Letter received by Banks from John Hunter, 21 December 1795 (Series 38.02) - No. 0003

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whether Natives Originally of this Country which some might Imagine, or the descendants of our long lost flock, for this purpose I ditermind to attempt to shoot a Calf, the next Morning, but in this we were disappointed by being discoverd and attackd Most furiously by a large & very feirce Bull this part of the Valley being rather Open we could not well Shelter ourselves & were consequently oblig'd to fire at him, He was so Strong & Violent that Six Balls were fird thro' before anyone dar'd  venture near him, we were now Satisfied that they were the Cape Breed, & the offspring of those no doubt, which I brought here in the Sirius - we this Morning counted Sixty one

Having been put into some Bodily fear by this feirce fellow we thought there was no impropriety in helping ourselves to a Beef Steak out of one of his Thighs for supper, but I was griev'd to leave such a Carcase to be destroyd by Crows & Native Dogs when it would have been so highly acceptable to the Settlement, This place I calld Cow pasture Plains, & the Hills from which we first discoverd them Mount Taurus.

It lays from Sydney in a S W direction from 50 to 55 Ms. & from Parramatta about S s W from 32 to 34 Miles. -

This part is really a beautifull Country