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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Present Picture of New South Wales (1811) + +Author: David Dickinson Mann + +Release Date: April 4, 2005 [EBook #15533] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NEW SOUTH WALES (1811) *** + + + + +Produced by Col Choat + + + + + +</pre> + +<p><a name="home"></a></p> + +<h2>THE PRESENT PICTURE OF NEW SOUTH WALES, 1811</h2> + +<h3>by</h3> + +<h2>D. D. MANN</h2> + +<h3>London, 1811</h3> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> +<p align="center"><a name="mann-01"></a><img alt="" src= +"images/mann-01.jpg"></p> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<p><a href="#dedication">DEDICATION</a></p> + +<p><a href="#ch1">CHAPTER I</a></p> + +<p><b>Discovery of New South Wales.--Arrival of a Colony there +from England.-- Obstructions calculated to retard the Progress of +the Settlement.-- Departure of Governor Phillip.--Intervening +Governors, until the Arrival of John Hunter, Esq. and his +Assumption of the Government.-- Printing Press set up.--Cattle +lost, and Discovery of their Progeny in a wild State.--Playhouse +opened.--Houses numbered.--Assessments for the building of a +Country Gaol.--Town Clock at Sidney.--Natives.-- +Convicts.--Improvement of the Colony.--Seditious Dispositions of +the Convicts.--Departure of Governor Hunter.--His Character and +Government.-- Comparison of Stock, &c.--Governor King assumes +the Command of the Settlement--Table of Specie Vessel laden with +Spirits sent away.-- Earthquake.--Inundation at the +Hawkesbury.--First Criminal for Forgery executed.--Atlas struck +by Lightning.--Tempests.--Desertions of the Convicts.--Newspaper +established.--Murders.--Singular Execution.--Lieutenant--Governor +Collins forms a new Settlement.--Insurrection of the +Convicts.--The Introduction and Progress of Vaccination, and its +subsequent Loss.--Influx of the Sea at Norfolk Island.--Limits of +Counties defined.--Ship overset in a Tempest.</b></p> + +<p><a href="#ch2">CHAPTER II</a></p> + +<p><b>Abstract of General Orders.--Arrival of Governor +Bligh.--George Barrington. --Blue Mountains.--Journey +thither.--New Market at Sydney. --Vessels seized and carried away +by the Convicts.--Natives.--Cruelty of the Savages in Bateman's +Bay.--Arrival of Masters for the Orphan Schools.--New Storehouse +built.--Murders.</b></p> + +<p><a href="#ch3">CHAPTER III</a></p> + +<p><b>Agriculture, &c.<br> +Price of Provisions and Ration<br> +Trade and Manufactures<br> +Population<br> +Natives<br> +Climate<br> +Natural History<br> +Religion<br> +Morals<br> +Amusements<br> +Military Force<br> +Building: with Reference to the particular Houses, &c. of the +Individuals</b></p> + +<p><a href="#ch4">CHAPTER IV</a></p> + +<p><b>Hints for the Improvement of the Colony</b></p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<h2>LIST OF PLATES</h2> + +<p><a href="#mann-00">Plan of the Settlements in New South +Wales</a></p> + +<p><a href="#mann-02">View of Sydney from the East Side of the +Cove</a></p> + +<p><a href="#mann-03">View of Sydney from the East Side of the +Cove</a></p> + +<p><a href="#mann-04">View of Sydney from the West Side of the +Cove</a></p> + +<p><a href="#mann-05">View of Sydney from the West Side of the +Cove</a></p> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> +<p><a name="dedication"></a></p> + +<p><b>To<br> +JOHN HUNTER, ESQ.<br> +VICE-ADMIRAL OF THE BLUE<br> +AND LATE<br> +CAPTAIN-GENERAL AND GOVERNOR IN CHIEF IN AND OVER HIS +MAJESTY'S<br> +COLONY OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND ITS DEPENDENCIES, &c. &c. +&c.</b></p> + +<p>SIR,</p> + +<p>During the period of your government, the settlements of New +South Wales beheld the sunshine of their prosperity. The liberal +and enlightened measures adopted by you, consolidated the +happiness, and increased the security of the colony; and the +tears which were shed at your departure were the most grateful +tributes which could be paid to your exalted worth.</p> + +<p>These considerations justify my selection of you as the Patron +of this sketch; but, if a stronger motive were necessary, I have +only to retrace the numerous and weighty instances in which you +have displayed the most marked attention to my personal +interests, and which will ever induce me to avow myself,</p> + +<p>With every sentiment of respectful admiration,</p> + +<p>SIR,</p> + +<p>Your very obliged, and faithfully devoted servant,</p> + +<p>D. D. MANN.</p> + +<p>35, Queen-Street, Edgware-Road,</p> + +<p>Oct. 13, 1810</p> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> +<p align="center"><a name="mann-00"></a><img alt="" src= +"images/mann-00.jpg"></p> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> +<h2>NEW SOUTH WALES</h2> + +<p><a name="ch1"></a></p> + +<h2>Chapter I.</h2> + +<blockquote><b><i>Discovery of New South Wales.--Arrival of a +Colony there from England.-- Obstructions calculated to retard +the Progress of the Settlement.-- Departure of Governor +Phillip.--Intervening Governors, until the Arrival of John +Hunter, Esq. and his Assumption of the Government.-- Printing +Press set up.--Cattle lost, and Discovery of their Progeny in a +wild State.--Playhouse opened.--Houses numbered.--Assessments for +the building of a Country Gaol.--Town Clock at +Sidney.--Natives.-- Convicts.--Improvement of the +Colony.--Seditious Dispositions of the Convicts.--Departure of +Governor Hunter.--His Character and Government.-- Comparison of +Stock, &c.--Governor King assumes the Command of the +Settlement--Table of Specie Vessel laden with Spirits sent +away.-- Earthquake.--Inundation at the Hawkesbury.--First +Criminal for Forgery executed.--Atlas struck by +Lightning.--Tempests.--Desertions of the Convicts.--Newspaper +established.--Murders.--Singular Execution.--Lieutenant--Governor +Collins forms a new Settlement.--Insurrection of the +Convicts.--The Introduction and Progress of Vaccination, and its +subsequent Loss.--Influx of the Sea at Norfolk Island.--Limits of +Counties defined.--Ship overset in a +Tempest.</i></b></blockquote> + +<p>The discovery of the eastern coast of New Holland was the +result of that laudable and beneficial spirit of enterprize and +investigation, which conferred on the name of Captain Cook so +just a claim to posthumous gratitude and immortal renown. Four +months of his first voyage round the world, this celebrated +circumnavigator dedicated to the exploration of this hitherto +unknown tract of the universe, stretching, from the north-east to +the south-west, to an extent of nearly two thousand miles, to +which he gave the name of <i>New South Wales</i>. After hovering +about the coast for some time, he at length came to an anchorage +in the only harbour which appeared to him commodious; and which, +in consequence of the innumerable varieties of herbage which were +found on shore, he called <i>Botany Bay</i>. In this spot he +remained some days, employing himself in making those +observations which suggested themselves to his capacious mind; +and, from his report of the situation of the country--of its +apparent extent, climate, and surface, the British Government was +induced to relinquish those intentions which had been previously +entertained, and to fix upon this spot, as the best adapted for +the establishment of a settlement, whither those unhappy +delinquents might be conveyed, whose offences against the laws +had rendered their further residence in their native land, +incompatible with the welfare of society.</p> + +<p>According to this determination, Governor Phillip was sent to +this new continent, where he arrived on the 20th of January, +1788, with eight hundred convicts, and a portion of marines, and +laid the foundation of the new settlement, which continued +gradually to improve under his government, until the close of the +year 1792. Numberless obstructions existed, during this early +period, to check the growth of the colony; amongst the principal +of which may be remarked:--1st, the discordant materials of which +the settlement was to be constructed; 2dly, the disputes with the +natives; and 3dly, the occasional pressure of want, which, for a +long time, was unavoidable, on account of its remoteness from the +European quarter. The continual disorders amongst the convicts, +which no lenity could assuage, no severity effectually check, +were injurious to the well-doing of the colony, whose true +interests required a combination of reciprocal confidence and +mutual exertion; but on men inured to crime, and hardened in +guilt--on men almost divested of the common principles and +feelings of their species--on those whom a course of depravity +had rendered obnoxious to every other pursuit, it was not +possible to make impressions of a liberal and enlightened nature. +Their intentions uniformly tended to vice, and no good was to be +expected from them, except such as was the effect of compulsory +measures; so that the task which industry might have achieved +with comparative ease, proved, under existing circumstances, a +work of difficulty, requiring time and perseverance to bring it +to the desired perfection. It was not to the commission of +depredations upon each other that the restless and dishonest +dispositions of the convicts confined themselves, even the poor +and miserable natives of the country were made the dupes of a +system of knavery which they could not penetrate; and their +spears, their shields, their canoes, and their persons, were +equally exposed to the violence of the new settlers. It was easy +to foresee the consequences of such conduct: the natives at first +discovered symptoms of justifiable reserve, and subsequently +adopted steps of an hostile complexion, several unfortunate +convicts being found murdered in the woods. In vain did the +governor issue order after order, and proclamation after +proclamation; insults still continued to be offered to the +natives, and such acts of retaliation ensued as circumstances +would allow. Governor Phillip, himself, was wounded by a spear +which one of the savages threw at him, under the influence of a +momentary apprehension. Another evil to which the colony was +subjected, arose from the pressure of occasional scarcity, which +relaxed the sinews of industry, where it did exist, or +strengthened the pretexts of indolence: when men were reduced +from a plentiful allowance, to a weekly ration, which scarcely +sufficed to preserve existence; when the storehouses were almost +empty of provisions, and the boundless ocean presented no object +of relief to the aching and strained eyes of the sufferers; and +when the busy mind painted to itself the dangers, inseparable +from a voyage of such length, which might intervene to delay the +arrival of succours, until horror and wretchedness should have +been heightened to the utmost; no inclination to laborious +exertion existed, and no hand had the power to wield and employ +the implements of toil. The progress of the settlement towards +maturity was necessarily retarded; and the operations which +proceeded, at these periods of general debility, were compelled +to move with a slowness which afforded but a faint promise of +speedy perfection. Under this combination of disadvantages, it +affords proof of no common perseverance to find, that the +settlement had been scarcely established four years, before two +towns were formed, and the colony seemed rapidly advancing to the +appearance of maturity.</p> + +<p>Governor Phillip sailed to England on the 11th of December, +1792, when Lieutenant-Governor Grose succeeded to the government; +and, during his period, the improvements in the settlement +assumed a more decisive and favourable aspect. The settlers were +now enabled to sell corn to the public stores, all of which the +commissary received directions to purchase at a given price: +passage-boats were licensed and established between the towns of +Sydney and Parramatta, and the number of settlers began to +increase in a rapid portion. On the 15th of December, 1794, +Lieutenant-Governor Grose left the colony for England, and +Captain Paterson, of the New South Wales corps, assumed the +government until the arrival of Governor Hunter, who came out in +the Reliance, on the 7th of September, 1795, and entered upon the +functions of his important office without delay.</p> + +<p>One of the first acts of the new governor was the +establishment of a printing-press, the advantages of which soon +became obvious, in the more ready communication of all orders for +the regulation of the settlement.</p> + +<p>The bulls and cows which had been originally brought over to +the new continent had, by the carelessness of their keeper, been +suffered to stray into the woods, and every subsequent search +after them had proved ineffectual until this period, when a fine +and numerous herd of wild cattle was discovered in the interior +of the country, which was evidently the progeny of the animals +which had been so long lost to the colony. The protection of this +wild herd and its increase became a matter of public interest, +since it would, hereafter, serve as a valuable resource, in case +of necessity; and measures were accordingly adopted to prevent +any encroachment on that liberty which it had preserved above +seven years.</p> + +<p>In the commencement of the year 1796, a play-house was opened +at Sydney, under the sanction of the governor, who, while he +laboured to promote the public weal, was not less anxious to +extend to individuals the enjoyments and privileges which were +compatible with the good of the colony. Towards the close of the +same year, the houses in Sydney and Parramatta were numbered, and +divided into portions, each of which was placed under the +superintendance of a principal inhabitant. The county of +Cumberland was assessed, a few months afterwards, for the +erection of a country gaol; and the peaceable inhabitants of the +colony had the speedy satisfaction to perceive a building of such +utility put into hand; for such had been the recent increase of +crimes, and so greatly had the settlement been annoyed by the +desperate and atrocious conduct of the disorderly part of the +community, that it became an object of necessity to adopt some +stronger measures than those which had hitherto been put in +force, to secure the prosperity and tranquillity of a community +which was now so rapidly growing in extent and importance. A +town-clock was also erected in Sydney, a luxury which had been +hitherto unknown, and affords evidence of the gradual maturation +of the settlement; and, indeed, the whole of this enumeration is +calculated to impress the reader with an idea of the rapid +strides which the few last years had enabled the colonists to +make in the path of respectability. The natives had been, of late +years, perfectly reconciled to their new countrymen; and, +although their attachment to their accustomed habits and +situations induced them to abstain from taking up new residences, +and from mixing indiscriminately with the Europeans, they had +become comparatively social, and commenced an intercourse which +was calculated to rivet the prosperity of the colony. Those +insulting attacks and sanguinary recriminations which had +disgraced the earlier years of the establishment, no longer +existed, to disturb the tranquillity and excite the alarms of the +settlers; many of the convicts had reformed their lives, and, +instead of being examples of depravity, had turned to habits of +industry, and endeavoured to benefit that society on which they +had formerly preyed; while the apprehensions of famine had +entirely vanished before the improvements in the agriculture of +the country: the stock had increased wonderfully; the granaries +and storehouses were amply supplied; and the ground brought forth +more produce, as its nature became better understood, and the +most advantageous methods of tillage were discovered.</p> + +<p>The peace of the colony was threatened, however, in the year +1800, by the seditious conduct of a number of Irish convicts who +had recently arrived in this country, and who had laboured, with +ceaseless exertions, to disseminate their pernicious and absurd +doctrines amongst the prisoners. They had assembled frequently +for the purpose of accelerating their diabolical views, and a +Roman Catholic priest, named Harold, who was discovered to be one +of the instigators and originators of the scheme of insurrection, +was taken into custody. Voluntary associations were embodied, and +every measure of prudent precaution was promptly adopted, to +prevent the expansion of principles which are totally subversive +of all order, and of the best interests of civilized society. It +may easily be supposed, that amongst such characters as composed +the colony, there must be numbers to whom these sentiments of +insubordination must be congenial, and who would eagerly grasp at +any projects, however absurd and impracticable, the proposed +object of which was their emancipation from the punishment which +their crimes had drawn upon them. Men who have obtained a +proficiency in crime, and are callous to the voice of conscience, +science, are seldom very choice as to the degree of the +criminality which they are inclined to commit; and it is highly +creditable to Governor Hunter's prudence and skilful management, +that the settlement was at this moment preserved from the horrors +and consequences of internal commotion.</p> + +<p>In September, 1800, Governor Hunter quitted the colony, having +exercised the functions of government for the space of five +years; during which his attention to the interests of the +settlement was most unremitted; his humanity and condescension +rendered him inestimably dear to every bosom, which confessed the +influence of grateful feelings; and his cheerful vivacity and +private worth caused him to stand highly in the estimation of +those who were honoured by a participation in his hours of +recreative enjoyment. The necessary consequence of his abstracted +devotion to the service of the settlement, for a long period, was +the obtainment of a thorough knowledge of every subject connected +with its welfare; and in the application of that knowledge to the +practical improvement of the settlement, no man could have been +more happy, none more eminently successful. A more forcible +illustration of the truth of this remark will, however, be found +in the following statements of the situation of the colony before +and after Governor Hunter's residence there, in an official +capacity; and I am the more readily induced to give these +details, as the reader may thence be enabled to form a judgement, +by comparison, of the progressive prosperity of the colony, +subsequent to that period, until the commencement of the year +1809, the date and termination of the facts which I shall elicit +in the succeeding pages.</p> + +<p>At the close of the year 1795, the public and private stock of +the colony consisted of 57 horses and mares, 101 cows and +cow-calves, 74 bulls and bull-calves, 52 oxen, 1531 sheep, 1427 +goats, and 1869 hogs: exclusive of this statement, the poultry +was exceedingly numerous. The total of the land in cultivation +amounted to 5419 acres; the quantity of which sown was somewhat +below 3000 acres. At this period the storehouses were exhausted +so completely, that, on the arrival of Governor Hunter, there +were no salt provisions left in store, and the allowance of other +food was much reduced; the state of the colony seemed about to +assume a retrograde movement, and it was only the speedy arrival +of a storeship at this critical and distressing moment, which +saved it from destruction, in the eighth year of its +establishment.</p> + +<p>But at the commencement of the nineteenth century, the state +of the settlement was abundantly more prosperous. The live stock +at this period, in the public and private possession, amounted to +the following numbers:--60 horses, 143 mares; 332 bulls and oxen, +712 cows; 2031 male sheep, 4093 females; 727 male goats, 1455 +females; 4017 hogs--a prodigious multiplication of the means of +subsistence in about five years! The quantity of land sown with +wheat was 46653/4 acres, of Indian corn 2930, and of barley 82 +acres. In New South Wales and Norfolk Island the numbers of the +colony had been swollen to the amount of six thousand, and the +general prosperity appeared rapidly increasing.</p> + +<p>The moment of the governor's departure was a moment of +sorrowful agitation: loved and honoured by all, he was attended +by a numerous train of civil and military officers, as well as a +long concourse of the grateful inhabitants, who, at this +distressing instant, marked in the most unequivocal manner the +sense they entertained of his public worth and his private +benignity.</p> + +<p>On the secession of Governor Hunter, the government of the +settlement devolved to Governor King, who had arrived from +England in the Speedy, a few months previous to this time. Soon +after his accession to this dignity, a quantity of copper coin +was received from England and put into circulation, upon which +occasion the following table of specie was issued:--A guinea, one +pound two shillings, a johannes, four pounds; a half ditto, two +pounds; a ducat, nine shillings and sixpence; a gold mohur, one +pound seventeen shillings and sixpence; a pagoda, eight +shillings; a Spanish dollar, five shillings; a rupee, two +shillings and sixpence; a Dutch guilder, two shillings; an +English shilling, one shilling and one penny: a copper coin of +one ounce, two pence; a ditto of half an ounce, one penny; and a +ditto of a quarter of an ounce, a halfpenny. No sum exceeding +five pounds, in the copper coin, was to be considered as a legal +tender; and the exportation or importation of copper coin above +that amount, was prohibited under a penalty of thrice its +value.</p> + +<p>The criminal addiction to the use of spirituous liquors had +become so rooted, and was productive of such evil consequences, +as to require some vigorous exertion to check its still further +increase. In the month of December, 1800, two vessels laden with +these destructive cargoes arrived in the harbour; but the +governor, with a spirit and prudence creditable to his resolution +and judgment, refused them permission to land the poisons, and +forced them to quit the settlement before any evil consequences +could ensue from their arrival. The variety of afflicting +casualties consequent upon the immoderate use of these pernicious +fluids, and their introduction of dreadful and fatal disorders, +were considerations sufficient to justify the governor's conduct +in this instance, to every rational mind.</p> + +<p>On the 17th of January, 1801, the settlement was menaced with +destruction by the shock of an earthquake, which was felt +severely through the whole colony, but, providentially, produced +no injury. A slight concussion had been felt in the month of +June, 1788; but never, until this moment, had the alarm been +repeated. The affrighted inhabitants rushed out of their houses, +in momentary expectation of destruction; nor did they dare to +return until the shock had passed by, and the apprehensions which +it had produced had entirely subsided.</p> + +<p>In the earlier days of the settlement, the settlers on the +Hawkesbury (a river of great extent in the interior of the +country, the course of which is traced in the annexed chart) had +been much annoyed by the frequent overflowings of that capacious +river. In the month of March, 1801, the most severe visitation of +this nature had occurred, which had destroyed the promise of an +abundant harvest, spread desolation through the farms in that +district, destroyed numerous habitations, and caused the loss of +several of the unfortunate settlers and others. At the melancholy +period alluded to, the colony in this quarter was just reaching a +degree of ease and comfort, from the judicious plans put into +execution by that "father of the people" Governor +Hunter, and the assistance he gave them as an encouragement to +industrious exertion. Scarcely, however, had they begun to revive +after this calamity--scarcely had they repaired the ravages +occasioned by this tremendous inundation-- scarcely had the +desolated lands once more confessed the power of cultivation, +before those ill-fated settlers were doomed to experience a +repetition of the destructive calamity; and on the 2d of March, +1801, the river again overflowed its banks, and rushed +impetuously to renew its former devastations. Flocks and herds +were swept away by its irresistible influence; the houses, which +had been re-built, were once more levelled to the earth; and a +settler was deprived of his existence, after witnessing the +catastrophe which had robbed him of the whole of his possessions. +The waters of the Hawkesbury, at those periods of inundation, +would rise seventy or eighty feet above their accustomed level; +and it is easy for the mind to picture to itself the +inexpressibly mournful consequences which must necessarily accrue +from such a circumstance. Neither was this overflowing an event +of rare occurrence, but was to be constantly expected after a +long continuance of the rainy seasons, when the torrents which +rushed from the mountainous ridges which overlooked the channel +of the river never failed to produce a rapid swelling of its +waters, and to cause an inundation of greater or less extent, and +injury more or less destructive to the inhabitants of its +vicinity.