Mr. Oxley than conducive to the
public interest; and although the principal object, namely, that of
tracing the Macquarie River to its embouchure, has not been so favourable
as was anticipated, yet the failure is in a great degree counterbalanced
by other important discoveries made in the course of this tour, which
promise, at no very remote period, to prove of material advantage to this
rising colony.
Whilst his excellency thus offers this public tribute of congratulations,
he desires to accompany it with expressions of his high sense and
approbation of Mr. Oxley's meritorious services on this occasion; which
his excellency will not fail to represent to His Majesty's ministers, by
the earliest opportunity.
The personal assistance and support so cheerfully and beneficially
afforded to Mr. Oxley by the gentlemen associated with him on this
expedition, demand his excellency's best acknowledgments, which be is
happy thus publicly to request them to accept.
The following letter received from Mr. Oxley on his arrival at Port
Stephens, on the 1st of November last, is now published for general
information on the interesting subject of this tour.
By his excellency the governor's command,
J. T. CAMPBELL, Secretary.
* * *
Port Stephens, November 1, 1818.
Sir,
I have the honour to inform your excellency, that I arrived at this port
to-day, and circumstances rendering it necessary that Mr. Evans should
proceed to Newcastle, I embrace the opportunity to make to your
excellency a brief report of the route pursued by the western expedition
entrusted to my direction.
