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Nov. 1 1802
Sir
At present I am only able to send you a letter, which is forwarded by a passenger in the french ship Naturalist. I understand she is ordered by Comadore Baudin to proceed direct to France. This ship, & also the Geographe, have been for some months here. They were to have sailed some time ago, but now wait for to observe a transit of Mercury, which will happen on the 10th inst., & then immediately depart.
I expect I shall be able to send you some packages in a short time, as a Whaler is expected to put in here next month, & then to sail for England. I have of late been in that part of the country called the blue mountains, where I have met with several new plants. My principle tracts & observations I shall communicate to you by the first opportunity
Though these hills, by being seen a long way, & by the accounts of the few that have visited them, are in general considered as impassable Mountains; yet I cannot rank them as such. On gaining the summit of some of the hills that are seen at a great distance, I have found forest land of a good quality. Then met with rocky ground covered with thickets, large trees, & interspersed with deep rocky valleys; but have not as yet found a hill that overlooked the first, or commanded a prospect into the interior (except Mount Hunter, which has as good a view to the westward as to the eastward). These ranges of hills seem to me to begin at a considerable distance to the Northward, & run in the form of a crescent to Cape Howe; and from thence it is not improbable, but a similar range may run to Wilsons promontory in Bass's Straits, or Sea, as between these two places is a low & level tract of land. Yet in passing over these hills, I am of opinion will not only be attended with difficulty, but great hazard, for instance, should a party go out in fine weather & travel a considerable distance, & then wet weather to come on, a stop would be put to proceeding further; remaining still consumes the provisions; if wet weather continues, hunger will force a retreat, many of the valleys will be flooded, in travelling through the thickets will be as bad as being up to the neck in water, & inconvenience will destroy their clothing, necessaries, &c but yet again, a party conducted under an intelligent & frugal person, provided the weather happens favorable might gain the object of the pursuit. The Govr has been at some pains seemingly to know something more of the country. He lately sent out a Mr Barrelier, who was equipped with six or seven men, two Natives, & two horses. They took their departure from Richmond Hill, & were out 12 or 13 days - I believe his object was to penetrate