence at Saltram, which I accordingly did. The houses of the
inhabitants here are scattered over the extensive open country, and give
a most cheerful appearance to the plains of Bathurst. These fine downs
only a few years before must have been as desolate as those of a similar
character still are on the banks of the Namoi and Karaula. Peace and
plenty now smile on the banks of Wambool,* and British enterprise and
industry may produce in time a similar change on the desolate banks of
the Namoi, Gwydir, and Karaula, and throughout those extensive regions
behind the Coast range, still further northward--all as yet unpeopled,
save by the wandering aborigines, who may then, as at Bathurst now, enjoy
that security and protection to which they have so just a claim.

(*Footnote. Native name for the river Macquarie.)

INCONVENIENCE OF WANT OF ARRANGEMENT IN EARLY COLONIZATION.

The inconvenience of a want of plan for roads and streets is strikingly
obvious at Bathurst. A vast tract had indeed been reserved as a township,
but then, no streets having been laid out, allotments for building could
neither be obtained by grant nor purchase. The site for the town was
therefore only distinguished by a government house, jail, courthouse,
postoffice, and barracks; while the population had collected in 60 or 80
houses built in an irregular manner on the Sydney side of the river, and
at the distance of a mile from the intended site of the town. The
consequence of a want of arrangement became equally apparent in the line
of approach to the township, for the only road in use being very
indirect, and passing through a muddy hollow, named The Bay of Biscay,
could not be altered because the adjacent land had been granted to
individuals. Thus when the good people of Bathurst prayed in petitions
for delivery from their Bay of Biscay, and a dry and more direct line for
the road had been easily found and marked out, the irregular buildings
and private property lay in the way of the desired improvement. All these
inconveniences might have been obviated by due attention to such
arrangements in the first instance, when any plan