BARRALLIER, FRANCIS (17731853)

was born in the year 1773. His father, who was a French emigré, was a surveyor in the British navy. Barrallier came to Australia in April 1800 was appointed an ensign in the New South Wales Corps in July 1800, and was made engineer and artillery officer in August 1801. In the previous March he had sailed withLieutenant James Grant(q.v.) in theLady Nelsonto further explore Bass Strait, and had been responsible for the charting of Western Port and other parts of the coast, before a return was made to Sydney, which was reached on 14 May 1801.In June a voyage with Grant was made to the Hunter River, where a survey was made by Barrallier of Coal Harbour and part of the river. In November 1802 he was directed byGovernor King(q.v.) to endeavour to find a way over the mountains to the west of Sydney. He did not succeed in crossing the range, but travelled a distance of 147 miles into the mountains beyond the Nepean. His finishing point was "towards the head of Christy's Creek, about 15 or 16 miles in a direct line southerly from Jenolan Caves". (See Barrallier's Journal, Appendix A,H.R. of N.S.W., vol. V, and a careful analysis of it by R. H. Cambage, p. 11, vol. III,Jnl. and Proc., R.A.H.S.). Barrallier arrived in Sydney again on 24 December 1802. In the following May he resigned from the New South Wales Corps and left for England. In 1805 he was appointed a lieutenant in the 90th regiment, in 1806 was at St Vincent, and in 1809 was present at the capture of the Island of Martinique. He was made a captain in 1812, spent some years making a military survey of the Island of Barbadoes, was present at the capture of Guadaloupe in 1814, and was appointed surveyor-general of the island. He returned to England in 1818, in 1819 was a captain in the 33rd regiment, and in 1832 in the 73rd regiment. He became brevet-major in 1840, brevet lieutenant-colonel in 1846, and died in London on 11 June 1853. He was a man of pleasant personality, an able engineer, and a brave and competent explorer. During his journey in the mountains he managed his small party well, was on good terms with the aborigines, and had he kept to the ridges might have succeeded in his mission.