</p> + +<p>Amongst the crimes which existed in the settlement, that of +forgery had recently made its appearance, and bills of a +counterfeit description had been offered in the markets; and, at +length, one of these forged draughts was traced to its source, +and the delinquent was immediately apprehended and brought to +trial for an offence so heinous in its nature, and so fraught +with mischief in its consequences. Sufficient proof being adduced +to place the prisoner's guilt beyond doubt, sentence of death was +passed upon him, and the execution took place on the 3d of July; +it being considered an act of necessary justice to make a severe +example of the offender, in this case, in order to check in its +infancy the growth of a practice, pregnant not only with general +evil, but with individual ruin. Of all the different species of +delinquency which had found their way into the colony, this might +be considered as second to none but murder: the house-breaker and +the midnight robber might be guarded against, and counteracted or +detected immediately, the mischief was at most limited, and might +be calculated; but the introduction of a system of forgery +threatened more widely-wasting injuries: it required more than +common vigilance, more than common perseverance, to discover a +fraud of this description; and it was scarcely possible to +ascertain the precise extent which it embraced, or to mark the +end of its destructive progress. It was therefore, under this +impression, considered expedient to make a severe example of the +first offender who had been brought to trial, in order, if +possible, to deter others from the pursuit of such an iniquitous +career. A solitary sacrifice might prove salutary to future +thousands.</p> + +<p>The storms of thunder and lightning are sometimes particularly +terrific, but have seldom been productive of much damage. In some +few instances, indeed, individuals had been killed by the +electric fires, but these accidents have generally resulted from +the too common and dangerous mode of seeking shelter under trees, +which attracted and directed the lightning to its object, instead +of affording that security which was sought for. A very singular +circumstance happened at the close of the spring of 1802, when +the Atlas, a ship commanded by Mr. Thomas Musgrove, was stricken +by a flash on the 5th of November, and, although the bottom of +the ship was immediately perforated by the stroke, not a man on +board received any material injury: such a singular instance is +almost without its parallel. At other periods, the tempestuous +gales which have been experienced surpass the conception of those +who have never witnessed the boisterous and tumultuous agitation +of nature. Hailstones, exceeding six inches in circumference, +have frequently fallen with such violence as to destroy the +windows of those habitations which had neglected the adoption of +measures of security, to kill the poultry, and lay level with the +earth the shrubs and the corn. In fact, storms of this +description never fail to occasion the most extensive +devastation, and to commit injuries to the settlers, which the +labour of months is scarcely sufficient to overcome.</p> + +<p>An absurd notion had uniformly existed amongst the convicts +that it was possible, by penetrating into the interior, to +discover a country, where they might exist without labour, and +enjoy sweets hitherto unknown. This ridiculous opinion had +induced numbers, since the establishment of the colony, to desert +their employment, and to trust themselves in forests which were +unknown to them, and where they generally wandered until the +means of supporting further fatigue had failed them, and they +perished from want--until they became the victims of the natives +who fell in with them--or surrendered themselves to the parties +who were sent in pursuit of them. Such was commonly the +termination of these chimerical expeditions; yet these +consequences were unable to expunge the impression alluded to +from the minds of these obstinate people, and, in February, 1803, +fifteen convicts once again ventured into the woods from Castle +Hill, in search of this undiscovered country. Many of these +bigotted fugitives were subsequently re-taken, after enduring +every fatigue and privation which human nature is capable of +sustaining; after bearing the complicated hardships of want, +weariness, and pain; their feet blistered and bare, their hopes +destroyed, their perseverance completely worn out, and their +restless dispositions perfectly corrected into submission.</p> + +<p>The art of printing had been gradually improving from the +period of its establishment, by the judicious care of Governor +Hunter, and its advantages became daily more and more obvious. On +the 5th of March, "The Sydney Gazette" was instituted +by authority, for the more ready communication of events through +the various settlements of the colony The utility and interest of +such an establishment were speedily and universally acknowledged; +and its commencement was soon succeeded by the publication of an +almanack, and other works calculated to suit the general taste +and increase the general stock of amusement. The general orders +were also issued through the medium of the press, and a vigilant +eye was kept upon it, to prevent the appearance of any thing +which could tend to shake those principles of morality and +subordination, on the due preservation of which depended the +individual happiness, and the public security of the settlement; +and which could be in no danger of subversion, until the press +should become prostituted to base designs--a period much and +sincerely to be deprecated by every real friend to the +colony.</p> + +<p>In the month of August, a most inhuman murder was committed on +the body of Joseph Luken, a constable, who, after going off his +watch at the government-house, was beset by some villains who +still remain undiscovered, and who buried the hilt of his own +cutlass very deeply in his head. I was the second person at the +spot, where the body of the unfortunate man was discovered; and, +in attempting to turn the corpse, my fore-finger penetrated +through a hole in the skull, into the brains of the deceased. +Every possible search was made to discover the vile perpetrators +of this diabolical act, but to no purpose, the measures of escape +had been too well planned to be thwarted. Even the governor +himself attended, and gave directions for the drums to beat to +arms; the military to stop all avenues leading from the town, and +different officers to search every house; but, although several +were apprehended, no conviction could be brought home. Soon +afterwards, another murder was committed on the body of a man +belonging to one of the colonial craft, named Boylan. It appeared +that he had been in a part of the town, called "The +Rocks," and had been struck with some heavy weapon on the +head, of which he immediately died. Upon this occasion, I sat as +foreman of the jury, which was summoned soon after daylight, and +continued to sit until nearly one o'clock the next morning, when +two men and a woman were committed for trial; and a third man, in +the progress of the investigation, was sent to gaol for +prevarication. When the prisoners were arraigned at the bar, they +all pleaded "Not guilty;" and, after an impartial +trial, were acquitted. The singularity and cruelty of this man's +murder appeared to be equal to that of Luken. A third murder was +committed, nearly at the same time, by a woman named Salmon, on +the body of her own child. It appeared that she wished to conceal +her pregnancy; and, after delivering herself, had thrown the +infant down the privy, where it was smothered. Suspicions of her +situation having, however, been entertained by some persons, an +investigation took place, and the body of the child was +discovered. The woman was too ill to be brought to trial, and her +subsequent dissolution rendered that event unnecessary: before +her death, however, she made confession of her crime; and her +body was afterwards carried to a grave under the gallows, by men +belonging to the jail gang, with the greatest ignominy; nor was +it without the greatest exertions of the police, that the corpse +was permitted to be carried along the streets, so great was the +abhorrence expressed by the inhabitants at the idea of such an +unnatural, detestable, and abominable offence.</p> + +<p>In the month of September, Joseph Samuels, who had been +convicted of a burglary, was three times suspended: the rope +first broke, in a very singular manner, in the middle, and the +suffering criminal fell prostrate on the ground; on the second +attempt, the cord unrove at the fastening, and he again came to +the ground; a third trial was attended with no better success, +for at the moment when he was launched off, the cord again +snapped in twain. Thomas Smyth, esq. the provost-marshal, taking +compassion on his protracted sufferings, stayed the further +progress of the execution, and rode immediately to the governor, +to whom he feelingly represented these extraordinary +circumstances, and his excellency was pleased to extend his +majesty's mercy. Samuels was afterwards transported to another +settlement, in consequence of his continuance in his dishonest +career, and has subsequently lost his life on the coast, in +making an attempt to escape from the colony.</p> + +<p>In the month of October, Lieutenant-Governor Collins arrived +to form and command a settlement at Port Phillip: he was +accompanied by detachments of marines and convicts; but the +situation being found particularly ineligible, after +communicating with the governor in chief, he removed to the river +Derwent, where he arrived on the 19th of February, 1804, and a +very extensive settlement was speedily formed there; as, in +addition to the numbers of persons he took with him, a great many +settlers and others went thither from Norfolk Island, since that +place had been ordered to be evacuated. In the following April, a +new settlement was formed at the Coal River, now called King's +Town, Newcastle District, the county of Northumberland, and a +short distance to the northward of Port Jackson. Previous to this +period, some form of government had been adopted at that place, +in order to enable vessels going there to procure cedar and coals +with greater facility; but, on account of the increasing trade, +the governor considered it expedient to found a regular +settlement, and thus to establish a commercial intercourse of +greater importance.</p> + +<p>At the commencement of the year 1804, the tranquillity of the +colony experienced some interruption. I have mentioned in the +beginning of this chapter the circumstances of the importation of +Irish convicts in the year 1800, and of their attempts to +disseminate amongst their fellow-prisoners the seeds of +insubordination and riot. The vigilance and prudence of Governor +Hunter, at that time, checked the rapid progress of the flame of +sedition; but, although apparently extinguished, the fire was +only smothered for a time. Discontent had taken root, and its +eradication was a matter of more difficulty than could have been +foreseen. The most unprincipled of the convicts had cherished the +vile principles of their new companions, and only waited for the +maturity of their designs to commence the execution of schemes +which involved the happiness and security of the whole colony. +The operations of these disaffected persons had hitherto been +conducted with such secrecy, that no suspicion of their views was +entertained, until the 4th of March in this year, when a violent +insurrection broke out at Castle Hill, a settlement between +Parramatta and Hawkesbury, and the insurgents expressed their +determination to emancipate themselves from their confinement, or +to perish in the struggle for liberty. Information of the extent +and alarming appearance of this mutiny having reached the +governor, it was deemed necessary, on the following day, to +proclaim martial law; and a party of the troops, under the +command of Lieutenant-Colonel George Johnston, were directed to +pursue the rebels. After a long march, the military detachment +came up with the insurgents, near the Ponds, about half-way +between Parramatta and Hawkesbury, and a short parley ensued, +when the Colonel found it necessary to fire upon them; and, after +killing several of the misguided rebels, and making prisoners of +the principals who survived, the remainder made a rapid retreat. +Ten of the leaders of this insurrection, who had been observed as +particularly conspicuous and zealous in their endeavours to +seduce the rest, were tried on the 8th of March, and capitally +convicted. Three were executed on the same evening at Parramatta, +since it was justly concluded, that measures of prompt severity +would have a greater effect upon the minds of those who had +forsaken their allegiance. On the following day, two other rebels +were executed at Sydney, and three at Castle Hill: the two +remaining criminals were respited, as they were the least +corrupted, and had discovered symptoms of sincere remorse for the +part which they had taken in the late operations. On the 9th, +martial law was repealed; and from that moment no disturbance has +again broken in upon the peace of the settlement of a serious +nature, although it would be too much to suppose that the seeds +of insubordination and disorder were entirely eradicated by the +frustrated event of the first endeavour. Men of such desperate +characters as are to be found in this colony, are not to be +intimidated by punishment, nor discouraged by failure from the +pursuit of that career of depravity, which is become dear to them +from habit; nothing short of death can destroy, in those minds, +the affection for vice, and the determination to gratify their +ruling passion, in spite of obstacles, however alarming, or +opposition, however strenuous and vigilant. Mr. Dixon, a Roman +Catholic priest, who had been sent under an order of +transportation from Ireland, for his principles, accompanted +Colonel Johnston on this service, and proved to be of some +utility in bringing back the insurgents to a proper sense of +their duty. It cannot be too much to say, that the conduct of Mr. +Dixon, before and after this business, was strictly +exemplary.</p> + +<p>In May, the blessings of vaccination were introduced into the +settlement, and all the young children were inoculated with +success; but unfortunately, by some means as yet unaccounted for, +the virtue has been lost, and the colony has been once more left +without a protection from that most dreadful of all disorders, +the small-pox; of the fatal consequences of which the natives +have more than once afforded the most dreadful evidence, their +loathsome carcases having been found, while this disorder was +prevalent amongst them, lying about the beach, and on the rocks. +In fact, such is the terror of this disorder amongst these +untutored sons of nature, that, on its appearance, they forsake +those who are infected with it, leaving them to die, without a +friend at hand, or assistance to smooth the aspect of death, and +fly into the thickest of the woods. Their superstition leads them +to consider it as an infernal visitation; and its effects are +such as to justify this idea, in some degree, for it seldom fails +to desolate and depopulate whole districts, and strews the +surface of the country with the unburied carcases of its wretched +and deserted victims.</p> + +<p>In September, the limits of Northumberland, and of Cornwall +and Buckinghamshire, on Van Diemen's Land, where a settlement had +been made during the last year, were defined; and the lines of +demarkation were fixed as follow:--The line of demarkation +between Cumberland and Northumberland is the parallel of 33. 2. +south latitude; and the line of demarkation between +Buckinghamshire and Cornwall, on Van Diemen's Land, is the +parallel of 42. south latitude. On the 15th of the following +month, Lieutenant-Governor Paterson sailed to make and command a +settlement at Port Dalrymple; and, in the course of a short +period, the colony had the satisfaction to hear of the foundation +of two towns, Yorkton and Launceston, which are making their +progress to perfection with considerable rapidity.</p> + +<p>During the violence of a tempest in this month, a ship of five +hundred tons, named the Lady Barlow, and belonging to Messrs. +Campbell and Co. whilst lying in the Cove at her moorings, was +completely overset by the irresistible fury of the gale; but, +with some difficulty, she was raised again. Considerable damage +also resulted from this tremendous storm in the interior of the +settlement, where trees were rooted up, and the forests were +almost depopulated of their most ancient tenants. Huts were blown +down and houses unroofed, and the loss to numbers of the +inhabitants was such as to afford a serious interruption to their +prosperity.</p> + +<p>In the month of May, 1805, Norfolk Island experienced a +considerable influx of the sea, which, from the extraordinary +nature of the occurrence, is worthy of mention. The tide first +ebbed to a great distance; when, suddenly, an unusual swell was +seen coming in, which occasioned considerable alarm to the +colony, to whom such a circumstance was entirely novel: it rose +to a great height, and retired to its channel. A second time it +revisited the shore, and flowed to a more considerable height +than before: a second time it retreated; and once again returned, +with a fury surpassing its former efforts; paralyzing the +spectators with terror, who were unable to imagine where the +extraordinary swellings might pause. For the last time, however, +the ocean left the shores, without having caused any material +damage; and, in its regress, it opened the secrets of the deep, +and displayed to "mortal ken" rocks which had remained +until now undiscovered.</p> + +<p>About this period, a mare, belonging to a settler named Roger +Twyfield, at Hawkesbury, produced a foal, without any fore-legs, +or the least appearance of any: it lived for some time, fed very +well, and, exclusive of its natural deficiency, was in every +respect a remakably well-made animal. Such a singular phoenomenon +in nature has no parallel in my recollection; and I believe it is +the only instance of an imperfect or deformed progeny in the +settlement. Previous to the death of this singular animal, an +appearance of a horn was discovered sprouting from its forehead; +assimilating it, in some degree, to the supposed unicorn.</p> + +<p><a name="ch2"></a></p> + +<h2>Chapter II.</h2> + +<blockquote><b><i>Abstract of General Orders.--Arrival of +Governor Bligh.--George Barrington. --Blue Mountains.--Journey +thither.--New Market at Sydney. --Vessels seized and carried away +by the Convicts.--Natives.--Cruelty of the Savages in Bateman's +Bay.--Arrival of Masters for the Orphan Schools.--New Storehouse +built.--Murders.</i></b></blockquote> + +<p>Of the General Orders which were issued for the government of +the settlement, I shall here give the following abridgment, as it +will shew to the reader the nature of the regulations which were +adopted in the colony:--</p> + +<p><i>Agreements</i>--not cognizable, unless written and +registered; being witnessed by one person, not a prisoner.</p> + +<p><i>Apprentices and Deserters</i>--forbid to be harboured or +inveigled, under the penalty of six months hard labour, exclusive +of penalties by law ordained, if free; and, if a prisoner, one +hundred lashes, with other penalties, at discretion of a bench of +magistrates.</p> + +<p><i>Arms and Ammunition</i>--prohibited to be landed without +permission, under the penalty of forfeiting bond and +charter-party.</p> + +<p><i>Assault</i>.--Every description of persons to obtain +redress by action or indictment; and persons beating prisoners +assigned them, to forfeit such future indulgence.</p> + +<p><i>Assignments</i>--not cognizable, unless drawn up at the +judge-advocate's office and registered.</p> + +<p><i>Bakers</i>--to make bread of one quality only; viz. 24lbs. +of bran to be taken from 100lbs. of wheat: to charge 4<i>d</i>. +in money, or 2½lbs. wheat, for a loaf weighing 2lbs. 1oz. +when new, and 2lbs. if one day old, under the penalty of +5<i>l</i>. and otherwise at discretion of a bench of +magistrates.-- [Since the above regulations were made, a much +more regular system has been adopted to fix the price of bread. +On every Saturday morning, a bench of magistrates assemble to +hear the price of wheat, and affix that of bread for the ensuing +week, according to the rate wheat has been sold at.]</p> + +<p><i>Bakers</i>--not to pay more than one shilling per bushel +for grinding wheat into flour.</p> + +<p><i>Barrack Bedding and Furniture</i>--prohibited to be +purchased: penalty-- indictment for receiving stolen goods.</p> + +<p><i>Boats</i>--belonging to individuals, to land only at the +Hospital-wharf, unless by permission; nor must any convey spirits +without a permit, under penalty of being seized.</p> + +<p><i>Boats</i>--employed in the Hawkesbury trade, not to depart +from thence, nor from Sydney, without three days notice of +departure. In case of attack, to cut away masts and run on shore; +and to be provided with an axe or tomahawk, under penalty of +exemplary punishment. Those boats in the Hawkesbury river to be +numbered, registered, and chained at night, and not to be rowed +about after dark, under penalty of confiscation. No boat to +convey any person on board a vessel after notice of departure, +without permission from the governor or officer in command, under +the penalty of the boat being forfeited to the informer, and five +pounds to the Orphan School. And all boats must be registered and +numbered, under the penalty of their being forfeited to the +Orphans.</p> + +<p><i>Boats</i>--forbid being in Cockle Bay or Farm Cove, either +ashore or afloat, after sunset, under the penalty of being +forfeited to the crown; and all boats to be moored within the +Hospital wharf, and hulk.</p> + +<p><i>Boats conveying Grain from Hawkesbury</i>.--No grain to be +put into an open boat, or one that is not trust-worthy, or no +complaint of damage therefrom cognizable; but if more grain be +received than is consistent with safety, the master to make good +all loss or damage, lose the freight, and pay five pounds for +Orphans; and the same sum to that institution, if grain should +appear to have been wetted, to increase its weight or +measure.</p> + +<p><i>British Seamen</i>--forbid shipping in foreign vessels, +during the war, under the penalty of fifty pounds.</p> + +<p><i>Butchers</i>.--None to vend carcase meat but such as are +licensed, under the penalty of five pounds, and one year's +imprisonment. Licenced butchers to enter into recognizances to +observe as follows:--Not to kill any breeding stock; nor to send +live stock, or carcase meat, on board vessels, without +permission; to deliver to the governor a weekly return of stock +killed, purchased, and sold; not to demand more than one shilling +and eight-pence per pound for beef, one shilling per pound for +mutton, and eight-pence halfpenny per pound for pork; and not to +sell meat by the joint, but by weight, under the penalty of +forfeiting their licences and recognizances; the latter to the +informer.</p> + +<p><i>Cedar</i>--growing at Hawkesbury, not to be cut down or +removed without permission, under the penalty of confiscation, +with that also of the boat or cart removing it, to public +use.</p> + +<p><i>Centinels</i>--to oblige every person (except an officer) +to advance, when challenged, and to confine every person who +presumes to answer "Officer," without authority; and +when stores, &c. are to be placed in the charge of a +centinel, application must be made to the serjeant of the guard, +from whom he is to receive instructions, otherwise the centinel +not to be accountable.</p> + +<p><i>Certificates</i>.