Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), Saturday 12 May 1832, page 3


BATHURST.

(From our Correspondent)

MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCE.—About nine miles from the settlement is a place commonly distinguished by the name of "The Black Horse Square," in the vicinity of which Mr. Lawson has recently established a station. One of that gentle-man's servants, while pursuing his daily occupation, last week, discovered on the summit of a range, between the cleft of a rock, a human skeleton. The circumstance being immediately communicated to the authorities, an inquest was duly summoned by the coroner (to attend at the spot where the bones lay. The jury, on assembling, could find no clue whereby the mystery might be unravelled ; and the identity of the deceased, the period and manner of his death,

still remain buried in obscurity. The only conclu-sion which the appearance of the bones conveyed, bleached as they were to a snowy whiteness, was, that they had belonged to a man of tall stature, and who might be supposed to have been an inhabitant of another world for at least a twelvemonth. A pair of shoes, and the remnants of a grey cloth jacket, indicated that he had been a prisoner, pro-bably a new hand ; but there was nothing to war-rant a conclusion that he had met his death by vio-lent means, but rather by being lost in the bush, or a runaway—in either case fallen a prey to starvation. Circumstances so undefined and inconclusive pro-

duced a corresponding verdict.

SURVEY OF THE ABERCROMBIE AND MURRUMBIDGEE. RIVERS.—Mr. Surveyor Stapylton has returned to Sydney from the vicinity of these rivers, where he has been for some months actively engaged in laying down a chart of the intermediate country, the result of this officer's labours is spoken of as being particularly favourable, inasmuch as he has succeeded in throwing open a most delight-ful portion of the territory. The neighbourhood of the Murrumbidgee is represented to be of the most fertile character ; the soil is a stiff blue saponaceous loam, the pasturage luxuriant, wherein indigenuous clover, equal to a second crop of English growth, is intermixed with rich fine grasses ; the timber light, and atmospheric temperature cool. Stations from the Abercrombie hence are rapidly multiplying, and already form a line of communication between the two streams. The latent arrivals at the Murrum-

bidgee are the herds of Messrs. McArthur, Throsby

and Ellis.

It is generally believed that the plan of a township on the Macquarie, towards the disposal or

distribution of allotments of which the expectations of the residents of the district had for a long time been directed, has undergone a revision and ultimate

change ; and that it is now in contemplation to ap-portion the land in one-hundred-acre divisions for public sale, and which arrangement will shortly be

acted on—so says report. No positive voucher ap-pears for its authenticity in the absence of official notification ; but it has obtained currency, and, should it have truth for its basis, a most effectual hinderance will be opposed thereby to the creation of a town, of every feature of which Bathurst is at present deficient. A new-comer can now scarcely find house-room for love or money, saving at a public-house, so few in number are the dwelling-houses on the settlement. The ground is all located on that side of the river occupied by the civilians,

and the spirit of building has not infused itself into the proprietors thereof. The original laying out,

and subsequent arfiyiftomenr bf (ho settlement, was an exceedingly inconvenient,0110. iA division is made botivcpii tho residents and the authorities, civil mid military ; the church, or rather claudius, tho freo inhabitants, and tho trado, aio all on tho oppoaito «¡do to tim court, poit, and stoics; and various casualties, nlludod to tin 1 detailed on moro than one formur occasion, froquoutly cut oft'all inter-course betwuen them. At this very timo the bjdy ot the population, wanting their letters, newspapers, &c, or hnving business with tho lJonch or with the Commissatiat, havo to wnilo across tho river mid doep-no desirable variety on a sharp frosty morn-ing, with a rapid curront, whon loss of life a id othor accidents aro too frequently occuning. It mav be argnod that the purchaser« of theso 100 acre farms can build, or let on buildi ig leases, anda.» create a town ; but such a course, if acted on with-out exception, would nevor concentrate m one com-mon contro a body of inhabitants, in the samo de-gree, or with equal fr.'ility, as by disposing of building allotments at per perch in tho first instance. Again, the local authorities are now tho servants of Tur Piopt.i. ns well as of the Government; and while the former pay thom liberally, they havo a right to oxpoct attention to their convenience, and a due consideration by their collective wisdom. The only hope they now havo 13, thnt when His Excol loncy the Governor shall visit Bathurst-an event earnestly desired hy all olaisos-that be will be plensod to give this subject his attention, nail direct such improvements ns may obviate thoso difficulties which have so long and repoatudly been a subject of

c)mplain'.

For the last 4 or 5 years, the Bathurst mail was oonvoyod hither by the mounted police, with a degree of punctuality, sofety, and expedition, which no privato means could poisibly excoo I, or hardly parallel. Perfect confidence wns felt on all sides : tho precision and certainty of a soldier's move-

ments-the disinclination of robbers to attnek so formitjablo.nn object as an armed dragoon-oil con-tributed to maintain perfect satisfaction in the means used for the safo transmission of so importnnt a chargé as a country mail. This servico is now performed by contract, and lacles the regularity of arrival which formerly distinguished it. But iti's no disparagement to the contractor to say, chat the same feoling.of conlidonco does not now subsist-not from any negligence or irregularity anticipated on his part-but there are fortuitous circumstances, of possible occurrence, which render the old system by far the most desirable. A mail is an important charge, involving the intore ts of a whole district ; and the mountain road to a'single man, not a soldier, oarrying oftentimes a valuable booty, présents a powerful: temptation to'the'evil-disposed, nnd is fraught with peril to the individual ; while in the custody off the police, it was comparatively, nay, positively secure. The discipline of th it body pre-cluded the idea of drúnkonñoss, and thoir military character forbid the'clinnce of predatory attack.' The sun îndiis^ooiirsQ was not more exact than " po'ice man Akers'," long stationed at tho Fish 'River, whom neither, flood or darkness interrupted ; and who might bo seen each Wednesday morning, at the hour of balf-past seven, descending, on his well recognised grey horse, theOne-tree-hill, exact to' the minute, and laden with despatches ", from the east, from t!ie west,'from the north, and from the south." Then might- the lover of news regale himself over his morning coffeo with papers only 48 hours old, and the man of business receive his letters sufficiently early to enable lum conveniently to return answers per the sarao post-for, in so short a period of time, four hours is an age. Tt is now twelve, and often one o'clock, when the post arrives.

COURT OK REQUESTS.-Report says' that the sittings of this Court will bo immediately «¿tended to Bathurst, and (hat the first visit of the Commissioner will be in Juno next. One or two gentlemen of " the profession" « ould find it worth their while to accompany that'officor, for thora is a long arrear of accounts to settle. The re-establish-ment of the Court on this side the Mountains is a favour that will be very thankfully receivod by the

settlers, &c.

Another matrimonial engagement, in genteel life, is on the tapis, between the families of L***** and I»»»*, which is likely tobe brought to a happyund early termination.