DAY 16
I took this opportunity of giving the children all a good washing and change of clothes. This, as the day was extremely sultry, and not a tree to shade us in the tent, made it, instead of a day of rest, one of great fatigue to me.
DAY 17
Being all now so completely sick and tired of the journey, we decided on setting off the next morning, more particularly as the weather was showery and from the season of the year heavy rain might be expected. We were reinforced by a cart and two horses from Bathurst, accompanied by Mr. Riley, as he had promised.
We again ascended our cart on the twenty-first. We had been sitting for some time on the banks of the river seeing the whole cavalcade cross, and when it came to our turn it was with many fears we entered the water nearly up to the horses' bellies, and the bottom covered with large pieces of rock and stone, enough to overturn the cart and jolt us to death. A man offered to carry little Neddie over in his arms. With anxious eyes I watched him through fear his feet might slip and our darling boy have his head dashed against a stone. With talking, swearing, beating our poor bullocks, we got safe on the bank on the opposite side. We had now a very long and steep hill before us, and, as usual, they refused to go. It was decided that we must have two good horses, as it was impossible we could ever get on. "Sir Noby Redmond" and "Lion" (names I can never forget) were placed in a dray with a horse behind and another before them, but from it being a constant succession of steep hills, we were only able that day to perform eight miles, and rested at eight in a valley. Here we were joined by five more bullocks from Bathurst.
DAY 18
We set off early next morning; after going eight miles reached the Fish River; after crossing which we had to ascend our last hill, which was very long, very steep. I thought I could never have walked to the top. The drays were a considerable time in getting up, and were obliged to assist each other. We now descended into a most beautiful country to Sidmouth Valley. We had to go through a very bad swamp before we got to our resting place, which was where Mr Lowe's overseer lived, who had the care of his stock. He had desired his tent to remain for us, and we were very glad to take possession of it, as it was raining here. A gentleman from Bathurst, whom we had known in Sydney, came to meet us, and accompanied us back. We had now, my dear Ann, accomplished our journey over the mountains. The last ten miles we had hardly a spot of level ground; all was steep hills. We were now but eighteen miles from Bathurst, the country extremely beautiful, gently rising hills covered with wood. We passed Macquarie Plains, crossed Fish River, and entered on the plains of Bathurst. The road was good and, being determined to reach home that night, we almost trotted, which jolted us so dreadfully that I though every bone would be disjointed. It was as much as we could do to keep ourselves on the seats and hold the children. As if to the very last our journey was to be made uncomfortable, a fine rain began, which beat in our faces, and made us very cold.
At length our house was pointed out to us. What a welcome sight! The rain was now powerful and before we could reach home we had to cross the Macquarie River, the most dangerous of all. You descend a steep bank, and suddenly plunge into the water, which was as high as the bottom of the cart. The first dray got over, but the rest, being lower, we were obliged to seek another ford for them. We remained alone. The driver of the first brought one of his horses over, put it to ours, and in we plunged. We felt more alarmed for our personal safety at that moment than we had done during the whole journey. We reached the opposite side, and all at one moment exclaimed, "We are over." A few minutes brought us to our house, where there was a blazing wood fire to warm and cheer us.