--No person to be employed unless he +produces his certificate, if a freeman, or his ticket of leave, +if a prisoner, under the penalty that his employer pays five +pounds, and half-a-crown for each day the man has been employed; +and should he prove to be a prisoner, without permission, the sum +of twenty pounds, and half-a-crown a day to Orphans. Certificates +will not be granted to persons about to leave the colony, unless +their names be published one week previous to their leaving the +Cove.</p> + +<p><i>Coals</i> (Newcastle) <i>and Timber</i>--the exclusive +property of the crown. Coals prohibited to be worked by +individuals, but to be procured by government at ten shillings +per ton, and cedar at three halfpence per superficial foot, +exclusive of other duties and fines; <i>viz.</i> Licence +2<i>s</i>. clearance 1<i>s</i>. harbour-dues at Sydney at +established rates, entrance in and clearance from the river +2<i>s</i>. entrance at Sydney 1<i>s</i>. King's dues for Orphans: +coals for home consumption, or for exportation, 2<i>s</i>. +6<i>d</i>. per ton; timber for home consumption 3<i>l</i>. per +1000 square feet, ditto for exportation 4<i>l</i>. per ditto; +metage per ton on coals 2<i>s</i>.; measure of timber per 1000 +feet 2<i>s</i>. No vessel to go to Hunter's River without a +specific licence; and the masters to enter into recognizances, +themselves in 50<i>l</i>. and two sureties in 25<i>l</i>. each, +to abide by the following regulations; <i>viz</i>. To take a +regular clearance; to observe the orders of the officer in +command; not to interfere with people at public labour; not to be +riotous or troublesome; not to land until permission be obtained; +to use baskets which will contain one hundred weight of coals; to +make daily returns to the commandant of the quantity of coals and +timber taken in; to give two days notice of departure to the +officer in command, and receive his certificate and letters; not +to sail between dusk and daylight; to land at the place directed, +only; to employ no prisoner without permission, and to pay +3<i>s</i>. 6<i>d</i>. per day for the ration of each permitted to +be employed; to give no strong liquors to any prisoner; not to +land any spirits without permit; likewise to enter into further +recognizances, the master in 100<i>l</i>. and two sureties in +50<i>l</i>. each, to take no person on board without sufficient +authority.</p> + +<p><i>Colonial Vessels</i>--to be registered, and pay fees to +Orphans: for register, ten shillings; for permission to go to +Botany Bay or Hawkesbury, two shillings; for re-entry, two +shillings; and, to go beyond Broken or Botany Bay, five +shillings, and the same at re-entry. Colonial vessels clearing +for or from any dependent settlement, prohibited taking any +person on board, unless authorised, under the penalty of +forfeiting bond and recognizances; nor is any colonial vessel to +be allowed a clearance with more than eighty gallons of spirits +for twenty-six men, fifty gallons for eighteen men, thirty +gallons for twelve men, and eighteen gallons for six men, if +going on a sealing or whaling voyage. Persons having families not +to enter on board any colonial vessels, unless provision be made +by the owners for their families whilst absent; the owners to +find security also to return such persons when their engagement +expires. The owners must likewise maintain their men while on +shore, or the latter may relinquish their contract. The owners +must also provide sufficient provisions for the support of their +men, or be prosecuted at civil law. Colonial vessels not to +depart for oiling and sealing, until bonds be entered into by the +owners, binding themselves in five hundred pounds, and two +sureties in fifty pounds each (to be renewed annually, for the +conduct of masters in their employ), to perform as follows:--To +take no person without permission and regular notice of +departure; to obtain a clearance; not to navigate beyond the +limits, namely, 10.37. and 43.39. south, and 135. east, from +Greenwich; not to entice seamen, or entertain deserters; to +provide sufficient provisions for the support of their men; not +to break bulk, until entered and the fees paid; not to authorize +strange vessels taking away British subjects from the gangs; not +to purchase or receive more than twenty gallons of spirits from +any vessel they may meet, without the governor's permission.</p> + +<p><i>Constables</i>--forbid releasing persons taken in charge, +until discharged by a magistrate.</p> + +<p><i>Convicts</i>--not to employ others to do their work: to +which all overseers are strictly to attend, under such punishment +as a bench of magistrates may adjudge. Convicts not to strike or +be struck by free persons: penalty, two hundred lashes the +prisoner, and jail-gang twelve months; a free man to pay two +pounds for the first offence, and be bound over; and, for the +second offence, five pounds, and security doubled. Those +prisoners assigned to individuals to be of no expence to the +crown, nor can any convict's person be attached for debt. Those +prisoners taken off the stores to be employed on their master's +ground only, and in no case be permitted on their own hands, or +let to hire: penalty to Orphans; the master to pay ten pounds, +and half-a-crown for each day the servant has been absent from +public labour. Servants, who are prisoners, are not to be beaten +by their masters; who are to complain to a magistrate when +necessary, on pain of forfeiting such future accommodation. Those +prisoners off the stores who charge exorbitant prices for their +labour, or misbehave in any other respect, will be recalled, and +such other punishment inflicted according to the nature of the +offence. Masters of convicts to clothe and maintain them with a +ration equal to that issued by government; to provide for them a +sheltered lodging; the servant to work, in his own time, for his +master, in preference to any other person, and never absent +himself without leave; in case of misbehaviour, the master is to +prefer his complaint to a magistrate, who will order such +punishment as the case shall require. Persons secreting or +employing such servants during government hours, will be punished +for a breach of public orders on that head. Those convict +servants indented for, not to be suffered on their own hands; +penalty, the master to pay half-a-crown per day, and one shilling +for each day the servant shall be discharged before the time +indented for expires.</p> + +<p><i>Copper Coin</i>.--Importation or exportation, above five +pounds, prohibited; penalty, treble the value. Also five pounds, +and not above, to be considered a legal tender.</p> + +<p><i>Cur Dogs</i>.--Such as are dangerous to stock, or apt to +fly at horses, to be destroyed; and if damage be sustained, the +owner of the dog to forfeit treble.</p> + +<p><i>Debts</i>.--Wheat and live stock, at government prices, to +be considered a legal tender.</p> + +<p><i>Debts of deceased Persons</i>.--Priority of claims for: +1st, medical attendance; 2d, debts and duties to the king; 3d, +judgments; 4th, recognizances; 5th, rents; 6th, obligations, +bills final and protested; 7th, single bills; 8th, wages; 9th, +book debts, &c.</p> + +<p><i>Deeds, Bonds, &c.</i>--to be executed by the judge +advocate, as notary public: individuals prohibited the exercise +of any part of such office, under the penalty of removal.</p> + +<p><i>Detainers</i>.--All applications respecting detainers +against persons leaving the colony, to be made at the secretary's +office in writing, and to be lodged within ten days after notice +of departure; otherwise not cognizable, unless the party about to +depart remains twenty days after the notice has elapsed.</p> + +<p><i>Extortion</i>--to be punished as circumstances may +require.</p> + +<p><i>Fees</i>.--High court of appeal before the governor: to +provost marshal 1<i>l</i>. 1s. to secretary or clerk 1l. 1s. +door-keeper 5s. Note. No appeal is allowed from the verdict of +the civil court to the governor, unless the appellant gives good +security to prosecute it, and to answer condemnation-money, with +costs and damages, in case the verdict of the civil court be +affirmed; nor from the governor's award to the King in council, +without giving good security in twice the sum sued for, to +prosecute the appeal in one year or as soon after as +circumstances will admit, to answer condemnation-money, and such +costs and damages as shall be awarded by his majesty in council, +in case the sentence on judgment of the governor be +approved.--Fees to provost marshal, in civil actions, executions, +&c.: 5l. per cent. on proceeds of auctions in execution; 5l. +per cent. levy money from 100l. downwards, 4l. per cent. ditto +from 100l. to 500l., 3l. per cent. from 500l. to 1000l., +2½ per cent. from 1000l. upwards; and for a man to keep +possession, 2s. 6d. per day for five days.--Fees on civil +actions: a writ, or warrant of execution, above 10l. and not +exceeding 20l., 10s., to the judge advocate's clerk 1s.; ditto +above 20l. and not exceeding 50l., with 1s. to clerk, 16s.; ditto +above 50l. and with 2s. to clerk, 1l. 2s. Capias, for any sum not +exceeding 30l., 13s.; ditto, above 30l. and not exceeding 50l., +17s.; and all above 50l., 1l. 2s. Summonses, under 40s., 4d.; +above that sum, 6d. Witnesses, travelling from Hawkesbury to +Sydney, 10s.; ditto, from Sydney to Hawkesbury, 10s.; to Sydney +from Parramatta 5s., and back again the same sum; attending the +court each day 2s. 6d.--Fees to secretary's clerks, receiving no +salary: free pardons 5s. conditional ditto 2s. 6d.; and, on each +person leaving the colony by certificate, 2s. 6d.</p> + +<p><i>Female Stock</i>--prohibited to be sent from the territory, +or its dependencies, under the same penalty as for breach of +orders.--Female stock prohibited to be killed, under the penalty +of 20<i>l.</i> to informer, and two months hard labour for the +crown.</p> + +<p><i>Fires</i>--No person to fire stubble, until his neighbours +are warned and prepared; penalty, by action, remuneration of all +damages: also, no person to smoke pipes, or make fires, near a +stack, under the penalty of exemplary punishment.</p> + +<p><i>Fire-arms</i>--forbid to be discharged between sun-set and +sun-rise, under the penalty of a breach of general orders.</p> + +<p><i>Fines</i>.--Persons removed to different settlements for +misdemeanour, not to return until the expiration of sentence, +under penalty of corporal punishment.</p> + +<p><i>Foreigners</i>--not permitted to settle or reside in the +colony, without permission.</p> + +<p><i>Forgery</i>--subject to prosecution on a written, as well +as on a printed form of note of hand; and persons concealing such +offence, will be subject to the same penalty as persons +compounding felony.</p> + +<p><i>Fort Philip</i>.--Every person cautioned from purchasing, +repairing, or building huts, near the Esplanade, the limits of +which are to be explained by the assistant engineer.</p> + +<p><i>Fustic</i>--growing at Newcastle, and its vicinity, forbid +to be cut without permission from the governor.</p> + +<p><i>Goats</i>--not to be suffered to range without a herd, +under penalty of being forfeited to Orphans.</p> + +<p><i>Grants of Land</i>--forbidden to be transferred within the +term of five years, under the penalty of their being +cancelled.</p> + +<p><i>Grants and Leases</i>--of buildings erected at the public +expence, and grounds allotted for public purposes, to revert to +the crown, at the governor's discretion.</p> + +<p><i>Guard</i> sent on board merchant vessels--instructions to: +to suffer no one to board but the pilot, naval officer, or +officer authorized by the governor; and no article to be sent on +shore, nor any person to go on board except the above, until the +flag of admission is hoisted: not to suffer spirits, wines, or +other strong drinks, to be sent from the ship, but by permit; to +admit no unauthorized person on board, without a pass, at any +time; and to suffer no shore-boats to board after sunset. If +insulted or interrupted in their duty, to report the same to +head-quarters.</p> + +<p><i>Hospital Servants</i>--forbid vending or prescribing +medicines; and all applications to be made to the medical +gentlemen for relief.</p> + +<p><i>Hogs</i>--forbid to be sent on board any vessel without +permit.</p> + +<p><i>Idlers</i>--loitering about the wharfs, to be sent to hard +labour; and if after sunset, to be imprisoned.</p> + +<p><i>Initials</i>--of the governor, commissary, and deputies, if +forged, to be considered as full signatures.</p> + +<p><i>Interest</i>--not more than eight per cent. to be exacted; +and any persons demanding more, are subject to the laws against +usury.</p> + +<p><i>King's Stores</i>--articles granted for the use of +families, comprising annual and extra supplies sent for barter, +not to be retailed, under the penalty of forfeiting all further +indulgences.</p> + +<p><i>Licenced Persons</i>--bound by recognizance to the due +assize of weight and measure; to permit no gaming, drunkenness, +indecency, or disorder; to pay due respect to existing +regulations; not to entertain persons from tap-too beating until +the following noon, or during divine service, under the penalty +of forfeiting licence and recognizances; the latter to informer, +and five pounds to Orphans. Nor is any licenced person to credit +more than twenty shillings, under forfeiture of debt; nor to sue +soldiers, seamen, servants, or prisoners, under the penalty of +nonsuit and treble charges. And any licenced person vending or +receiving liquors distilled in the colony (that practice being +strictly prohibited), they will forfeit their licence and +recognizances; and all such persons receiving permits for spirits +are to receive it themselves, and not to dispose of spirits on +any other person's account, under the before-mentioned penalty, +and all such spirits to become the property of the informer.</p> + +<p><i>Merchandize</i>.--Not more than twenty per cent. on the +importer's prices admitted on the retail; in doubtful cases, to +be estimated by courts, if sued for, by allowing from 80 to 100 +per cent. on the prime cost of English or India goods, and 20 per +cent. on the retail. Notes of hand for debts so contracted not +cognizable as evidence, unless the account of articles be +produced with prices annexed. All merchandize to be landed at the +Hospital wharf, and no where else, under penalty of confiscation; +and those articles which are brought from the eastward of the +Cape of Good Hope, are to pay five per cent. <i>ad valorem</i> on +the prices laid in at, exclusive of wharfage and wine and spirit +duties. All British manufactures exempt.</p> + +<p><i>Musters</i>.--Persons neglecting to attend musters, if +free, to be treated as vagrants; and, if prisoners, jail-gang +twelve months. Persons returning false accounts, to be dealt with +according to the decision of a bench of magistrates.</p> + +<p><i>Natives</i>--not to be treated with inhumanity or +injustice, under the penalty of prosecution and indictment; and +the natives of Otaheite, New Zealand, &c. are all to be +considered as under the protection of the crown; to be properly +treated and maintained by their employers, and not to be sent on +any voyage without the governor's permission.</p> + +<p><i>Parramatta.</i>--Persons passing the barracks to give a +satisfactory account of themselves to the commanding officer at +that place, when required; and no person to carry a musket +without permission from the magistrate.</p> + +<p><i>Passage-boats.</i>--Not to convey any person, unless a +settler, without a pass; penalty, confiscation. The boats to be +kept tight; carry four oars, one mast and sail; boatmen to treat +passengers civilly; to give notice half an hour before they +depart, by bell ringing; not to stop more than ten minutes by the +way, nor to go alongside a vessel, without acquainting the +wharfinger; and the proprietors to keep entry-books, under the +penalty of forfeiting the bond and recognizances entered into at +the time their license was granted. The following charges to be +made: Each passenger to pay 1s.; children 6d.; luggage 1s. per +cwt.; wheat or shelled maize 6d. per bushel; maize in cob 4d. per +bushel; each chair 6d.; sheep and goats 6d. each; pigs and +packages, according to their size; liquids 1d. per gallon; porter +3s. per hhd.; planks 2s. 6d. per 100 feet; fowls and ducks 1s. +per dozen; geese and turkies 1s. 2d. per dozen; parcels weighing +2lbs. 3d.; and private letters 2d. each. The hire of the whole +boat 1l. 1s.</p> + +<p><i>Passes</i>.--No person, unless a settler, to leave his +place of abode without a pass, which he is to produce to the +chief constable at the settlement expressed in it, and return it +to the officer who granted it, under the penalty of three months +hard labour, if free; and, if a prisoner, corporal punishment, at +discretion of one magistrate, not exceeding one hundred +lashes.</p> + +<p><i>Permits</i>--for removing half a gallon of spirits, &c. +to be granted by commissioned officers, superintendants, and +licensed retailers; and if any spirits be obtained by fraud and +collusion, by any licensed person, if free, he will suffer the +penalty of one year's hard labour for the crown, and forfeit his +license; and, if a prisoner, he will undergo such punishment as a +bench of magistrates may direct.</p> + +<p><i>Petitions</i>--signed by more than one person, to be +sanctioned by three magistrates, under the penalty of +prosecution.</p> + +<p><i>Prisoners</i>--not to be conveyed on board any vessel about +to depart: penalty for breach of this order, forfeiture of the +boat, and the person rowing it to be subject to two months +imprisonment. Nor is any prisoner to be seduced or diverted from +the public harvest, under the penalty of ten pounds, half of +which to be paid to the informer.</p> + +<p><i>Provisions</i>--including flour, bread, meat, wheat, +&c. not to be sent on board vessels, but by permit for that +purpose.</p> + +<p><i>Public Registers</i>--applications respecting them to be +made to the secretary only.</p> + +<p><i>Public Roads</i>--not to be encroached upon: persons +aggrieved thereby, to obtain redress by complaint to the nearest +magistrate.</p> + +<p><i>Rations</i>--allowed to prisoners, prohibited to be +purchased or exchanged, under the penalty of being indicted; and, +if bartered for spirits, all such found in the house will be +staved; if a licensed person, forfeiture of license also: And if +the ration is not applied for at the time of issue, it will not +afterwards be given.</p> + +<p><i>Sabbath</i>.--A strict observance of the sabbath, and +general attendance at divine service required; during the +performance of which all strollers are to be apprehended and +confined.</p> + +<p><i>School-house and Chapel at Hawkesbury, erected by +Gorvernment for the Benefit of Settlers in that +District</i>.--Those for whom the benefit is designed, invited to +become subscribers, for supporting the institution, and +maintaining the chaplain and preceptor, by the payment of +two-pence for each acre of land they possess. All regulations to +be determined by six subscribers, and two magistrates, one of +whom to be the principal chaplain.</p> + +<p><i>Seamen</i>.--Any person trusting or retaining any seaman, +shall lose his or her money, and be proceeded against; and +forfeit five pounds for each day and night (after the first +offence), should he be a deserter; but if ignorant of his being +such, penalty ten shillings a day, only. And any seaman deserting +a ship, and discovered after her departure, shall be subject to +thirty-one lashes, and hard labour for the crown.</p> + +<p><i>Sedition</i>.--Transgressors amenable to existing laws; in +addition to which the following regulations, for the effectual +suppression of such crime against his majesty's government, and +the public tranquillity, are strictly to be enforced; <i>viz</i>. +Persons using seditious words or actions to receive exemplary +punishment; and all persons knowing but concealing such offence, +to be treated as accomplices. Any house in which seditious +meetings are held, to be demolished.</p> + +<p><i>Slop Clothing</i>--the sale and purchase thereof +prohibited, under penalty of indictment for receiving stolen +goods.</p> + +<p><i>Spirits, and other strong Drinks</i>.--If landed without +permit, penalty, forfeiture to informer wherever found, and all +such discovered in the house; nor is any to be removed but by +permit, penalty from the original vender 5<i>l</i>. to Orphans. +Nor is any greater quantity of spirits to be removed than half a +gallon, but by a permit, signed by a magistrate; penalty, +forfeiture. And if spirits be landed by a master of a vessel +without license, he will forfeit his bond, and be ordered +immediately to depart the port. Persons licensed to retail +spirits and other strong drinks, to pay 3<i>l</i>. for each +license to the Orphans' fund, and 2<i>s</i>. to the clerk. +Spirits drawn for domestic purposes, forbid to be transferred; +penalty, forfeiture; and, if bartered for wheat, the wheat to be +forfeited to the crown, with the spirits and premises. Spirits +prohibited to be smuggled, landed without permit, or sold without +a license, under the penalty of confiscation. And should any +spirits be brought, without the governor's permission, from the +eastward of the Cape of Good Hope, the following additional +duties are to be paid; <i>viz</i>. If permitted to be landed, for +every 100 gallons, 5<i>l</i>.; not to be charged more than +6<i>s</i>. per gallon, including duty of 2<i>s</i>. per gallon; +5<i>l</i>. per cent. <i>ad valorem</i>, and 5<i>s</i>. wharfage +for each cask or case of 100 gallons. If not permitted to be +landed, no colonial vessel within the limits to receive such +spirits, under the penalty of confiscation, together with the +vessel; half to the informer. Nor are any spirits to be sold or +bartered for more than 20<i>s</i>. per gallon; penalty, the +excess of 20<i>s</i>. to be returned, and future indulgence +forfeited; and, if licensed, the license to be taken away.</p> + +<p><i>Stallions</i>--not to be suffered to run loose; penalty, +5<i>l</i>. to informer, and 10<i>s</i>. for each night they are +held in charge: If not claimed within a week, forfeited to +Orphans.</p> + +<p><i>Stock furnished by Government to Individuals</i>.--Oxen +hired to such approved settlers as procure ploughs or carts, to +be paid for in wheat each March quarter, in the proportion of ten +bushels a year for two years, when each head is to be purchased +for 70 bushels of wheat, or be returned to government; such +cattle not to be ill-treated, or applied to any other than +agricultural purposes, on pain of being reclaimed. In case of +disease or accidental death, the superintendant of stock to be +immediately informed thereof, or the settler responsible for the +loss. Cows one remove from the Bengal breed valued at 28<i>l</i>. +per head, occasionally to be bartered for as follows: To be paid +for in wheat into the store, on delivery of each cow, or, if +accepted, in two half-yearly payments; in failure of payment when +due, the stock to be reclaimed, and the payment already made +forfeited. The stock and produce to the third generation +unalienable, unless by the governor's permission; and no person +to purchase any such stock without the governor's sanction. +Stock, if impounded, a description to be sent to the nearest +magistrate, or constable of the district, immediately; to be +properly fed, and, if near a town, made public thrice a week for +one month by the common crier, under the penalty of 2<i>l</i>. +for each head, and all other costs; but owners of stock running +at large to pay all damage sustained. Any person who has received +stock from government, and obtained permission for the sale +thereof, must first tender the same to government at market +prices, under the penalty of forfeiture, with twice the value +from seller and buyer; the original stock to the crown, the other +penalties to informer.</p> + +<p><i>Stills</i>--prohibited to be used; penalty, if free, +privation of indulgence and removal; if prisoners, at discretion +of a bench of magistrates: Also all liquors and utensils found, +to be seized and destroyed.</p> + +<p><i>Stream running through the Tanks at Sydney</i>--no person +to throw filth into, nor to wash, clean fish, or erect pigsties +near; nor to take water up but at the tanks; under the penalty of +5<i>l</i>. to Orphans, if free, and the house razed; if a +prisoner, imprisonment, and hard labour for the crown for twelve +months.</p> + +<p><i>Strikes</i>.--No strikes are to be used for measuring +grain, but such as are stamped by superintending carpenters, who +are to charge one shilling each; and in case of any other strike +being used, the person offending to forfeit five pounds, and one +shilling for every bushel which has been measured.