in his
place, and therefore despatched Major-General Macquarie to take the
position. He was directed to reinstate Bligh for a period of twenty-four
hours, in order to indicate that the authorities in England would not
suffer the colonists to dictate to them in these matters; but that they
reserved completely to themselves the right to appoint and dismiss the
Governors. However, as Bligh had by this time gone to Tasmania,
Macquarie was forced to content himself, on his arrival, with merely
proclaiming what had been his instructions.

[Illustration: GOVERNOR MACQUARIE.]

In the early days of the colonies their destinies were, to a great
extent, moulded by the Governors who had charge of them. Whether for
good or for evil, the influence of the Governor was decisive; and it
was, therefore, a matter of great good fortune to Sydney that, during
the long administration of Governor Lachlan Macquarie, this influence
was almost wholly on the side of good. Not that Macquarie had no faults.
He was a man full of vanity and self-conceit; a man who, instead of
sober despatches to his superiors in England, wrote flowery accounts of
himself and his wonderful doings; a man who, in his egoism, affixed the
names of himself and of his family to nearly every place discovered in
the colony during his term of office. Yet, apart from this weakness,
Macquarie may be characterised as an exemplary man and an admirable
Governor. He devoted himself heartily to his work; his chief thought for
twelve years was how to improve the state of the little colony, and how
to raise the degraded men who had been sent thither. An ardent feeling
of philanthropy gave a kindly tone to his restless activity. Once every
year he made a complete tour of the settled portions of the colony, to
observe their condition and discover what improvements were needed. He
taught the farmers to build for themselves neat houses, in place of the
rude huts they had previously been content with; he encouraged them to
improve their system of farming, sometimes with advice, sometimes with
money, but more often with loans from the Government stores. He built
churches and schools; he took the warmest interest in the progress of
religion and of education; and neglected nothing that could serve to
elevate the moral tone of the little community. Certainly, no community
has ever been in greater need of elevation. The fact that the British
Government thought it necessary to send out 1,100 so