The death of Mr. George Barrington, who, for a long time, was
in the situation of chief constable at Parramatta, ought to have
been previously adverted to, as his decease took place some time
before this period. During his residence in the colony, he had
conducted himself with singular propriety of conduct; and, by his
industry, had saved some money; but, for a considerable time
previous to his death, he was in a state of insanity, and was
constantly attended by a trusty person. The general opinion of
those around him was, that he brought on this malady, so
destructive to the majesty of man, by his serious and sorrowful
reflexions on his former career of iniquity. His death, however,
was that of a good man, and a sincere christian. He expressed a
very considerable degree of displeasure, when he was in a state
of sanity, at his name being affixed to a narrative, which he
knew only by report, as being about to be published, and which
subsequently did appear, under a deceptious mask.

The Blue Mountains have never yet been passed, so that beyond
those tremendous barriers, the country yet remains unexplored and
unknown. Various attempts have, at different periods, been made
to exceed this boundary of the settlement; but none of them have
been attended with the wished-for effect. M. Barrallier, a French
gentleman, late an engsign in the New South Wales corps, has been
further across than any other individual; but he was compelled to
return unsatisfied, before he had obtained any knowledge of the
trans-mountaneous territory which he longed to behold. I myself
made an excursion to these mountains, in the year 1807,
accompanied by an European and three natives; but after mounting
the steep acclivities for four days, until I found my stock of
provisions sensibly diminishing, I thought it most prudent to