</p> + +<p><i>Sureties</i>.--Persons becoming sureties for individuals of +indifferent character, to forfeit the full amount of their +recognizance, if such decision is given before a bench of +magistrates.</p> + +<p><i>Swine</i>--found at large without ring and yoke, will be +forfeited to the Orphans.</p> + +<p><i>Taptoo-beating</i>.--Persons passing after, to answer +centinels when challenged, and to carry a lantern. None but known +householders to pass, except officers of vessels, who are to make +themselves known, under penalty of confinement.</p> + +<p><i>Timber</i>--to be taken, if wanted for government purposes, +wherever found growing on grounds located by the crown to +individuals. No private individual to damage or remove any +timber, but by permission from the owner of the land, or from the +governor, upon crown lands; penalty, prosecution. And all timber +exported, to be paid for to Orphans 3<i>l</i>. per 1000 feet +solid; returns of all embarked to be made to the wharfinger, +under the penalty of 5<i>l</i>. for each neglect. Exotic timbers +exempted from the general claim of government, and to be the +exclusive property of the owner; but, if disposed of, the crown +to have the preference.</p> + +<p><i>Vagrants, and idle and disorderly Persons</i>--to be sent +to public labour, for a time to be limited by the +magistrates.</p> + +<p><i>Vendue</i>--no person to sell goods by, unless licensed, +those exempt by act of parliament excepted, under the penalty of +50<i>l</i>. to the Orphans.</p> + +<p><i>Vendue Master</i>--to give a daily account of sales to the +treasurer of the Orphan fund, to which institution 1½ per +cent. is to be paid from the proceeds of sales. He is also to +furnish a list of articles to the treasurer, previous to the +auction, under the penalty of forfeiture of recognizances he +enters into at the time he is appointed to that situation.</p> + +<p><i>Vessels</i>--to pay the following dues and fees on entry: +To Orphans, an English merchant ship with merchandize, in +government service, 15<i>s</i>.; ditto, not in government +service, 1<i>l</i>. 10<i>s</i>.; a whaler, with merchandize, +15<i>s</i>.; ditto, with no articles for sale, 10<i>s</i>.; a +foreign ship 2<i>l</i>. 10<i>s</i>. General permission to trade +10<i>s</i>.; each bond 3<i>s</i>. 6<i>d</i>.; to water on Orphan +lands 10<i>s</i>.; to wood on ditto, or on government grounds, +10<i>s</i>.; on clearance and bonds being returned 5<i>s</i>.; +for every permit to land or remove spirits 6<i>d</i>. To the Gaol +fund: For every gallon of spirits landed, or removed from the +vessel, 1<i>s</i>.; ditto for wine 6<i>d</i>. and beer 3<i>d</i>. +Wharfage for every cask or package 6<i>d</i>. No vessel to break +bulk until reported and entered at the naval officer's office; +and every ship to hoist her colours on public days; in case of +refusal, all intercourse to cease. Vessels taking spirits from +hence, not to be allowed communication with any dependent +settlement, unless the master produces a letter from the +governor, or officer in command (to relieve distress excepted); +and no spirits to be landed at the settlement he may touch at, +unless the governor's certificate of price, &c. be produced. +All commanders are also strictly forbid entering seamen from +other ships, under the penalty of 15<i>l</i>. for each man; half +to the king, and half to the informer. Masters of vessels, not +colonial, to give security previous to any communication, +themselves in 500<i>l</i>. and two sureties in 50<i>l</i>. each, +to take no person away without regular authority, nor to depart +without leave, under an additional penalty of 50<i>l</i>. The +usual bond, not to lade from hence to India, China, &c. +without certificate, to be also exacted. Masters shipping seamen, +to make application to the secretary in writing, stating whether +such men have been prisoners, and if so, the ship they came in, +and where tried; nor is any communication to be held with any +vessel after the clearance has been obtained, under the penalty +of forfeiture of boat so trespassing, and two months +imprisonment. The crews of all vessels to be put on ration, +agreeable to existing circumstances.--Vessels not to be built +within the limits of the territory, exceeding 14 feet keel, +without permission from the governor (unless in case of +shipwreck), under the penalty of confiscation.--Vessels under +foreign colours not to be cleared for any sealing voyage, or to +return hither, but to clear out for a port of discharge. And if +any master disregard the colonial regulations, all intercourse to +cease; to depart the port immediately, and not permitted to +return.</p> + +<p><i>Vouchers for Grain, &c. furnished the King's +Stores</i>--to be finally settled quarterly, otherwise not +cognizable; <i>viz</i>. 31st of March, 30th of June, 30th of +September, and 31st of December.</p> + +<p><i>Weights and Measures</i>--to be true, and stamped as such, +under the penalty of ten pounds to Orphans, for every weight or +measure which is defective.</p> + +<p>The internal regulations, from which the preceding abridgment +was taken, are the leading features of the General Orders issued +by all those who have administered the government of the colony +up to the secession of Governor King, and are frequently altered, +or annulled, according to the variations in the local +circumstances of the country: since which period, however, a +number of other orders and proclamations have been issued, by +those who have subsequently held the command in the settlement; +but the notice of which, as well as of all political matters, +must unavoidably be deferred until some future period, from the +peculiar circumstances under which I am at present placed.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="30%"> +<p>On the 12th of August, 1806, Governor King was succeeded in +his command at the settlement by Governor Bligh, who arrived from +England for that purpose; at which period the colony was in a +state of growing prosperity, notwithstanding the progress of +cultivation was considerably retarded by the frequent +overflowings of the Hawkesbury, which never failed to produce +such extensive injury to the settlers on its banks, as would have +been sufficient to discourage men of much more industry and +perseverance than many amongst them.</p> + +<p>The death of Mr. George Barrington, who, for a long time, was +in the situation of chief constable at Parramatta, ought to have +been previously adverted to, as his decease took place some time +before this period. During his residence in the colony, he had +conducted himself with singular propriety of conduct; and, by his +industry, had saved some money; but, for a considerable time +previous to his death, he was in a state of insanity, and was +constantly attended by a trusty person. The general opinion of +those around him was, that he brought on this malady, so +destructive to the majesty of man, by his serious and sorrowful +reflexions on his former career of iniquity. His death, however, +was that of a good man, and a sincere christian. He expressed a +very considerable degree of displeasure, when he was in a state +of sanity, at his name being affixed to a narrative, which he +knew only by report, as being about to be published, and which +subsequently did appear, under a deceptious mask.</p> + +<p>The Blue Mountains have never yet been passed, so that beyond +those tremendous barriers, the country yet remains unexplored and +unknown. Various attempts have, at different periods, been made +to exceed this boundary of the settlement; but none of them have +been attended with the wished-for effect. M. Barrallier, a French +gentleman, late an engsign in the New South Wales corps, has been +further across than any other individual; but he was compelled to +return unsatisfied, before he had obtained any knowledge of the +trans-mountaneous territory which he longed to behold. I myself +made an excursion to these mountains, in the year 1807, +accompanied by an European and three natives; but after mounting +the steep acclivities for four days, until I found my stock of +provisions sensibly diminishing, I thought it most prudent to +re-trace my way to the habitable part of the settlement, and to +leave the task of exploring them to some person more qualified, +mentally as well as physically, for the arduous undertaking. In +fine, from the specimen I had acquired during this journey, of +the difficulties which surround this task, I think that, after +travelling a few miles over them, their appearance (although so +amazingly grand) is sufficiently terrific to deter any man of +common perseverance from proceeding in his design.</p> + +<p>In the progress of my undulating, I ascended about four or +five stupendous acclivities, whose perpendicular sides scarcely +permitted me to gain the ascent. No sooner had I attained to the +summit of one of these cliffs, flattering myself that I should +there find the termination of my toil, than my eye was appalled +with the sight of another, and so on to the end of my journey; +when, after mounting with the utmost difficulty a fifth of these +mountainous heights, I beheld myself, apparently, as remote from +my ultimate object, as at the first hour of my quitting the level +country beneath. Some of these ridges presented to the eye a +brilliant verdure of the most imposing nature, while others had +the appearance of unchanging sterility, relieved by the +interposition of pools of stagnant water and running streams; +there shrubs and trees enlivened the scene, and here barrenness +spread its dreary arms, and encircled the space as far as the eye +could reach. On my return, in sliding down the steep declivities, +I so completely lacerated my clothes, that they scarcely +contained sufficient power to cover me. I saw no other animals or +reptiles, during this excursion, than those which are common +throughout the country.</p> + +<p>Were it not for the existence of such insurmountable +obstacles, is it to be supposed that persons who have resided +above twenty years within sight of this Alpine chain of hills, +would have so long suppressed a a curiosity, of the existence of +which every day gives some evidence, and have remained so totally +uninformed as to the nature of a country, from which the most +distant part of the settlement is far from being remote? Or is it +probable that the settlers, who reside at the very base of the +mountains, would so long have remained ignorant of the space on +the other side, if such impassable impediments did not +intervene.</p> + +<p>In the commencement of the year 1808, a new market was +established on a part called the Old Parade, near to the Orphan +House, and every exertion was made to expedite the building of +the shops. The marketdays are Wednesdays and Saturdays, when a +considerable number of farmers, from the districts between Sydney +and Parramatta, as well as from other quarters, attend with the +produce of their lands: they also bring poultry, vegetables, +fruit, &c.; and to prevent, as much as possible, the too +frequent impositions practised, a clerk of the market has been +appointed, to weigh all things that may be required.</p> + +<p>Of late years, a number of vessels have been seized and +carried away by the convicts, amongst whom there must ever be +numbers who will eagerly grasp at any project of emancipating +themselves which occurs to their minds. Lately, the Venus, a brig +belonging to Messrs. Robert Campbell and Co. laden with a +quantity of provisions and stores to supply the settlements to +the southward, and a very handsome brig, called the Harrington, +from Madras, were seized and taken off. The former, when she had +reached her place of destination, after coming to an anchor, and +landing the master with dispatches for the Lieutenant-Governor, +was seized by some convicts who had been placed on board, under +confinement, aided by part of the crew, and was carried beyond +the reach of re-capture. She has since been heard of, but without +a probability of her recovery. The latter was cut out of Farm +Cove, and was carried out to sea, before any information was +received on the subject. This transaction was planned in a very +secret manner, so that all the convicts boarded her about twelve +o'clock at night; and, although the vessel lay in sight of some +part of the town, and within the fire of two batteries, yet +nothing was discovered of the circumstance until the following +morning. Upon the representation being made to Colonel Johnston, +that officer ordered several boats to be manned immediately, and +a party of the New South Wales corps, with a number of +inhabitants who had volunteered their services, to use every +means to re-take the vessel, put out to sea; but, after rowing +and sailing for several hours, they were at length obliged to +return, without ever coming in sight of the Harrington. Other +means were subsequently tried for the recovery of the vessel, but +all to no effect; the convicts had managed their matters with +such secrecy, promptitude, and skill, as totally prevented every +endeavour to counteract their intention.</p> + +<p>The natives and our countrymen are now somewhat sociable, and +there are not many outrages committed by either party. I believe +that some of the white men would frequently be more severe with +the Aborigines, when caught in the very act of committing +depredations, but the circumstance of several settlers being +capitally convicted of the murder of a native boy, in January, +1800, acts as a check on their violent dispositions, and prevents +the recurrence of such sanguinary proceedings. Some years +previous to this period, the Europeans at the Hawkesbury suffered +considerably from the marauding inclinations of the natives, +several of their huts being burned, and themselves severely +wounded; their corn-fields were also frequently despoiled, and +their future promise blasted. On these as well as subsequent +occasions, the settlers, in defence of their persons and +property, were compelled to have recourse to arms, the natural +and necessary consequence of which was the destruction of some of +the plundering tribes; but, in these instances, the circumstances +justified the deed, and the governor sent assistance to them, +rather than the contrary. In fact, so many atrocious deeds were +committed by one of their leaders at Hawkesbury, who had long +been a determined enemy to the Europeans, that Governor King +found it necessary to issue an order, offering a reward to any +person who should kill him and bring in his head. This was soon +accomplished by artifice, the man received the reward, and the +head was sent to England in spirits by the Speedy. Those +practices, however, had now, in a great measure, been done away +with, and it was seldom heard that any steps of violence were +pursued on either side. But when thus speaking of the general +good understanding which exists between the Europeans and +natives, I must be understood to confine my meaning to the +vicinity of the principal settlements; for about the remoter +coasts they are still savages, as may be gathered from the +following narrative of an occurrence in April, 1808:--The Fly, +colonial vessel, being driven into Bateman's Bay by bad weather, +had occasion to send three of her crew on shore to search for +water; and it was agreed, previous to their departure, that in +case of any appearance of danger, a musket should be fired from +the vessel, as a signal for the immediate return of those who had +landed. Shortly after the boat had reached the shore, a +considerable body of natives assembled round the boat, and a +musket was accordingly discharged. The men returned to the boat +with the utmost precipitation, and without any obstruction; but +they had no sooner put off from the shore, than a flight of +spears pursued them, and was succeeded by others, until the whole +of the three unfortunate men fell from their oars, and expired +beneath the attacks of their enemies. The savages immediately +seized and manned the boat; and, with a number of canoes, +prepared for an attack upon the vessel itself, which narrowly +escaped their unprovoked fury, by cutting the cable, with all +possible expedition, and standing out to sea. The names of the +unhappy men who were thus murdered, were Charles Freeman, Thomas +Bligh, and Robert Goodlet. This melancholy circumstance affords a +sufficient illustration of the dispositions of those natives +which are remote from the settlements; and as no such occurrences +have taken place amongst the neighbouring inhabitants of the +country, it is but a fair presumption to conclude, that an +association with Europeans has in some degree polished their +native rudeness, has softened the cruelty and natural violence of +their dispositions, and inculcated into their breasts some +principles of humanity. By observing the conduct of the new +settlers, the savages have learned to imitate their actions, and +to discard a portion of that barbarity of manners, which allied +them to the material creation.</p> + +<p>Just before I quitted the colony, two persons arrived; one as +master of the female Orphan school, and the other to superintend +the boys; but as the school for the latter was not yet erected, +an advertisement was immediately given out by government, to +ascertain the numbers of the youth of that description, in order +that some correct idea might be formed of the extent of the +projected building. The female school was established and +occupied by the children, who were considered as proper objects +of the charity, in the early months of the year 1801, soon after +Governor King took the command of the settlement, and is a fine +institution; and the late committee have so acted, as to reflect +honour on the task which they have so feelingly undertaken. Nor +can the children of that institution ever be sufficiently +grateful to Mrs. Paterson, and Major Abbott, as well as to some +few others of the several committees, whose judicious measures +and well-adapted plans, have not only contributed to their +present comfort, but laid a foundation for their being brought up +in a life of virtue and industry, instead of becoming the objects +of prostitution and infamy. It is supported by different duties +levied on merchandize--by fines, fees, &c. (as may be seen by +a reference to my abridgment of the General Orders), and is of no +expense to the crown. The establishment of these benevolent +asylums for the offspring of misery, confers a high degree of +credit on their originators, as well as on the people amongst +whom they flourish, and afford a powerful argument to combat +those weak and obstinate prejudices which have been raised +against this colony, by persons of little information and less +liberality, who, reasoning on narrow principles, and with obscure +views of the subject, are incredulous of the good which exceeds +the horizon of their own bounded perspective, and are ever +amongst the foremost to exclaim, "Can any good come out of +Nazareth?"</p> + +<p>About the same period, a complete range of storehouses was +completed on the banks of the Parramatta river, and another had +been commenced close by the wharf at Sydney. The necessity for +some new buildings of this description had been evident for some +time, as the chief part of the King's storehouses, which had been +previously erected, were unfortunately so remote from the +water-side, as to occasion much superfluous labour, as well as to +render the unloading of ships extremely burdensome and expensive. +These inconveniences have, however, been considerably lessened by +the new arrangements; and the pursuance of a similar system will +speedily render the port infinitely more commodious, and +effectually remove those grievances which were calculated to +restrict the influx, <i>and increase the estimated</i> value of +merchandize.</p> + +<p>Some short time also before I left the settlement, two murders +were committed, by men named Brown and Kenny; the former of whom +had killed several men at the southward, and was brought from +thence to Port Jackson for trial, where he was convicted, +executed, and subsequently hung in chains on Pinch-gut, a small +island in the centre of the harbour leading to Sydney Cove. The +latter was arraigned for the murder of a woman named Smith, who, +after he had perpetrated the deed, endeavoured to consume the +body of his victim, by thrusting it in the fire. He was executed, +and hung in chains at Parramatta.--Several other murders have +been committed; but as it is my intention to touch only on the +most particular occurrences, I have forborne to name more than +those I conceived to be the most atrocious.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="30%"> +<p>Such is as accurate a sketch of the progress of the colony as +it comes within the compass of my limits or intention at present +to depict. I have omitted numerous occurrences of a trivial +nature, considering their detail altogether superfluous, as the +interesting narratives of Governor Hunter and Lieutenant-Governor +Collins, are sufficient to give the minute inquirers into the +rise of the colony a perfect acquaintance with the nature of the +general occurrences therein; a continuation of which details +would, in fact, be little more than their repetition. I believe I +have touched upon the most interesting points in the history of +this yet unmatured settlement, subsequent to the valuable +relations of these esteemed officers, except such as relate to +politics, and other topics, which may hereafter be subjects of +contemplation; and my principal object has been, to carry to the +mind of the reader an idea of the progressive maturation of the +colony, without fatiguing his eye with <i>minutioe</i> which +might render the work tedious, and induce him to regret the hour +which he has devoted to its perusal. It now remains for me to +depict the state of the colony, at the close of the autumn of +1809 (March), when I sailed for England; and, in the execution of +this part of my task, I shall endeavour so to arrange my subject +as to preserve an interest, unbroken and unfailing, throughout +the whole. By a rigid adherence to facts, I shall enable the +reader, by a comparison of my various statements with the +previous details of the luminous narrators above mentioned, to +form just and indisputable estimates of the increase of the +settlement; of its growth in population and extent, as well as in +the means of supporting its increased members. This division of +my subject will also afford the political philosopher new +materials for calculation, on a subject so interesting, so +important to the civilized world, as the colonization and +cultivation of those remote parts of the universe, which may, at +some future period, be made the seats of new empires, by draining +off from the old world that superfluity of population which, like +an insupportable burden of fruit on a tree, unless removed, would +tend to depress and destroy the trunk which produced and +supported it.</p> + +<p><a name="ch3"></a></p> + +<h2>Chapter III. Present State of the Colony.</h2> + +<h3>Agriculture, &c.</h3> + +<p>The account of land in cultivation, as it appeared at the last +muster taken by me, according to direction which I received from +his Honour Lieutenant-Governor Foveaux, and making a part of the +several tracts granted by the crown to settlers, &c. as +described in the survey, stood as follows:--</p> + +<p>Belonging to the Crown--100 acres in wheat.</p> + +<p>Belonging to Officers--326½ acres of wheat, 178 acres +of maize, 22½ acres of barley, 13 acres of oats, 13/4 +acres of pease and beans, 191/4 acres of potatoes, 65 acres of +orchard, and 6 acres of flax and hemp.</p> + +<p>Belonging to Settlers--6460½ acres of wheat, 32111/4 +acres of maize, 512 acres of barley, 79½ acres of oats, +983/4 acres of pease and beans, 2813/4 acres of potatoes, 13 +acres of turnips, 4811/4 acres of garden and orchard, and +28½ acres of flax, hemp, and hops.</p> + +<p>Total.--6887 acres of wheat, 33891/4 acres of maize, +534½ acres of barley, 92½ acres of oats, +100½ acres of pease and beans, 301 acres of potatoes, 13 +acres of turnips, 5461/4 acres of orchard and garden, 34½ +acres of flax, hemp, and hops.</p> + +<p>The following is the general course of cultivation adopted, +and justified by experience:--</p> + +<p><i>January</i>.--The ground intended for wheat and barley to +be sown in, ought to be now broken up; carrots should also be +sown, and potatoes planted in this month are most productive for +the winter consumption.</p> + +<p><i>February</i>.--A general crop of turnips for sheep, &c. +should be sown this month, the land having been previously +manured, cleared, ploughed, &c. This is also the proper month +for putting Cape barley in the ground, for green food for horses, +cattle, &c.