Letter received by Banks from John Hunter, 21 August 1801 (Series 38.21) - No. 0017

[Page 17]

Sunday 18th

We got at the Top of this high Mountain, which I believe to be the largest Hill in the Country, here we had an excellent view of the whole Mountain, we took a View to the N & NW, which is nothing but exceeding high Mountains, on a rise one above another, so that the Clouds is lost. We likewise saw a River bearing NNE. & SSW, Wilson told me that this River runs into Timbes or Nepean River for he was well acquainted with it, we saw that the River that we had cross't before came into it, & discovered a Brook which runs through the Mountains. I supposed it to be a River, so I asked Wilson if it was a River or not; he told me that he was certain that it is the River that runs clear through the Mountains to the Hawkesbury, the land to the NE. looks to be a level Country for we could hardly discover Mount Hunter or any other Hill towards home, but to the E. we saw a Scrubby Rockey Country, full of deep Gullies, to the SE. much the same, we saw a large Gap about SSE, we supposed that there was a River which runs into the Sea, but to the S. the Country is very mountainious, but fine green Hills, some of them are Bushey & full of Vines, with good black soil, we likewise saw to