Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 1.djvu/182

 82 SIR JOSEPH BANKS. 17W attaclimeiit to Sir Josepli Banks. It is curious to observe how they both turned instantly and hopefully to him when A friend in misf ortuno ovortook them, as if they felt instinctively that either his hand must help them, or none at all. These are memorable instances of the singular influence exercised by Sir Joseph with respect to men and matters connected with New South Wales. A remarkable illustra- tion of his fatherly interest in it may be found in a draft letter written by him to the Secretary of the Treasury in Exploration June, 1798. The necessity for exploring the interior of the colony with a view to the development of its resources had evidently occupied his attention ; and in the course of his letter he sketched out a plan for the purpose, in which he seems to have felt great confidence. He began by pointing out how much this matter had been neglected : — We have now occupied the country of New South Wales more than ten years ; and so much has the discovery of the interior been neglected that no one article has hitherto been discovered, by the 17o importa. importation of which the mother country can receive any degree of return for the cost of founding and hitherto maintaining the colony. A country so extensive must possess a large river system and raw material of some kind : — It is impossible to conceive that such a body of land, as large as all Europe, does not produce vast rivers capable of being navigated into the heart of the interior ; or that, if properly investigated, and*»w ^^^^ * country, situate in a most fruitful climate, should not material. produce some native raw material of importance to such a manu- facturing country as England is. A celebrated traveller had just arrived in England, fresh from the work of exploration : — Mungo Mr. Mungo Park,* lately returned from a journey in Africa, where he penetrated farther into the inland than any European dition hy the African Association, on the recommendation of Sir Joeeph Banks, a prominent member of the committee. He returned to England in December, 1797. His second expedition to that country, on whi^ he set out in December, 1803, was undertaken at the request of the Govern- ment, and proved fatal to him. Digitized by VjOOQIC
 * Mungo Park was sent out to Africa in 1795 on hia first exploring expe-