</p> + +<p><i>March</i>.--Strawberries should be planted this month, and +onions for immediate use should be sown. All forest land should +be now sown with wheat; and turnips, for a general crop, in the +proportion of one pound of seed to an acre of land.</p> + +<p><i>April</i>.--From the middle of this month, until the end of +May, is the best season for sowing wheat in the districts of +Richmond Hill, Phillip, Nelson, and Evan, as it is not so subject +to the caterpillar, smut, rust, and blight. Oats may also be sown +now for a general crop. Asparagus haulm should also be cut and +carried off the ground, and the beds dunged.</p> + +<p><i>May</i>.--Pease and beans for a field crop should be sown +in this month; but, in gardens, at pleasure, as you may be +supplied with them, as well as most other vegetable productions, +sallads, &c. nearly at all times of the year.</p> + +<p><i>June</i>.--This is the best season for transplanting all +kinds of fruit-trees, except evergreens; layers may also be now +made, and cuttings planted from hardy trees. Spring barley should +be sown this month upon all rich land, three bushels to an +acre.</p> + +<p><i>July</i>.--Potatoes which were planted in January are now +fit for digging. Stocks to bud and plant upon should now be +transplanted; cabbage and carrots may be sown; and strawberries +should be cleaned, and have their spring dressing.</p> + +<p><i>August</i>.--Potatoes must now be planted for general +summer use; the ground prepared for clover at this season is +best. Cucumbers and melons of all kinds should now be sown, and +evergreens transplanted. Vines ought to be cut and trimmed early +in this month. Ground may this month also be ploughed for the +reception of maize, and turnip land prepared for grass.</p> + +<p><i>September</i>.--This is the best season for grafting +fruit-trees, and the ground should be entirely prepared for +planting with maize. Grass-seed or clover should be sown in the +beginning of this month, if the weather is favourable, and there +is a prospect of rains.</p> + +<p><i>October</i>.--All fruit-trees now in bearing should be +examined, and where the fruit is set too thick, it must be +reduced to a moderate quantity. The farmer should plant as much +of his maize this month as possible, and clean ground for +potatoes.</p> + +<p><i>November</i>.--In this month the harvest becomes general +throughout the colony, and no wheat ought to be stacked upon the +ground, as the moisture which arises from the earth ascends +through the stack, and tends much, in this warm climate, to +increase the weevils, which prove very destructive to the wheat. +Evergreens may now be propagated by layers, and cabbage, lettuce, +and turnips sown.</p> + +<p><i>December</i>.--The stubble-ground is frequently planted +with maize in this month, so that it produces a crop of wheat and +another of maize in the same year; but the policy of thus forcing +the ground is much questioned by many experienced agriculturists, +and is supposed to have led to the ruin of some of these +avaricious farmers. Cauliflower and brocoli seeds may now be +sown.</p> + +<p>The prices paid for planting, clearing ground, &c. is as +follows, according to the regulations specified in the general +orders:--For felling forest timber, 10<i>s</i>. per acre; for +burning off ditto, 25<i>s</i>. per acre; for breaking up new +ground, 24<i>s</i>. per acre; for breaking up stubble or corn +land, 13<i>s</i>. 4<i>d</i>. per acre; for chipping in wheat, +6<i>s</i>. 8<i>d</i>. per acre; for reaping ditto, 8<i>s</i>. per +acre; for threshing ditto, 7<i>d</i>. per bushel; for planting +maize, 6<i>s</i>. 8<i>d</i>. per acre; for hilling ditto, +6<i>s</i>. 8<i>d</i>. per acre; and for pulling and husking +ditto, 5<i>d</i>. per bushel.--The hours of public labour are +from sunrise to eight o'clock, and (Sundays excepted) from nine +to three. On Saturdays, on account of the stores being open for +the issue of provisions, the hours are from sunrise to nine +o'clock.</p> + +<p>Yearly wages for servants, with board, 10<i>l</i>.; weekly +ditto, with provisions, 6<i>s</i>.; daily wages, with board, +1<i>s</i>.; and daily wages, without board, 2<i>s</i>. +6<i>d</i>.</p> + +<p>The following is an accurate account of Live Stock, taken at +the same time as the preceding statement of land in +cultivation:--</p> + +<p>Belonging to the Crown--28 male horses, 19 female ditto; 21 +bulls, 1791 cows; 1800 oxen; 395 male sheep, and 604 female +ditto.</p> + +<p>Belonging to Officers--81 male horses, 146 female ditto; 38 +bulls, 1111 cows; 696 oxen; 2638 male sheep, 5298 female ditto; +40 male goats, 73 female ditto; 486 male pigs, and 537 female +ditto.</p> + +<p>Belonging to Settlers--258 male horses, 329 female ditto; 40 +bulls, 1906 cows; 1172 oxen; 7449 male sheep, 15,327 female +ditto; 799 male goats, 1670 female ditto; 7693 male pigs, and +7435 female ditto.</p> + +<p>Belonging to Persons not holding Land--44 male horses, 35 +female ditto; 19 bulls, 307 cows; 103 oxen; 325 male sheep, 1222 +female ditto; 97 male goats, 296 female ditto; 1641 male pigs, +and 1576 female ditto.</p> + +<p>Total of Stock--411 male horses, 529 female ditto; 118 bulls, +5115 cows; 3771 oxen; 10807 male sheep, 22,451 female ditto; 936 +male goats, 2039 female ditto; 9820 male pigs, and 9548 female +ditto.</p> + +<p>The common lands to the various districts, which were located +in perpetuity in 1804, are now felt very serviceable, and were +just granted at a period that prevented any of the settlers from +being thoroughly enclosed, so that every grazier has now an +opportunity of feeding his stock thereon, without confining +himself to the quantity of land he chooses to cultivate on his +own farm.</p> + +<p>From the above statements it will most certainly appear, that +the colony is in a very flourishing state, and, no doubt, will +soon become independent of the mother country, if those methods +are pursued which are best calculated to promote this end. No one +step has latterly been taken to facilitate this desirable object +more than the measures adopted by Colonel Johnstone and +Lieutenant-Governor Foveaux, who distributed the breeding cattle +amongst the industrious and deserving settlers; a step which has +produced benefits of a two-fold nature--laying the foundation for +the more rapid increase of stock, and affording a stimulus to +meritorious exertion. In the districts about Hawkesbury, the +grain yields abundantly; but at the other settlements it is less +productive: The reason of this distinction must be chiefly +obvious to the reader of the preceding sketch, in the liability +of the soil at the former settlement to frequent inundations, +which serve every purpose of manure, and uniformly keep the +ground in a mellow state. It has been erroneously stated, that +the average produce of the land in New South Wales is sixty +bushels of wheat per acre; but I can take upon myself to say, +that twenty-five bushels an acre will be found the full extent of +the average produce. When a comparison is made between the +present state of the country and its former condition, the +improvements will appear considerable in agriculture, and almost +incredible in every other respect. The season for the gathering +in of the wheat has been gradually accelerated, ever since the +commencement of the colony; and the harvest of the last year +previous to my departure from the settlement, commenced nearly a +month sooner than it did at the first: The fruit seemed also +later.</p> + +<h3>Prices of Provisions, and Ration.</h3> + +<p>The following was the current price of Articles of Food, in +the year 1809:--Wheat 12<i>s</i>. per bushel; maize 5<i>s</i>. +per bushel; barley 5<i>s</i>. per bushel; oats 4<i>s</i>. +6<i>d</i>. per bushel; potatoes 10<i>s</i>. per cwt.; turnips +4<i>d</i>. per bunch; carrots 6<i>d</i>. per bunch; cabbages +3<i>d</i>. each; lemons 6<i>d</i>. per dozen; peaches 2<i>d</i>. +per dozen; apples 2<i>s</i>. per dozen; pears 3<i>s</i>. per +dozen; strawberries 1<i>s</i>. per quart; quinces 2<i>s</i>. per +dozen; water melons 9<i>d</i>. each; musk and other melons +1<i>s</i>. each; apricots 1<i>s</i>. per dozen; mulberries +1<i>s</i>. per quart; Cape gooseberries 8<i>d</i>. per quart; +native currants 8<i>d</i>. per quart; oranges, raspberries, +grapes, plums, almonds, pomegranates, limes, shaddocks, citrons, +pine-apples, nectarines, and guavas, are to be procured; but +their prices are variable, some of them being more scarce than +others. Cucumbers 1<i>d</i>. each, mushrooms 8<i>d</i>. per +quart, French beans 4<i>d</i>. per quart, onions 20<i>s</i>. per +cwt. peas 1<i>s</i>. per quart, beans 9<i>d</i>. per quart, +asparagus 2<i>s</i>. per hundred, artichokes 6<i>d</i>. each, +spinage 1<i>s</i>. per dish, pumpkins 6<i>d</i>. each, +cauliflowers 6<i>d</i>. each, brocoli 6<i>d</i>. per dish, figs +3<i>d</i>. per dozen. Beet-root, lettuces, raddishes, sallad of +all kinds, horse-raddish, samphire, watercresses, celery, endive, +and herbs of every description, are extremely plentiful, and to +be purchased at reasonable rates.</p> + +<p>Animal food is to be procured at the following prices:--Beef +1<i>s</i>. 3<i>d</i>. per lb.; mutton 1<i>s</i>. 3<i>d</i>. per +lb.; pork 1<i>s</i>. per lb.; lamb 1<i>s</i>. 3<i>d</i>. per lb.; +kangaroo 8<i>d</i>. per lb. (the flesh of this animal is somewhat +similar in taste to English beef, but rather inferior, owing to +the want of fat); goat mutton 1<i>s</i>. per lb.; turkeys +10<i>s</i>. each; geese 8<i>s</i>. each; ducks 4<i>s</i>. each; +Muscovy ducks 5<i>s</i>. each; fowls 2<i>s</i>. 6<i>d</i>. each; +wild ducks 2<i>s</i>. each; teal 1<i>s</i>. 3<i>d</i>. each; +rabbits 4<i>s</i>. each; roasting pigs 5<i>s</i>. each; pigeons +1<i>s</i>. 3<i>d</i>. each; kids 5<i>s</i>. each; eggs 1<i>s</i>. +6<i>d</i>. per dozen; butter 6<i>s</i>. per lb.; milk 1<i>s</i>. +per quart; cheese 2<i>s</i>. 6<i>d</i>. per lb.; oysters +1<i>s</i>. per quart; and lobsters 1<i>s</i>. each.</p> + +<p>Fish is exceedingly numerous of every description, and is very +good as well as moderate in charge. A turtle was caught recently +in Broken Bay, with a hook, weighing seven hundred weight, which +was retailed to the inhabitants at 4<i>d</i>. per lb.</p> + +<p>The following is to be considered as a full weekly Ration, +which is issued from the stores whenever there is a sufficiency +without a prospect of want, to those who are in the employ of +government:--Seven pounds of salt beef, or four pounds of salt +pork; eight pounds of flour or meal, or an addition of a quarter +of a pound of wheat to each pound, if it cannot be ground; pease +or other pulse, three pounds; six ounces of sugar in lieu of +butter. The same quantity is to be given by their employer to +those who are indented to settlers, &c.; but as frequent +alterations are necessarily made, according to the pressure of +circumstances, the deficiency is generally made up with +maize.</p> + +<h3>Trade and Manufactures.</h3> + +<p>A manufactory has been established for coarse woollen +blanketing or rugs, and coarse linen called drugget; a linen of a +very good quality has also been produced, which has been disposed +of to settlers, &c. and issued from the stores to those who +labour for the crown. The spinning has been done by the female +convicts, and the weaving, &c. by the male. The person who +superintended this department, for some time, was George +Mealmaker, a well-known political character in North Britain; but +he has been dead some years, and the manufactory, which adjoins +the goal at Parramatta, has been almost entirely destroyed by +fire; consequently, the progress which would have been made in +this manufacture has been greatly retarded. When I left the +colony, however, a very deserving, respectable, and persevering +settler, at Hawkesbury, was about to commence in that way on a +very extensive scale; for which laudable purpose he had sown +several acres with flax and hemp, and I am hopeful his exertions +will tend to benefit the colony, to which the establishment of a +manufactory of this description has been long an object ardently +to be desired; and it is to be hoped, that the effort of this new +speculator will be crowned with that success which it so +eminently deserves.</p> + +<p>The leather made from the skins of cattle, kangaroo, seal, +&c. are extremely good, and are tanned by a bark which grows +in the settlement, much sooner than a similar operation is +performed in England. The sole leather, in my opinion, cannot be +surpassed in point of goodness; and every improvement which can +arise from competition may be naturally expected, since there are +several persons who follow this line of business both at Sydney +and Parramatta.</p> + +<p>Several potteries have been established; but the most +celebrated manufacturer of this description, named Skinner, +lately died. His dishes, plates, basons, covers, cups and +saucers, teapots, and chimney ornaments, were in a very superior +style of workmanship; and other useful articles equally +handsome.</p> + +<p>Tobacco-pipes, which, some years ago, at the cheapest periods +cost sixpence each, are now manufactured in the settlement, of a +very good quality, and are retailed for one penny each. The great +propensity to smoking which prevails throughout the colony, +causes an astonishing consumption of this article, and has well +repaid the original speculator.</p> + +<p>Salt is made in great abundance from salt water; and large +salt-pans have been erected at Rose Bay, whence, and at +Newcastle, great quantities are made and sent to Sydney. A plan, +however, had been proposed to the governor, for making it by +evaporation, which it was supposed would be carried into effect; +it was in agitation, and was nearly brought to perfection when +this statement was made.</p> + +<p>Some very palatable beer is brewed in the settlement, at four +extensive breweries; one at Sydney, one at Kissing Point, one at +Parramatta, and the other at Hawkesbury; and a number of persons +brew their own beer. Some improvements here may yet be looked +for, since at present the grain is malted very badly in the +colony, which I attribute more to the want of proper utensils +than any deficiency of ability. In a short time also they will be +enabled to grow a sufficiency of hops in the settlement for every +purpose, without being compelled, as at present, to have recourse +to the mother country for this necessary article.</p> + +<p>Eight wind-mills have been erected for the purpose of grinding +corn; and a water-mill, which had been erected at Parramatta, +has, most unfortunately, been destroyed by a flood, which came on +some time previous to my leaving the colony.</p> + +<p>There are four auctioneers, or vendue masters, in the +settlements; two at Sydney, one at Parramatta, and one at +Hawkesbury: They usually charge five per cent. on sales.</p> + +<p>The shops are particularly respectable, and decorated with +much taste. Articles of female apparel and ornament are greedily +purchased; for the European women in the settlement spare no +expense in ornamenting their persons, and in dress, each seems to +vie with the other in extravagance. The costliness of the +exterior there, as well as in most other parts of the world, is +meant as the mark of superiority; but confers very little grace, +and much less virtue, on its wearer, when speaking of the dashing +belles who generally frequent the Rocks, who may often be seen of +an evening attired in the greatest splendour, and on the +following morning are hid from public view with extremely mean +attire.</p> + +<p>Spirits are also bought up with astonishing rapidity; and, +when prohibited, will ever be obtained by some means or other, +and I have known it to sell as high as thirty shillings per +bottle; the general price by the retailer, however, is from ten +to sixteen shillings per bottle. Most of the people in the +colony, male and female, give way to excessive drinking. Wines +are not so eagerly sought after, and are therefore more +reasonable than might be expected; but if the rage for luxuries +continues to increase in the same proportion as it has done for +the last few years, it must soon obtain an enhanced price, and a +more rapid sale. The evils consequent upon the unrestrained use +of these articles, are such as to justify the most poignant +regrets that they should be held in such estimation by all +descriptions of persons, since they have proved from their first +introduction into the colony, and still continue to be, the +fertile sources of social disorder, of domestic misery, of +disorders, and of death. It is to no purpose that the higher +orders set examples of sobriety and temperance; it is of no avail +that the governor uses every prudent exertion to restrain the +immoderate traffic in these pernicious liquors; threats, +intreaties, and punishments, are equally useless; and while +spirits are to be procured, the inhabitants will possess them at +the price of every other comfort of life.</p> + +<p>While on this subject, I shall just take occasion to advert to +a singular circumstance respecting the specie of the settlement. +The copper coin which was sent out by government, and was +originally issued at the close of the year 1800, has most +surprisingly decreased, as very little indeed is now used +currently. This occurrence is so strange in itself, that I am +totally at a loss to account for it, on any principles whatever. +Considering its rapid diminution, I cannot conjecture by what +means the circulation is still kept up; nor, on the other hand, +can I suppose that the coin is caught up for the purposes of +exportation, as it was issued in the colony, in the first +instance, at one hundred per cent. above its real value. The +scarcity of this specie, at all events, operates as an +obstruction to trade; and I think that some steps ought to be +taken to remove the cause of complaint, by filling up the +deficiency which has so unaccountably taken place.</p> + +<h3>Population.</h3> + +<p>There are nine thousand three hundred and fifty-six +inhabitants in the settlement, out of which number upwards of six +thousand support themselves, and the rest are victualled and +clothed at the expense of the crown. Most men of a trade or +profession pursue their calling; and labourers are either +employed by settlers to cultivate their lands, and in various +occupations, or work in different gangs, where they can be +serviceable.</p> + +<p>When a transport arrives with prisoners, their irons are +immediately knocked off (if this has not been previously done), +unless some powerful reason exists to justify an exception from +this rule. The muster is taken by the commissary, who gives +receipts for every thing belonging to the crown; the list, with +remarks, is given to the governor, who orders them to what part +of the settlement he thinks proper, where the deficiency of hands +in agricultural or other employments renders such an acquisition +desirable.</p> + +<p>The behaviour of the prisoners has recently been much less +exceptionable than in the earlier days of the settlement, and +they seem to have accommodated their dispositions, in a great +degree, to their new situations; those who are guilty of theft +have latterly been transported to some remote settlement, and +this system of punishment has been found more efficacious than +the infliction of castigation, or any other corporal punishment, +since they feel an unconquerable repugnance to the idea of a +separation from their old connections and companions, and a +removal to a solitary scene, where they cannot hope for any +opportunities of re-commencing those pursuits which are so truly +congenial to their dispositions.</p> + +<h3>Natives.</h3> + +<p>Speaking generally of the natives, they are a filthy, +disagreeable race of people; nor is it my opinion that any +measures which could be adopted would ever make them otherwise. +Their wars are as frequent as usual, and are attended with as +much cruelty both towards men and women. They are still ready at +all times to commit depredations upon the Indian corn, whenever +there is a probability of their attempts being attended with the +desired success; and this predatory disposition renders it +frequently necessary to send detachments of the military to +disperse them; but the utmost care is taken to prevent any fatal +circumstances from attending these acts of needful hostility, and +orders are uniformly issued never to fire upon the natives, +unless any particularly irritating act should render such a +measure expedient. They are amazingly expert at throwing the +spear, and will launch it with unerring aim to a distance of +thirty to sixty yards. I myself have seen a lad hurl his spear at +a hawk-eagle (a bird which, with wings expanded, measures from +seven to ten feet), flying in the air, with such velocity and +correctness as to pierce his object, and bring the feathered +victim to the earth. This circumstance will tend to shew how soon +the youth of these tribes are trained to the use of the spear, +and the dexterity to which they attain in this art before they +reach the age of manhood. Indeed, instances are by no means +uncommon, where an army of natives is seen following a youthful +leader of fifteen or sixteen years of age, and obeying his +directions implicitly, because his previous conduct had been +characterized by remarkable vigour of body, and intrepidity of +mind--virtues which qualify natives of every age and rank for the +highest honours and the most marked distinctions amongst these +untutored sons of nature. Their attachment to savage life is +unconquerable; nor can the strongest allurements tempt them to +exchange their wild residences in the recesses of the country, +for the comforts of European life. A singular instance of this +fact occurred in the case of Be-ne-long, who was brought to +England by Governor Phillip, and returned with Governor Hunter. +For some time after his return, it is true, he assumed the +manners, the dress, and the consequence of an European, and +treated his countrymen with a distance which evinced the sense he +entertained of his own increased importance; and this disposition +was encouraged by every method which suggested itself to the +minds of those of the colony with whom he associated; but, +notwithstanding so much pains had been taken for his improvement, +both when separated from his countrymen, and since his return to +New South Wales, he has subsequently taken to the woods again, +returned to his old habits, and now lives in the same manner as +those who have never mixed with the civilized world. Sometimes, +indeed, he holds intercourse with the colony; but every effort +uniformly fails to draw him once again into the circle of +polished society, since he prefers to taste of liberty amongst +his native scenes, to the unsatisfactory gratification which +arises from an association with strangers, however kind their +treatment of him, and however superior to his own enjoyments.</p> + +<p>Yet there are many of the natives who feel no disinclination +to mix with the inhabitants occasionally--to take their share in +the labours and the reward of those who toil. Amongst these there +are five in particular, to whom our countrymen have given the +names of Bull Dog, Bidgy Bidgy, Bundell, Bloody Jack, and another +whose name I cannot call to recollection, but who had a farm of +four acres and upwards, planted with maize, at Hawkesbury, which +he held by permission of Governor King; and the other four made +themselves extremely useful on board colonial vessels employed in +the fishing and sealing trade, for which they are in the regular +receipt of wages. They strive, by every means in their power, to +make themselves appear like the sailors with whom they associate, +by copying their customs, and imitating their manners; such as +swearing, using a great quantity of tobacco, drinking grog, and +other similar habits. These natives are the only ones, I believe, +who are inclined to industrious behaviour, and they have most +certainly rendered more essential services to the colony than any +others of their countrymen, who, in general, content themselves +with assisting to draw nets for fish, for the purpose of coming +in for a share of the produce of others toil.</p> + +<p>The general pursuits of the natives, their manners and +customs, have been so accurately described by preceding writers +on the subject, that I shall forbear from entering into more +minute particulars, which would swell my sketch far beyond its +intended limits, and could add nothing to the knowledge of which +the well-informed reader is already possessed. It will be +sufficient to remark, that such as the inhabitants of the +interior of New Holland were represented ten years since, they +still remain, as the antecedent remarks must sufficiently +illustrate: The jealousy of the new settlers, which originally +existed, has indeed entirely vanished; but the proximity of a +civilized colony has not tended in the least to polish the native +rudeness and barbarism, which mark the behaviour of the original +inhabitants of this remote spot of the universe.