The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-05
own PRESS AGENT DYAKS ARE STRANGE
Amazing Journal to Be Sold at
Auction.
Ma Zen. Macquare, Who Ruled New
South Wales, Was Regular Pooh
Bah; Filled All Offices and
Subjugated Natives.

Who was the vainest man in modern
history, as well as the greatest Pooh
bah on record? One is inclined, after
reading extracts from his volum1nous
diaries and from the notes and chron-
icles of his that soon are to be sold at
auction in London, to award these dis
tinctions to the late Maj.-Gen. L.. Mac
uuarie, who once was governor or New
South Wales-or, rather, who was
New South Wales in his day, and not
merely the kings representative.
Most probably you never have heard
Of Maj Gen. Macquarie before, and no
more had nine out of ten dwellers In
these islands until 1t was announced
that these private journals OF his,
weighty package that has been tossed
about for eighty-nine years since 1t
left Botany bay, would be sold to the
highest bidder at SOtheby's famous
salesrooms on the I'D Of this month,
writes a London correspondent OF the
Buffalo Express. For Macquarie was
his own best press agent, like Ger
tain famous parsonage, who now is In
South America, and after his demise
his stock fell rapidly. but In the early
DAYS of 1900 he was absolutely and
entirely it in New South Wales. He
was the law and everything else, IN
Guiding commander of the troops,
chancellor of the exchequer, lord CHIEF
justice. lord mayor, chief OF ponce'
collector of taxes, taker Of the census
and lord high everything else just like
Gi.bert's Pooh-bah.
In short. he believed in Maj-Gen.
Macquarie Fewer than forty years
then had passed since Capt. Cooks
first encounter with the natives. and
Australia was new to the white man
lust the place for an official with a
habit of discovering rivers and noun
tains and improving them by afnxing
his celebrated name to them.
Stones Laid by L. Macquarie, ESQ.
were as numerous as the opportunities
for planting them. He was the cham
pion foundation stone layer of all time.
But the name of Macquar1e was
plastered also on the works OF nature.
There are Macquarie streets and Mac
uuarie buildings everywhere, and
there are Macquarie county, Macquar-
lie marshes. Macquarie plains, Mac
quarie river, Macquarie harbor. Mac
uuarie island. And when he founded
a new convict settlement 1t, inevita-
bly,. became Port Macquarie.
He never took advice. But he gave
It by the ton. When he visited Ho-
bart he advised the inspector of works
where to build the hospital, where to
put the Jail and where to put the prln-
cipal square and what to call it-Mac-
auarie as a matter Of course.
In his own opinion Macquarie was
the pioneer of religion and morality.
Natives were taught not to steal by
being shot at sight with their wives
and families-innocent with guilty.
Whole tribes disappeared, but Mac
quarie stood amazed at his own hui
mainly. Did he not start school for
native children and hold annual con-
ferences with the chiefs? Chiefs who
stayed away were ordered to be de-
stroyed.
Some writer's on Australia have
painted Macquarie monster. 1t Is
more interesting to recall that he
struck the English public of his own
day as a man too merciful for his job.
How he organized exploring par
ties, founded the city of Bathurst,
made the first road to the Blue noun
tains and marked out sites for Wind
sor, Castlereagh, Wilberforce and
Richmond, with many of the rest of
his acts, are they not written in these
faded chronicles, the property of fe-
male descendant, now for sale? There
are eighty pages Of foolscap OF his adj
ventures with natives alone. The de-
scription of his journey to the Blue
mountains is little shorter.