him a few cattle from England. Almost the whole herd[1] escaped from a careless herdsman and were given up for lost. But a few years afterwards they were discovered already greatly multiplied in the rich pasture land beyond Parramatta. Here they remained, and when Macquarie made a tour of the country in 1811 he reckoned their number at several thousands. As in theory they belonged to the Government, great efforts were made to preserve them,[2] but they were a standing menace to security, for the pastures made a fine hiding-place for evildoers and the herds provided a constant temptation to cattle-stealing. Stringent regulations were made forbidding any one to cross the river which formed their eastern boundary, and killing or stealing the wild cattle was made a felony without benefit of clergy.[3] No one could go into the pastures without a pass from the Governor except, of course, Macarthur, Davidson and their families, friends and servants. The regulations were so stringent that they were very reluctantly enforced, and the preservation of the cattle became altogether too troublesome. A determined effort was made to tame as many as possible and to shoot the rest, using the skins and carcases. Macarthur was eager to assist in getting rid of them, for they were a temptation to his servants and a danger to his crops. Finally in 1819 Macquarie decided to incorporate as many as he could with the tame Government herds during the next twelve months and then open the whole area to settlement.[4] In 1820 he had gathered in about 320, but he delayed making any grants in the Cow Pastures, and by the end of 1821 it was still a project and nothing more.[5]
Besides the settlers from England and those who had been transported, there were the native-born colonists whose demands for land had to be satisfied. This class were indeed at some disadvantage, for the convicts on regaining their freedom had a
- ↑ i.e., about five or six head!
- ↑ It was expected that they might in time spread over the whole continent. Many strayed cattle belonging to settlers mixed with the original stock, but the original breed remained easily recognisable, and on this ground the Government claim the whole number.
- ↑ See enclosure to D. 18, 4th April, 1817. R.O., MS.
- ↑ D. 20, 24th March, 1819. R.O., MS.
- ↑ See Macarthur to Bigge, Appendix to Reports, 8th October, 1811. R.O., MS.