</p> + +<h3>Climate.</h3> + +<p>Although the climate is variable, yet it is very healthy, and +uncommonly fine for vegetation. Most of the disorders which exist +in the settlement are the fruits of intemperance and debauchery, +the necessary result of that fatal addiction to drunkenness, +which produces mental imbecility and bodily decay. Frost is known +but little; at least, ice is very seldom seen; and, I believe, +snow has never yet appeared since the establishment of the +colony: Yet on the highest ridges of the remoter mountains, to +which I have had occasion to allude as never yet having been +passed, snow is to be seen for a long time together; and this +circumstance is a proof of their elevation. The usual weather in +New South Wales is uncommonly bright and clear, and the common +weather there, in spring and autumn, is equal to the finest +summer day in England. This purity and warmth of atmosphere, it +may be naturally inferred, must be particularly favourable to the +growth of shrubs and plants, which flourish exceedingly, and +attain to a degree of perfection and beauty which is unknown to +the inhabitants of this country. The woods and fields present a +boundless variety of the choicest productions of nature, which +gratify the senses with their fragrance and magnificence; while +the branches of the trees display a brilliant assemblage of the +feathered race, whose plumage, "glittering in the sun," +dazzles the eye of the beholder with its unmatched loveliness and +lustre, and presenting, on the whole, a scene too rich for the +pencil to pourtray--too glowing and animated for the feeble pen +of mortal to describe with half the energy and beauty which +belong to it, and without which description is unfaithful.</p> + +<h3>Natural History.</h3> + +<p>This subject has been so well treated, and the various species +of animals, &c. have been so accurately described, by those +who have treated on the history of this colony, that it would be +superfluous in me to re-tread the ground which has been already +so ably trodden. I shall therefore content myself with describing +the few natural productions of the country of New Holland, which +have been discovered subsequent to the latest publication on the +subject, and concerning which, consequently, no information of an +accurate and public nature has yet been transmitted to this +country. The exploration of the works of nature in this immense +tract of the universe, is however still incomplete; and I have no +doubt but the lapse of a few years will tend greatly to the +augmentation of the knowledge we now possess on this interesting +subject, and will prove the fertile source of new delight and +instruction to the mind which can derive enjoyment from that pure +source, the contemplation of nature in her varied and astonishing +works.</p> + +<p>The Koolah, or Sloth, a singular animal of the Opossum +species, having a false belly, was found by the natives, and +brought into the town alive, on the 10th of August, 1803. This is +a very singular animal; for when it ascends a tree, at which it +is astonishingly expert, it will never quit it until it has +cleared it of its leaves. It is mostly found in the mountains and +deep ravines to the southward and northward of Broken Bay, and +the natives instantly discover its concealment by observing the +leaves of the Gum-tree eaten off, this being the tree which it +usually selects. It is astonishingly indolent, and is uniformly +found with a companion, locked in each other's arms, as it were. +Its claws are very strong, and are of material service in +assisting it to climb trees; its length from eighteen inches to +two feet; and two stuffed specimens are to be seen in Mr. +Bullock's Museum.</p> + +<p>Latterly also, a species of the Hyena has been found at Port +Dalrymple, which is extremely ferocious in appearance, has a +remarkably large mouth, is striped all over, very strongly +limbed, and its claws strong, long, and sharp. This animal is +likewise of the Opossum kind, having, like the generality of +subjects found in New Holland, a false belly. Notwithstanding its +apparent ferocity, it has never yet ventured to attack any human +being, but has confined its ravages to sheep and poultry, amongst +which it has committed frequent and very serious depredations. No +one of these animals, I believe, has hitherto been brought over +to England, either alive or dead, since their native fierceness +renders them less easy of capture than the Koolah.</p> + +<p>Flying Mice are likewise found, in considerable numbers, in +this country, of a very handsome appearance, and also of the +Opossum species. The tail of this interesting little animal +resembles a feather; its belly is white, and its back brown; and +it is covered with a down as soft as satin. It flies like an +Opossum. This subject is much regarded for its beauty.</p> + +<p>The Porcupine Ant-eaters are found in most parts of the +country, and are esteemed very good eating; they burrow in the +earth, and have a tongue of remarkable length, which they put out +of their mouth, and the ants immediately crowd upon it, as if +lured by some particular attraction, and when it appears to be +pretty well covered, it is drawn in with rapidity, and the +insects are expeditiously swallowed.--Stuffed specimens of these +are also to be seen in the Museum of Mr. Bullock.</p> + +<p>Black and white mottled Fern tree was found at the head of +Lane Cove, by Colonel Paterson, about five years since; but it +does not run to any considerable size. It is esteemed a very +handsome wood for the purposes of veneering.</p> + +<p>The Spice tree has also been found to the southward: It is a +very strong aromatic, and possesses a more pungent quality than +pepper. This tree produces a berry, which, as well as the bark, +is of a very powerful spicy nature.</p> + +<p>Fustic has been discovered at Newcastle--a wood which makes +the finest yellow dye; but it has been hitherto confined to New +South Wales. Indigo was also found in different parts of the +country; but, after a thorough trial of its properties by a +French gentleman of much patience and experience, as well as by +some other individuals of research, it was found impossible to +derive any benefit from it.</p> + +<p>Native green currants grow wildly, and make an uncommonly fine +jelly. A wild cherry is also found in the settlement, growing +with the stone on the outside, of a red colour, but nearly unfit +to eat; as also a wild fig, equally nauseous, full of seed, but +eaten by the natives. Strawberries grow to fine perfection; but +no English currant, gooseberry, or cherry trees, are to be seen +in the country: Some were brought from England by Captain Kent, +of the royal navy, and were in a flourishing state, with some +gingers, from Rio de Janeiro, when a fire happened upon that +gentleman's farm, and consumed the whole, which has been a very +great loss to the colony. Pines, far exceeding in size those of +England, are now growing there, but they are scarce; melons, on +the contrary, are very large and plentiful. Botany Bay greens are +procured in abundance; they much resemble sage in appearance, and +are esteemed a very good dish by the Europeans, but despised by +the natives. The bark of a tree called Carajong, which grows like +a willow, is manufactured into ropes of considerable strength. A +single nectarine tree only has been known to bear fruit, which is +in the Government Garden. Some coffee trees were planted by a +Frenchman (Mons. Declambe), but he unfortunately died before he +could bring them to perfection.</p> + +<p>The shrubs and plants of this country are all evergreens, and +numbers of them are to be seen, covered with beautiful blossoms, +at all seasons of the year. Jeraniums flourish in such abundance, +that, in various parts of the settlement, they are made into +hedges, and are so thick as to be almost impenetrable; they are +always in leaf and flower, and emit an odour of the most fragrant +nature, perfuming the surrounding atmosphere.</p> + +<p>Cedar, and coals, of a very fine quality, are the produce of +the Newcastle district, and are procured with very little +trouble. Manna has also been found near Port Dalrymple, made by +the locusts on the trees, from which it drops in very +considerable quantities. But the most prizable subjects which +have been discovered here are, the valuable stones; of which the +white, yellow, and large brilliant Topazes, are considered of far +greater worth than those which are produced in any part of the +Brazils; since I was informed, when at Rio Janeiro, in the month +of August, 1809, by a number of gentlemen of the best +information, amongst whom were the Marquis de Pomball and the +Judge Consalvadore, that none which had been found on that coast, +could bear a comparison with those of New Holland.</p> + +<p>The other animals of this country; the numerous, curious, and +beautiful birds, which abound there; and the various reptiles +which have been discovered, have been already sufficiently +described: More of the latter, however, have subsequently been +discovered to be of a venomous nature than was formerly +conjectured; and the bite of several species of the Coluber, or +Snake, have proved, in various instances, fatal, in the course of +a very few minutes after the wound has been received. It is to be +wished that some mode of cure could be discovered.--It is worthy +of remark, that at Norfolk Island, a spot where a settlement was +made, and which has been subsequently evacuated, about three +hundred leagues from the nearest coast of New South Wales, no +reptiles of any description are to be found; while at Phillip +Island, only seven miles from Norfolk Island, several species of +reptiles exist in abundance, such as the Centipede, Tarantula, +&c.</p> + +<h3>Religion.</h3> + +<p>The religion most generally followed in the colony of New +South Wales, is that established according to the usage of the +Church of England; and it is a subject of satisfaction to observe +that the churches are, generally speaking, well attended. A great +part of the military corps, with their officers, uniformly attend +divine service.--A Roman Catholic priest (the Rev. Mr. Dixon) was +formerly allowed by government to preach in public, but this +indulgence has been subsequently withdrawn from some cause or +other; and I am somewhat inclined to attribute this alteration to +the seditious conduct of the Irish prisoners, some years since, +in which it was proved that another priest (Mr. Harold) bore a +conspicuous part, upholding and encouraging the designs of those +who entertained schemes inimical to the existing government, and +subversive of the welfare of the colony.</p> + +<p>Some of the Missionary Society preach at the out-settlements, +frequently on a Sunday, with various success; and it is much to +be lamented, that in the selection of these men, who are sent out +to enlighten and instruct the ignorant, greater attention is not +paid to their qualifications; and the abuses which are practised +under the cloak of religion, in these remote parts of the world, +call loudly for a close investigation, and a total reformation of +the system. That there are amongst these Missionaries men of +strict fidelity, whose hearts are engaged in the task they have +undertaken, and whose conduct has justly gained them the esteem +and veneration of all classes, is a fact which no dispassionate +observer can deny; but it is also equally notorious, that there +are too many of an opposite description, who practise every vice, +and do the most serious injury to that sacred cause to which they +have been delegated, and have engaged to support. If greater +pains were taken in the choice of servants, the Missionary +institution might tend to the more rapid promotion of the +knowledge of religion; but the work will be retarded while +improper instruments are used. A Missionary, of irreproachable +character, was unhappily murdered a few years since, by some +persons whom he had served, and who adopted this new and inhuman +method of repaying the obligation which had been conferred upon +him.</p> + +<p>The natives are in general very superstitious, and entertain +some singular notions respecting their deceased friends and +countrymen, of which very ample accounts are given in +Lieutenant-Governor Collins's interesting publication. Their +funeral ceremonies are extremely impressive, and every mark of +respect, which suggests itself to their untaught minds, is paid +to the body of the deceased. A barbarous custom, however, +prevails, which is sanctioned by their rude ideas of +religion:--When a mother dies, while giving suck to an infant, +the living babe is uniformly thrown into the grave of the parent, +and the father having cast a stone upon it, the earth is cast +into the pit, and thus the innocent offspring is immolated to an +erroneous and superstitious prejudice.</p> + +<p>Amongst the convicts the influence of superstition is less +prevalent, although, amongst many of the lower orders of Irish, +the traces of it are to be discovered; it leads, however, to no +injurious consequences, and deserves encouragement, in preference +to those totally irreligious principles which might naturally be +expected to shew themselves amidst a body of men, of characters +and dispositions so hostile to every thing which is virtuous, +dignifying, and good.</p> + +<h3>Morals.</h3> + +<p>The morals of the colony are by no means so debauched as the +tongue of prejudice has too frequently asserted; on the contrary, +virtuous characters are not rare, and honourable principles are +not less prevalent here than in other communities of equal extent +and limited growth. The instances of drunkenness, dishonesty, and +their concomitant offences, are not more common than in the +mother country; and those amongst the convicts who are disposed +to return to their old habits, and re-commence their depredations +upon society are deterred by the severe punishment which awaits +their detection: There are many also amongst the prisoners +themselves, who are now striking examples of probity, industry, +temperance, and virtue; and some have obtained a remission of the +punishment which occasioned their residence in the settlement, in +consequence of the signal and radical change which had taken +place in their inclinations and behaviour. Where there is society +their must exist offences; but, on the whole, considering the +nature of the colony of New South Wales, the morals of the people +are as free from glaring defects, as those of any other tract of +equal population in the habitable world; and the characters which +are celebrated for their virtues are as numerous, in proportion, +as those which are to be found in other countries, where +civilization and prosperity have made greater progress, and where +individuals have greater inducement to labour, and the prospect +of a brighter reward for their industrious exertions.</p> + +<h3>Amusements.</h3> + +<p>The erection of a play-house was noticed in the preceding part +of this sketch; the abuses which were uniformly committed on the +nights of performance, subsequently rendered that a nuisance +which was originally intended for an innocent recreation. When +the inhabitants were engaged in this enjoyment, their property +was left unwatched, and there were ever numbers of dishonest +individuals who were ready to seize upon these opportunities to +gratify their vicious dispositions. It was also a common practice +to give provisions to obtain entrance, if money was scarce; and +thus, by the frequent privations of their regular food, many of +the convicts were unable to pursue their labour with proper +energy and activity. Other abuses also resulted from the +establishment of the theatre, which induced the governor to recal +the permission which had been given for the performances, and the +playhouse itself was soon afterwards levelled to the ground.</p> + +<p>Since the destruction of this building, the sources of +amusement have been confined to cricket, cards, water-parties, +shooting, fishing, hunting the kangaroo, &c. or any other +pleasures which can be derived from society where no public place +is open for recreations of any description. The officers of the +colony have also built a private billiard-room, by subscription, +for their own use; and if these amusements possess not that +degree of attraction which is attached to dramatic +representations, they cannot, on the other hand, be liable to +those abuses, and produce those injurious consequences, which +previously existed.</p> + +<p>Amongst the convicts, indeed, gaming is carried, too +frequently, to the most deplorable excesses; and, in some cases, +the most abandoned of the prisoners have actually staked the +clothes which they wore, and when those were lost, stood amongst +their companions in a state of nudity, thus reducing themselves +to a level with the natives of the woods. The most severe +measures were called for by this unprincipled practice, and the +most gross part of the custom was done away; but it was +impossible to put a total stop to the gratification of this +gaming disposition, which is still pursued with equal avidity in +some way or other, and which may be said, next to drinking, to +constitute the chief pleasure and amusement of the lowest classes +of the prisoners.</p> + +<p>The amusements of the natives need no recital here, as they +have been fully detailed in other publications.</p> + +<h3>Military Force.</h3> + +<p>The whole of the military in the colony consists of the New +South Wales corps (now the 102d regiment), two volunteer +associations, and a body-guard of troopers for the governor, +commanded by a serjeant. In fact, the inutility of a larger +military force must be obvious to every man of common reflection, +since it is merely required for the purposes of preserving +domestic peace, which might be in danger of continual +interruptions, in case of the absence of military power +altogether, from the turbulent dispositions of many of the +convicts. This inclination to revolt, however, is repressed by +the appearance of a few organized troops; and a sufficient check +is kept upon the natives, who still continue to make occasional +incursions, and commit their depredations upon the India corn of +the settlers, whenever an opportunity offers itself: At these +periods the soldiers are called in, and a few of them are found +sufficient to drive back the plunderers, who hate and fear the +approach of a soldier.</p> + +<h3>Buildings.</h3> + +<p>The buildings are of stone, brick, and lath and plaister; +weather-boarded; and the houses are durable. There are two +churches; one, St. Philip's, which possesses a very handsome +service of communion plate, presented by his Majesty, and +received by the Calcutta, on the 8th of October, 1803; and the +other, St. John's, at Parramatta: There are likewise a school and +chapel at Hawkesbury, where divine service is performed. Two +jails have also been erected in the colony. A house has been +built for the governor at each of the principal settlements; +which also possess several very commodious barracks, with many +other public buildings, and a great number of extensive and +handsome houses, the property of private individuals. There are a +stone bridge, and several very substantial wooden ones, which, if +not celebrated for beauty, are found extremely serviceable, and +well calculated for all the present purposes of the colony, which +is not yet sufficiently advanced in prosperity to prefer ornament +to use. A new stone citadel is in a course of building, on which +the Royal Standard, for the first time in these settlements, was +hoisted on the 4th of June, 1803; and several batteries are +erected.--For a more particular account of the buildings at +Sydney, I must refer the reader to the following explanation of +the Views of Sydney, the principal seat of government, which +accompany this sketch:--</p> + +<table summary=""> +<tr> +<td align="left"><a name="mann-02"></a><a name="mann-03"></a><img +alt="" src="images/mann-02.jpg"></td> +<td><img alt="" src="images/mann-03.jpg"></td> +</tr> +</table> + +<p>In the View of Sydney, from the East side of the Cove, No. I. +the house under two birds, as r r , is the Residence of the +Governor in Chief, which is built of brick, plaistered over; has +very convenient stables and outhouses, and is a very pleasant and +comfortable residence; the garden and shrubbery extend to about +four acres. The Flag-staff near the gardenhouse bears the Union +on holidays, and different signal-colours are used there to form +a communication between the shore and the king's vessels in the +Cove. The Pine tree growing in the garden is from Norfolk Island, +and runs to an amazing height and thickness; the knots from this +tree are used instead of flambeaux, and burn remarkably well. The +buildings under three birds, as r r r, extending some distance +right and left, and forming a square, are the Military Barracks, +built of brick, the largest of which was erected by +Lieutenant-Governor Foveaux: This is an extensive well-built +place, and was finished in far less time than any building ever +begun upon by government in that settlement, considering its +magnitude. The White House and Warehouses, which appear +immediately under that building, although a considerable distance +on this side, belong to Mr. Simeon Lord; they are built of stone, +and the dwelling-house is by far the most magnificent in the +colony. The road leading through Barrack-square is the high road +to Parramatta. The house at the head of Government-wharf, shewing +four windows on the ground floor, is a Dry Storehouse belonging +to the crown, and is used for depositing articles for barter, +&c. in, which are sent out by government for that purpose. +The small yellow house behind it belongs to government, and is +inhabited by Mr. John Gowen, one of his majesty's store-keepers +in that settlement. The yellow house, on the right of the +Barrack-square, and having nine windows in front on each floor, +is an extensive Government Granary, and was built of brick, +plaistered over, under the direction of his excellency Governor +Hunter. Attached to this building, on the right, is a very useful +Military Store; and, on the left, a Store for the issue of +Provisions. The red house, to the right, built of brick, with two +wings, is the Female Orphan-house, which is a very convenient +building, and was purchased from Captain Kent, of the royal navy, +but great additions have been made to it subsequent to its +purchase. The long building above the Orphan-house, of which only +a part of the front is seen, is built of brick, and belongs to +Garnham Blaxcell, Esq. whose zeal for the colony, and whose +industry, have equally entitled him to the esteem and praise of +all. The house a little to the right of the Orphan-house, and +appearing to have a wing, is the Dwelling, and, attached to it, +are the Warehouses of Mr. James Underwood; they are built of +brick, and are extremely commodious and comfortable. The building +above is the Church, as the tower denotes; it is built of stone, +and has a peal of eight bells therein, but they are not very +harmonious. On the right of the one road leading to the church, +the building with four windows and two doors in front, and the +erection above it, are two Government Store-houses, built of +brick and plaister; the first is generally used for bonding of +spirits in, for naval stores, &c.; and the other for the +reception of salt provisions, when any arrive from England. The +Windmill on the hill is built of stone, and belongs to +government; and the building on the right, which is continued in +View, No. II. with a wall round it, is built of stone, and forms +part of the County Gaol. In the fore ground, six of the Natives +are in the attitude of throwing the spear; two with spears; one +with a spear and helemon, or shield; and two sitting down.--Of +the dexterity with which they hurl this weapon, some notice has +been taken in a preceding part of this sketch.