the surrounding country. This trip, inspired by Tench's ardent love of
discovery, became a noteworthy one in the annals of New South Wales. It
was made during the month that witnessed the discovery of the Hawkesbury
River. On the second day after his party left Rose Hill, they found
themselves early in the morning on "the banks of a river, nearly as broad
as the Thames at Putney, and apparently of great depth, the current
running very slowly in a northerly direction."

This river, at first known as the Tench, was afterwards named the Nepean
by Phillip, when its identity as a tributary of the Hawkesbury had been
confirmed. Two other slight excursions were made by Tench in company with
Lieutenant Dawes, who was in charge of the Observatory, and ex-surgeon
Worgan. In May, 1791, Tench and Dawes started from Rose Hill and
confirmed the supposition that the Nepean was an affluent of the
Hawkesbury, a matter over which there had been some doubt since its first
discovery by Tench. Tench returned to England in H.M.S. Gorgon, in
December, 1791.

The names of Paterson, Johnson, Palmer, and Laing are also connected with
exploration on the upper Hawkesbury.

1.3. THE BLUE MOUNTAINS: BARALLIER.

The exploration of that portion of Australia which was accessible by the
scanty means of the early settlers was for many years impeded by the
stern barrier of the mountains, and most of their efforts in the
direction of discovery were aimed at surmounting the range that defied
their attacks. Among the many whose attempts were signalised only by
failure were the gallant Bass, whose name, for other reasons, will never
be forgotten by Australians, the quarrelsome and pragmatic Cayley, and