GEORGE EVANS
George Evans was chosen by Macquarie to go
And follow the pathway of Blaxland and Co
To seek out the wealth of this land new and strange
And to be the first Europeans west of the Range
He left in November with a party of five
Carrying the things they would need to survive
But the bush was so thick, they at first lost their way
They were tired by their efforts at the end of each day
The ground was covered with sharp cutting stones
Upsetting the horses and jarring their bones
One horse rolled over in a stubborn act
And broke medicine bottles carried on its back
It rained those first nights and no shelter was found
So they had to sleep on the cold, wet ground
And the fire that they built to keep themselves warm
Was quickly extinguished by the harsh, raging storm
The bread was ruined by heavy rain
He still went on, trying not to complain
And soon realised what Blaxland's men went through
To open the country for me and for you
For the lands to the west were beyond expectation
Their riches would support this young growing nation
The grasslands where he walked cut feet and shoes
But he couldn't speak too highly of the new, wondrous views
Chorus:
Over the mountains
To a land new and strange
He'd be the first European
West of the range
© Jim Low