</p> + +<p>In View, No. II. taken from the East side of the Cove, the +long building, with a flight of steps, is the County Gaol, of +which a part is seen in No. I. The White Building, to the right +of the Prison, of which only three windows in front, and the +warehouses around it, are discovered, belongs to Mr. Henry Kable, +who, with Messrs. Lord and Underwood, have been very industrious +and enterprising men in the oil and sealskin trade, &c. and +possess a number of vessels and considerable estates in the +colony. The two small Houses, rather to the right, below the +Gaol, built of brick, are used for the boats' crews. The +Warehouses which hide part of these huts, and the House above, +belong to Mr. Isaac Nichols; they are very extensive and +commodious, and are built of stone. The House, still further to +the right, with a door, four windows, and two side-lights, in +front, and kitchen detached, belongs to Mr. Thomas Moore, the +principal shipwright, a man of unshaken integrity and large +property. The wharf near this part, is called the Hospital Wharf, +where all merchandize, &c. is directed to be landed. The Road +leading on the hill, takes different directions to the houses and +streets on the rocks. The three long buildings, on the right of +the road, are the General Hospitals; and in the front of them is +the Government Dock-yard. Next, to the right of the Hospitals, +one building with eight windows and two doors in front, and the +other with four windows and a door, with side-lights, in front, +are the Barracks occupied by the Medical Staff. The two next +buildings are not tenanted by their late possessors. The large +buildings to the right, at the water's edge, are the House and +extensive Warehouses of Robert Campbell, Esq. a merchant, where a +ship of large dimensions can load or unload, with any tide, +alongside his wharf. Near this place a vessel belonging to that +gentleman some time ago caught fire, and after a great deal of +trouble she was sunk, by which means the fire was extinguished; +she was afterwards got up, and underwent such repairs as soon +enabled her to proceed on her voyage. Where the yellow flag is +seen flying, on Dawes's Point, there is a Battery, and +Lookout-house, to communicate with the signals for ships in the +offing at South Head. The River round the point leads to several +agricultural and farming districts, and to Parramatta. On the +hill is the Citadel, with the union flag flying, and two +Government Wind-mills, one built of wood and the other of stone, +the latter of which is unserviceable. The other buildings belong +to individuals indiscriminately. The Canoes, with fires in them, +belong to the natives.</p> + +<table summary=""> +<tr> +<td align="left"><a name="mann-04"></a><a name="mann-05"></a><img +alt="" src="images/mann-04.jpg"></td> +<td><img alt="" src="images/mann-05.jpg"></td> +</tr> +</table> + +<p>In View, No. I. taken from the West side of the Cove, on one +side of the land which is farthest seen, is the Harbour; and on +the other, is an amazing expanse of sea. There is a carriage-road +made from Sydney to the extreme point, which is South Head, and a +great many carriages and horsemen frequently go down there to +spend the day, or to see any vessels which may appear off the +land. On South Head are, a Flag-staff, a Lookout-house, and an +Obelisk; and betwixt it and the North Head, is a narrow entrance, +by which vessels enter the port, about seven miles from Sydney. +The small island in the centre is called Pinch-gut, which name +originated from some persons being placed there on an allowance +of provisions for some offence, where they built an oven, the +remains of which are yet to be seen: At this time there is a man +named Brown, before spoken of, hung in chains on this spot, for +committing several murders. The other islands, between these and +the heads, are called Garden, Shark's, and Clark's Islands. On +the land to the right of Pinch-gut, called Be-ne-long's Point, +the native of that name, who was once in England, had a hut built +by government; but he soon left it, and it was destroyed: There +are also the remains of a battery there. Under two birds, as r r, +are two Houses on a point of land leading from Farm Cove, the +next cove to the eastward of Sydney. Under a large flight of +birds, are three Wind-mills, and an extensive Bakehouse; two of +which, and the bake-house, belong to John Palmer, Esq. and the +other to Mr. Henry Kable. Beneath them is Government House, and +part of the offices, and grounds. To the right of the Government +wharf are the Dry Stores spoken of in No. I. from the east side. +The building above that, of brick, is the Main Guard-house, and +is a very convenient place for that purpose. The Stone-house, and +offices, to the right of the Dry Stores, with five windows on a +floor, belong to Mr. Thomas Reiby; the brick House, nearly +adjoining, to Mr. Andrew Thompson; and the large Stone-house and +Warehouses, to Mr. Simeon Lord, spoken of in No. I. of the other +Views; in the front of which buildings is the principal road +leading to Government House, where are houses and offices for the +Judge Advocate, Commissary, Clergyman, and Surveyor-General; but +they are mostly hidden in this View by the trees and large +buildings before them. The stone building at the stern of the +Sloop, comprises the Warehouse and part of the House belonging to +Mr. Isaac Nichols, spoken of in No. II. of the other Views, and +continued in the next of this. The buildings concealed by part of +the long shed near, but on this side Mr. Nichols's, is the back +part of the Assistant-Surgeon's Barracks. The house behind the +trees is the back of the Barracks of the principal Surgeon. The +house near the Natives, who are fighting, is not occupied by any +person of particular consequence; and the one, partly hidden by +the rocks, was occupied by Mr. Moore, but is going to decay.</p> + +<p>In View, No. II. taken from the West side of the Cove, the +lofty House of which a part is seen, and which was spoken of in +No. II. of the other Views, and I. of this, belongs to Mr. Isaac +Nichols; and the buildings on this side are the back of the +General Hospital. The Bridge, the only one built of stone in the +whole colony, is a very bad structure; the walls on each side of +the arch inclose the grounds belonging to the Orphan-house and +Mr. Simeon Lord. The road seen on the other side of the bridge is +called Spring-row; it leads to several streets, and joins the +main road to Parramatta, &c.; below the paling of which there +are very large Tanks, cut in rocks, to supply the town and +shipping with water; but there is another watering-place for +ships on the north side of the Cove, very commodious, and the +permission to use which produces a small annual income to the +Orphan fund. The rows, commencing above the foot of the Bridge, +on the east side, are called Chapel, Pitt's, and Serjeant-Major's +rows, the latter of which, under the two birds, runs to the +Brick-fields, towards Parramatta. The House on the right, at this +end of the longest street, seen in this View, with three windows +and a door visible, belongs to Garnham Blaxcell, Esq. spoken of +in No. I. of the other Views. The building, the eastern end of +which is partly covered by a tree, is the most southern Military +Barrack. The two lofty red houses at the west foot of the Bridge, +in the rise, are side-views of the Orphan-house and Mr. James +Underwood's, spoken of in No. I. of the other Views. The houses +on the right, a spot called the Rocks, belong to different +individuals, and some of them are very comfortable +habitations.</p> + +<p>Over the south creek at Hawkesbury a floating-bridge has been +erected, which has proved greatly beneficial to the public; +since, previous to its completion, every person who had occasion +to go to that settlement, and in many cases from one farm to +another, was obliged to pass to and fro in a boat. As this bridge +was constructed by an individual (Mr. Andrew Thompson, a settler) +at his own expense, the following tolls are allowed to be +demanded:--For every foot-passenger, four-pence, or ten shillings +per annum; for each horse, single or in draught, two shillings +and sixpence, or two pounds ten shillings per annum; for waggons, +or other four-wheel carriages, with not more than half a ton +lading, one shilling and sixpence, or one pound ten shillings per +annum; for carts, or carriages with two wheels, laden or not, +each one shilling and sixpence, or one pound ten shillings per +annum; for sheep, under a score, two-pence each, and by the score +two shillings and sixpence, or two pounds ten shillings per +annum; swine and goats, the same as sheep. Passengers, horses, +carts, and carriages, are allowed to pass and re-pass, during the +same day, with one ticket; and a considerable income is derived +from this toll.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> +<p>The children born in this colony from European parents, are +very robust, comely, and well made; nor do I recollect a solitary +instance of one being naturally deformed. They are remarkably +quick of apprehension; learn any thing with uncommon rapidity; +and greatly improve in good manners, promising to become a fine +race of people.</p> + +<p>The Duke of Northumberland has sent over some Teeswater sheep, +and one stallion, very recently, to Colonel Johnston, which have +greatly improved the breed of both. Mr. Mac Arthur took over some +Merino sheep, from the King's flock, which are thriving, and the +wool of which is extremely fine; several samples have been +produced in England. The deer in this colony (originally, I +believe, from India) thrive very well, but are of the Rein +species, and rather inclined to be small: I have seen some very +good venison, and of a superior flavour to any I ever eat in +England, though not so fat; the breed might be much improved by a +few being sent of a larger quality. Some time ago several made +their escape from a park belonging to Mr. Harris, who has for +many years been surgeon of the regiment there, and before I left +the colony, they were breeding and running wild in the woods.</p> + +<p>Several foreign vessels have within these few years arrived +here on discovery; but nothing material has resulted from their +observations, with which the reader has not been made +acquainted.</p> + +<p><a name="ch4"></a></p> + +<h2>Chapter IV. Hints for the Improvement of the Colony.</h2> + +<p>Having thus touched upon the progress of the Colony and its +present state, I shall now beg to add such Hints respecting its +future improvement, as have suggested themselves to my mind +during a residence of ten years in the settlement, in which +period I have been enabled, from the nature of the various +situations I have held there, to render myself intimately +acquainted with all those particulars which are essential to the +formation of a correct opinion on this interesting subject. And +to the execution of this task I feel the more particularly urged, +since I have beheld, with pain, that those who seem to be most +deeply impressed with the necessity which exists, for the +adoption of some measures to further the interests of the colony, +have entirely mistaken the line which ought to be followed, and +have marked out to themselves a course of procedure, which is +founded on a total misconception of the nature of the colony, and +a very superficial knowledge of its present state. That a period +of twenty-two years has not been sufficient to render New South +Wales independent of the mother country, is a reflection which +must produce strong and ungenial suspicions of the prudence of +those methods which have been pursued to accelerate such a +desirable end; and the continuance of the late system, the +inefficiency of which has been amply illustrated by recent +events, and facts which are incontrovertible, is, of all evils, +the most sincerely to be deprecated and guarded against. Of the +capability of the settlement to produce adequate means for the +subsistence of its members, there can be but a single opinion +amongst persons who are enabled, from experience, to judge of the +nature and fertility of the soil; and it must, consequently, form +an evident conclusion, that some unnatural check must have sprung +up to impede the ordinary course of proceedings. My object, +however, is not to deprecate the opinions of others, but to give +to the public those ideas of improvement which have arisen in my +own mind, and which have been confirmed by the approbation of +others, who are equally as well or better qualified to decide +upon this important subject.</p> + +<p>Complaints having been made by the government of the expenses +of the colony, which have accumulated, rather than diminished, +with the increasing growth of the settlement, I shall first enter +into a statement of the causes of this augmented expense, part of +which, as I shall hope to demonstrate with clearness, has arisen +out of the nature of things, and the other part may be attributed +to various causes.</p> + +<p>1st, As to the retarded progress of public buildings, and the +diminution in the labour of the convicts.--This decrease in the +quantity of labour performed, is to be attributed to the natural +falling-off in the strength of the convicts employed in +government labour, from deaths, desertions, and their becoming +free. Those who were first sent to the colony, and had been +originally transported for seven and fourteen years had served +their times, the former in 1793, and the latter in 1800; numbers +had been released from their servitude on account of their +exemplary behaviour, or of services done to the colony; and all +who became settlers being allowed one, two, or more convicts to +assist in the cultivation of the tracts assigned to them, the +reduction in those who laboured for the crown must necessarily +have been very considerable, and must still continue in an +increasing degree, owing to the great numbers of free settlers +who have been allowed to go out from England, many of whom have +only been a great expense to government, and an hindrance to the +settlement. From a correct estimation taken in the year 1800, it +was ascertained that three-fourths of the convicts employed in +the service of government at the close of 1792, had been +subsequently discharged. From that period to the year 1800, 1259 +new male convicts arrived, effective and non-effective, a number +which was insufficient to fill up the deficiencies occasioned by +those who had obtained their liberations in consequence of having +completed their terms of servitude, and the emancipations which +had taken place, the number of which together amounted to 1264, +without including the deaths, casualties, and escapes, which may +be taken at an equal number; nor were there more employed by the +crown than 710 when Governor King was succeeded in the command of +the colony (although a great many had arrived between those +periods), including the vast number allowed to officers, +settlers, and others, and but few of the remainder were either +mechanics or persons adapted to the improvement of the colony; +therefore from these causes it must be evident to every rational +mind, that the progress of the colony towards perfection and +prosperity has, in fact, been as rapid as could be expected, +considering the circumstances of the settlement; and an opinion +of a contrary nature must have been grounded upon an exaggerated +estimate of the means which existed, and an entire ignorance of +the due proportion which they have borne to the labour required +at their hands.</p> + +<p>2dly, As to the expenditure of the stores which were forwarded +to the colony, in the interval which elapsed from the departure +of Governor Phillip, in December, 1792, to the arrival of +Governor Hunter, in September, 1795.--It has been subsequently +ascertained, that in this lapse of two years and three-quarters, +a sufficiency of stores had been received to supply the real +wants of the settlement for a period nearly thrice as long; +whereas the whole was expended, and the store-houses were found +empty at the arrival of the latter governor from England. In +consequence of the profusion which had thus been practised, +although it might at that time be deemed needful, his excellency +Governor Hunter was reduced to the necessity of purchasing new +stores at an expensive market, where every advantage was taken of +the necessity which had induced the demand, and the most +exorbitant prices were charged for each article. I have +understood from very good authority, that two pounds were paid +for a pair of men's shoes, and thirty shillings for women's; +tobacco was forty shillings per lb.; soap twelve shillings, and +sugar eight shillings; a beaver hat and a coarse jacket, fetched +five pounds each, and every other article in an equal proportion. +A great deal of time was also lost in endeavouring to make +implements of husbandry, mechanical tools, and other requisites +of a similar description. The reduced state of the colony at this +period was also rendered still more deplorable, by the neglect of +the government in England to comply with the urgent requisitions +of Governor Hunter for such supplies as were necessary. The +exhaustion of the stores of clothing and beds and blankets, +assisted to fill the hospital with patients, and rendered the +purchase of these articles absolutely indispensable at any price, +and on any terms on which they might be procured. I feel myself +inclined to suppose, that the backwardness which displayed itself +at this time in the government to dispatch the stores which were +demanded, arose from a conviction that the supplies which had +been previously sent in such abundance were sufficiently ample +for all the immediate wants of the colony, and, consequently, +that the pressure of necessity could not be so great as was +represented; for it was not to be expected that those officers +who administered the government of the colony, on the arrival of +their successors, would depict the situation of the settlement, +and the state of the stores, in any other than a favourable +light, particularly to his Majesty's ministers at home; a line of +conduct which tended considerably to enhance the mischiefs which +had been already showered upon the inhabitants, by the perhaps +too liberal distribution which had been displayed in the issuing +of the various necessaries during their administration.</p> + +<p>3dly, As to the custom of allowing to settlers a certain +number of convicts, for years, to assist in the tillage, and +continuing to victual those servants out of the public stores.--I +am clearly of opinion, that much evil has arisen from the +unrestrained issue of this indulgence. The original object of +this grant was, to enable the young farmer to clear the tract +which was assigned to him, and to bring it into a condition which +would enable it to produce a maintenance for its possessor; then +he was required to take the convicts which he thought it +necessary to retain, entirely off the public stores, and to +victual and clothe them at his own cost. The abuse of this +indulgence, however, has arisen from the extension of its +advantages to an unlimitted term; so that the farmer is +interested in retarding the efforts which he might otherwise be +induced to make for the improvement of his land, in order to save +himself from the burden of supporting his servants; and thus a +spirit of indolence is promoted, and the original intention of +the measure is totally perverted. The continuance of this +pernicious system, previous to the administration of Governor +Hunter, had induced the settlers to look upon it as a right, +rather than an indulgence. Numbers of useful mechanics, whose +services might have been turned to advantage, in the exercise of +their different professions for the public benefit, were thus +given to those who cultivated lands, until their term was +expired; and no sooner did they recover their freedom, than they +quitted the service of government for more lucrative employments; +the consequence was, artificers at a high price were to be hired +by the governor, to build those store-houses which might have +been erected before, and to repair the towns of Parramatta and +Toongabbee, which were falling into ruins, on account of the +necessary repairs having been neglected at a proper season: This +was a new expense entailed upon government, and many thousands +were expended, which foresight and prudent policy might have +saved.</p> + +<p>A 4th cause of superfluous expense to the crown, was to be +found in the employment of the convicts to perform the public +service by task-work, which was completed by nine or ten o'clock +in the morning, and thus left the hands free to assist in the +cultivation of those tracts of land which had been granted to +different descriptions of persons. Thus was the government labour +protracted in a most shameful degree; the labour of little more +than a week requiring the lapse of a month to complete it; and +thus, also, several were induced, by their attention to their +individual interests, to neglect the service of the colony. The +consequence of this innovation was, the rapid clearing and +cultivation of such persons' estates, and the erection of +comfortable residences and the acquisition of further +accommodations, which they must otherwise have waited some time +to obtain; while the buildings which were required to be raised +for the security of the stores, and for other purposes of equal +necessity, were greatly retarded. I am confident also that this +conduct tended to relax the discipline which ought to have been +rigidly preserved amongst the convicts, and produced a general +carelessness of the general interest; and it was not without some +difficulty that Governor Hunter succeeded in the adoption of a +contrary line of behaviour. Habits of dissipation and indolence +resulted from this pernicious mode of bartering the public for +individual interest, which had taken such deep root, as to render +their complete eradication matter of the most extreme difficulty: +The encroachments on the hours of labour for the crown has, +however, been done away by Governor Hunter, and a a more regular +system has been adopted in the allowance of convicts and other +indulgences to settlers, &c. by order of the Secretary of +State, since his excellency's departure.</p> + +<p>The custom of imprisoning for debt those persons who are +employed in the public service, constitutes the 5th article of +notice; and this practice had been carried to such a pitch, that +dealers would readily give credit to convicts, or any servants of +the crown, under the idea that they might sue the debtors for the +amount, and imprison them, or obtain the benefit of their labour +until the debt was liquidated. The necessities of the convicts +frequently compelled them to seek for credit, and thus to throw +themselves into the power of those iniquitous designers. In +consequence of the prevalence of this practice many of the +convicts were immured continually, and thus the public was +deprived of their services; since they preferred remaining +indolently in confinement to making those complaints to the +governor, which would have led to their release, and reinstation +in their former situations of labour. Governor Hunter no sooner +made himself acquainted with the mischievous extent to which this +conduct was carried, than he published an order, in which he +prohibited every person in trade from " crediting the +servants of the crown, under the plea of their being at liberty +to imprison their persons; if such credit was given, it was to be +understood as being done at the risk of the creditor, on the good +faith he entertained of the integrity of the persons he so +entrusted, but that the public should not be deprived of the +labour of its servants for the partial accommodation of +individuals." This order was dated the 4th of October, 1798, +three years after the return of Governor Hunter to the +administration of his high and responsible office; and the +regulation was justified by the situation of the colony, and the +abuses which had sprung out of the custom. After the publication +of this order, however, I saw many persons committed to prison +for debt, whose situation, as convicts, exempted them from +incarceration; but this apparent breach of the regulation was +entirely attributable to the ignorance of the court which had +thus decided, that the person against whom their warrant was +directed, was at the time a bond-servant, and, consequently, +within the reach of this clause. Whenever a commitment of this +description came to the governor's knowledge (which was always +the case in a few days, when the report of the prisoners for debt +was delivered to him), the delinquent was immediately enlarged, +since his confinement was illegal, as contrary to the order which +had been published on the subject.</p> + +<p>Another cause of expense, comprising the 6th in this +enumeration, arose out of the number of orphan children in the +settlement, who were allowed full ration and clothing at the +charge of government. This evil has, however, experienced a very +natural reduction, from the judicious measures adopted by +Governor Hunter, who laid the foundation of a fund for the +benefit of these orphans; the consequence of which has been, the +completion of a school for the education and maintenance of +female children of that description, and which is now supported +by various imposts upon merchandize, and other taxations or fines +for certain offences against the general orders. The children +embraced by this charity are not simply the offspring of deceased +parents, but such other children, also, as have been left +unprovided for, by the desertion of those whose duty it was to +foster them, or from the circumstance of their being found to be +worthless and profligate characters, or by their having betrayed +a carelessness and indifference as to the moral improvement of +their children; where such a disposition displayed itself, the +offspring were taken from them, and their subsequent progress was +made the care of this institution, which provided for their +support and improvement; and I am happy to say, that there is +every appearance of a great good arising from this foundation, by +rescuing from infamy and shame, and bringing up to a life of +virtue and industry, a number of fine young girls, whom it is +earnestly hoped will strive to repay the paternal care that has +been taken of them in their juvenile days, by a strict adherence +to every pure inclination as they rise in age, and a grateful +remembrance of those from whom their happiness has sprung.</p> + +<p>7thly, The establishment of a most injurious monopoly amongst +the inhabitants of the settlement, which has tended to the ruin +of fair trade.--The commencement of this baleful system is traced +back to the administration of Governor Phillip, at which time I +was not in the settlement. In a very scarce period, when all +classes were labouring under every kind of privation, the +officers prayed leave of the governor to charter the ship +Britannia for the Cape of Good Hope, to bring back cattle and +other articles on their account, for which speculation a +considerable sum was subscribed, in equal shares. The governor +assented to the proposition, in consequence of the peculiar state +of the colony at that time; but scarcely had the Britannia sailed +upon her voyage, when the governor, having received leave of +absence, left the settlement, and the government immediately +changed its form, from a naval to a military system. In +consequence of this variation, permission was readily obtained +for the disposal of the cargo thus imported on its arrival, and +after its passing through the hands of the importers, the chief +part of the merchandize produced from 1000<i>l.</i> to +2000<i>l.</i> per cent. to the private retailer. These +extraordinary advantages could but be attended with evil and +destructive consequences to the settlement at large; nor does the +system of monopoly, which was so early introduced in the colony, +cease to spread its baleful influence; by which means the +settlers, who were deserving of the most marked encouragement and +indulgence, still remain in far less affluent circumstances than +they otherwise might have been. This topic deserves serious +attention, and the mild hand of legislative authority, to check +its further pernicious effects.</p> + +<p>Having spoken thus on the subject of monopoly, which I shall +at a future period fully establish, and which has occasioned the +sacrifice of the public, to individual interest, I shall proceed +to advert, 8thly, to the loss which the government has sustained +in the dereliction of some of its most valuable servants, who +have been allured, by the rapid fortunes made by several +individuals, to quit the service of the public, and to embark in +traffic. The inferior officers of the settlement, and the +non-commissioned officers and privates of the regiment, have been +infected with the itch for dealing; and many of the settlers +themselves have either disposed of their farms or deserted them, +to obtain the means or the leisure to devote themselves to a +species of dealing which never failed to turn to good account. +Many who had also served their terms of transportation, instead +of remaining to aid the public service, withdrew themselves from +the stores, and turned their thoughts to trade. The consequence +of this universal inclination to one object, and that of such an +evil nature, being chiefly confined to the sale of spirits, soon +became obvious in the desertion of those farms which had been +previously tilled with so much advantage, and in the neglect of +all duties, whether of a public or private nature. The immense +profits made by this pursuit served as a new stimulus to its +continuance: One dealer was known to have cleared twelve hundred +pounds sterling in four weeks, and chiefly by the sale of +spirits; and an inhabitant of the lowest order, who commenced +dealing with five pounds, has been known to realize five hundred +pounds in the course of six months. It must naturally be +inferred, that the most base imposition must have been practised +to render this business so extremely lucrative, and the article +itself must have been diluted away to excessive weakness; but +while the temptation remained so strong, it is not to be wondered +at that such numbers of persons, in a colony of this or any other +description, should be found to quit every other object for a +free and full pursuit of one so full of attraction. Many of the +convicts soon acquired property in this way, and some of those +who had been in that unfortunate situation, by their good conduct +are now considered as respectable characters, and are in +possession of horses, carriages, and servants, with a sufficiency +to secure their independence during the remainder of their lives. +The military have also made considerable wealth by the same +course, and the consequence was the instilment into every bosom +of a consciousness of independence, which was fatal to that +strict subordination which ought to be maintained and enforced. +Non-commissioned officers were the principal actors in this +department, and being connected by the ties of common interest, +they formed a combination which interfered with the middle class +of inhabitants, since they could get on board any vessels on +account of their rank, which gave them the privilege of doing so, +without being under the necessity of obtaining a written pass for +that purpose. The principle of allowing a servant to enter into +traffic, is fraught with the most serious mischief; since he is +not only led to neglect the duties he has undertaken to perform, +but gradually becomes independent in his feelings and opinions, +and substitutes insolence of conduct for the respect which ought +to mark his behaviour. The value of an article also becomes +greatly enhanced to the consumer, when it is permitted to pass +through so many hands, each individual of whom must place upon it +a profit which he deems adequate to his labour or his ingenuity. +Allowing liberty to a prisoner to pursue this kind of avocation +is productive of another evil; it leads him, by gradual steps, +from becoming careless of his proper duty, to the assumption of a +degree of importance and independence which induces him to place +himself above his master, and thus controverts the natural and +necessary distinctions of society. This traffic has also +originated numerous frauds of a pecuniary description, amongst +which may be mentioned, as the most notorious, the custom of +indorsing notes of hand over to persons, without receiving any +consideration for the same, and thus making them the plaintiffs +in the suits which they were permitted to institute. From all +these practices it has resulted, that numerous settlers have been +induced to neglect or quit their farms, which, with industrious +management, were competent to the supply of all their necessary +wants, and thus to diminish the means of procuring subsistence +for the colony; and they have become dissatisfied with a country, +which is capable of being made the most lovely and prolific in +the world. Amongst the inhabitants, also, was introduced the vice +of gaming--a natural consequence of the astonishing increase of +wealth in men of little principle and no economy; drunkenness was +the ready way to this crime, and so addicted were many of every +class of society to it, that they scrupled not, after losing the +property which they possessed, to stake that which they did not +possess. Some persons, however, either favoured by fortune, or +possessing more prudence than their unfortunate companions, +contrived to retain the property they had gained, and by applying +it to traffic are now in a state of affluence of which few +persons can form an accurate conception.</p> + +<p>The 9th item of expense is to be found in the provisions and +spirits issued to parties on command; a custom which has been +esteemed proper and necessary in cases where such parties have +been employed in particular services for the public benefit, and +in no other cases have they been issued during the +administrations of governors Phillip and Hunter. These services +were of various descriptions, parties being frequently detached +in pursuit of those who had absconded, either into the woods, or +had carried off boats, and endeavoured to escape over the ocean; +others were oftentimes employed in excursions into the interior, +to obtain a more perfect and comprehensive acquaintance with the +nature and productions of the country; others again were sent, at +times, to reconnoitre the herds of wild cattle, to remark their +progress, and see that no attempts were made to destroy such an +useful resource; the inspection of the various settlements also +occupied some detachments; small divisions were dispatched to +cruize and survey the coast; and the crews of colonial vessels, +which were engaged in going to and from the Hawkesbury, as well +as to the more distant settlements, were in the habit of +receiving these extra supplies, as they had no other means of +increasing their common allowance, when such augmentation was +necessary: Certain customary rations were also given to the +settlers while they were employed in making and repairing the +different roads which led to the settlements, and at which +periods they received allowances in proportion to the number of +days during which their services were required. It had also been +usual to give one pint of spirits weekly to each of the clerks +employed in the offices of the governor, secretary, commissary, +and judge advocate; a similar portion was also issued to the +constables of the crown and the overseers; and also to such +constables of districts as were chosen out of the inhabitants who +were not prisoners, and who, with their families, were victualled +from the public stores; but some of these have been subsequently +done away with, being considered by Governor King as a +superfluous addition to the already excessive expenses of the +colony. There are also many other occasional duties, the persons +employed in which would be entitled to the extra allowances, from +a sense of their indispensable necessity, since it is +sufficiently evident that men who are called upon and expected to +perform services of more than common exertion, must receive +additional means of increasing their physical strength, and of +enabling them to execute the task assigned to them.</p> + +<p>A 10th cause of loss to the crown, and of the expenses of the +colony, resulted from the abuses formerly practised in the +medical department of the colony; amongst which it was customary +to screen the convalescent labourers in the Hospital, and to +employ them for individual benefit, so that the patients were +thus kept under the hands of medical men longer than was +requisite for the establishment of their health: An imposition of +this nature called for immediate steps on the part of the +governor, but unfortunately his excellency Governor Hunter did +not receive information of this iniquitous practice until he had +delivered up his executive power and was embarked, or otherwise +he expressed his determination to have put a stop to the +disgraceful proceeding; it has, however, subsequently been done +away with. At one time, it was ascertained, there were forty or +fifty convicts who were thus kept in the Hospital, and were +employed by a medical man in the furtherance of his private +interests, and such other occupations as he marked out for them, +to the loss of eleven pounds five shillings a day to the crown. +Such a circumstance as this, from a quarter so totally +unexpected, afforded an additional proof of the general +disposition which prevailed amongst almost every class of society +to push their individual interests, to the detriment of the +public service; and, instead of giving their full assistance to +promote the prosperity of the colony, to retard its progress, and +make its necessities the source of their profit.</p> + +<p>The 11th cause of loss to the crown, and of the expenses of +the colony, arises from the dependent settlements within the +limits of that territory; and although the governments at the +River Derwent and Port Dalrymple are allowed to draw separate +Treasury bills for their internal expenses, yet, the great +quantity of wheat, maize, salt provisions, slop clothing, and +other stores, it is absolutely necessary to send from the +principal seat of government to those places, added to the +conveyance and other unavoidable charges, enhances the expenses +at Sydney to an amount that no person would believe but such as +have had an opportunity of being an eye-witness to the mode in +which such immense sums are disposed of, or upon strictly +investigating the voluminous official documents which are +transmitted from that colony. As the accounts of the expense of +the settlement at Newcastle are wholly included in those at Port +Jackson, I shall forbear to make any regular estimate thereupon; +but it must be evident, that where the subsistence of such +distant places chiefly depend upon a settlement but a short time +colonized, the expenses must be very considerable, and the +supplies must be given out and used with the greatest caution, to +prevent the necessity of applying to a market where their charges +are generally exorbitant, and in most cases optional.</p> + +<p>The last source of expense to the government which I shall +mention, and which, although now also done away, has been the +means of an astonishing increase in the expenditure of the +colony. From the fertility of its soil, Norfolk Island was for +some time considered a great acquisition to the principal +settlement; but subsequent experience has proved the futility of +this idea, since the price of grain, instead of lowering in +proportion to the additional trouble bestowed on the cultivation +of the soil, remained the same just before its evacuation as it +had been eight years before. As a place for raising swine this +island, indeed, might have proved of much utility, if the +establishment there had been almost entirely reduced, and the +attention of the colony had been confined to this subject, and to +the curing of pork for the consumption of all the other +settlements; but as this method was not adopted, it proved, from +the time of its establishment, a continual check upon the +prosperity of the principal colony, draining those resources +which ought to have been applied to different purposes, where the +hope and probability of some recompense, adequate to the expense, +might have been more sanguine, and less unlikely. Norfolk Island, +so far from returning any proportionate recompense for those +supplies, had not, in the course of thirteen years, sent to New +South Wales property of any description exceeding in value +2000<i>l.</i>; during which period all the expenses of that +island were included in the general account of the whole country +with the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury. So far +from being in itself a flourishing colony. Governor Hunter, who +called there in his way to England in 1800, found that the whole +of the public, and numbers of private erections, were in a most +miserable condition; and his excellency declared that he had +scarcely seen a negro town in the West Indies with half such a +wretched appearance. The grain here and there displayed a +promising appearance, and swine were in some considerable +numbers; but the coast was dangerous, Governor Hunter being +himself once wrecked upon it in the Sirius, and nearly lost with +all his ship's crew; and this circumstance is calculated to deter +vessels from touching at the island in quest of wood and water, +which are both plentiful, but which may be procured in equal +abundance in any of the other islands of the Pacific ocean where +there are fewer rocks and breakers to contend with, and where the +acquiescence of the natives might easily be purchased. In +addition to the above obstacles and inauspicious appearances, +vessels at this place have no anchorage, but are obliged always +to keep under sail; and I have known them to be blown off the +island for several weeks together, with very little provision on +board, whilst a part of the crew have been on shore; and by those +means not only a considerable loss has accrued to the merchants +or owners, but the lives of a number of fellow-creatures have +been exposed to the most imminent danger.</p> + +<p>To the existence of these, with other subsequent causes, it +may be attributed that the colony of New South Wales has not made +a more rapid progress towards independence, but has so long hung, +as it were, upon the breast, and derived its sole nourishment +from the food, of the mother country. To raise the settlement +from this state of dependence; to expunge from its early page +that stain which must be affixed to it by remoter ages; to +stimulate its growth, and impel it along the path which leads to +greatness, must be the object, the desire, and the hope, of every +one who feels an interest in its prosperity; and if a long +residence in the colony, a full consciousness of its capacity, +and an unshaken affection for the country, can entitle any one to +a rank amongst the friends of this infant empire, I flatter +myself that my claim must be allowed; and I shall therefore +proceed to suggest those further ideas of improvement which are +founded in a thorough knowledge of the subject from +experience.</p> + +<p>To facilitate the rise of New South Wales to a state of +consequence and independence, its interests must be entrusted to +a governor who has no private or mercenary views, and will seek +after nothing but the welfare of the colony; who will thoroughly +support the trust and honour reposed in him, as the +representative of our most gracious Sovereign; who will not +treat, nor suffer others to treat, the officers serving under him +with indignity; who will not study the rapid rise of one man, and +the sudden downfal of another, but will administer, and cause +justice to be administered impartially to all descriptions of +persons, and only shew his favour to those whose conduct is such +as to merit his distinguished notice. Under such a man, the +industrious settlers should receive the most liberal +encouragement to induce them to pay every attention to the +cultivation of their lands and to the rearing of stock; and I am +of opinion, that when the price of grain has been reduced under +ten shillings per bushel for wheat, five shillings for maize and +barley, and four shillings and sixpence for oats, the grower has +very frequently been a loser, without admitting that in the +course of the season there had been any flood, blight, insect, or +rust, to injure the growing crops. I speak this from the general +knowledge I have of the country, having taken every settler's and +other muster there for a number of years, and from the concurrent +opinions of several of the first and most independent farmers +throughout the settlement; nor can any man who is acquainted with +the exorbitant wages demanded by every class of labourers, who +are not prisoners assigned by the crown to their employers, in +that part of the world, and the great difficulties attending the +various occupations he has to encounter before his grain can be +brought to the market, judge otherwise. The government stores +should also be open at all times to receive the grain, which +would not only enable the commissary to send the requisite +supplies to the dependent settlements, but would also afford a +powerful security against the fatal and frequent losses which are +occasioned by the floods, so destructive to property of every +description, but more particularly to the grain; and it would +also set aside the necessity of issuing short allowance to those +prisoners who are necessarily supported by the crown, by which +means government labour is sometimes retarded, in consequence of +the reduction of the hours of work in proportion to the +diminution in the weekly ration.</p> + +<p>If government were also to decline farming, it would excite a +greater degree of perseverance in the settlers, and would, in my +opinion, eventually disburden the crown of a very considerable +expense, as those employed in agriculture, on the government +account, are generally that description of persons who only care +how little they work, and are equally as indifferent as to the +manner in which their labour is performed; besides which, very +few of these individuals are at all acquainted with the art of +husbandry, particularly that system which ought to be adopted in +a colony, the climate, soil, and produce of which, are so +essentially different to those of the mother country; and those +few, as soon as they have attained a knowledge of the regular +method necessary there to be pursued, are generally taken away by +some cause or other, or claim their freedom, from the original +term of their transportation being expired, so that little better +than a succession of new hands have to perform a task of which +the chief part are totally ignorant.</p> + +<p>By the opening of the stores, and the prevention of the losses +before mentioned, the Southseamen, and other vessels touching at +Port Jackson, might at all times receive ample supplies of such +refreshments as they stood in need of, in exchange for articles +more serviceable to the inhabitants than any recompense of a +pecuniary nature; and, indeed, absolutely necessary to the +comfort and prosperity of the colony. In case of a war in these +seas, or in any part of India, this settlement would prove a very +desirable <i>depot</i>, and place of rendezvous. Soldiers and +seamen would at all times be healthy, without great fatigue, free +from scorbutic complaints so prevalent after a long voyage, and +would not suffer from a change of climate, which too frequently +brings on dysentery, or other fatal diseases; these circumstances +would naturally render them more fit to enter a field of battle, +and better qualified, in every respect, to endure the wearisome +fatigues and dangers of war.</p> + +<p>Several ships which have touched at the settlement under the +pressure of necessity, have been denied the requisitions which +they have made for bread and other provisions; and, although the +local circumstances of the colony rendered that denial absolutely +necessary, yet, had the settler been guaranteed by any means +against loss, or could he have received any sufficient security +for his grain, every ship which had been in need, as well as +every one touching there in future, would have been, and might +be, amply provided for. The influx of American vessels, and ships +from the East Indies, has recently suffered a very considerable +diminution; the former, at one period, nearly supplied the colony +with articles of almost every description, at very reasonable +prices, but, from some cause or other, vessels from the United +States seldom now arrive at the settlement with merchandize for +sale; the Indian vessels have also ceased to arrive in the same +numbers as formerly, and the supplies have consequently fallen +off materially, which naturally injures all descriptions of +persons, not only by preventing an immediate intercourse between +those countries, but also by lessening very considerably the +consumption of stock, grain, &c. so that the settler, in +planting his land, has now no other views than to raise a +sufficiency of grain for the consumption of his own family, and +the liquidation of his debts. He has no longer a stimulus to +labour; he calculates that the time and toil are wasted which are +spent in raising an article for which he has no vent; his +industrious disposition is consequently cramped; his present +exertions are without hope of reward; and his prospects are +divested of the supporting promise of future comfort or +competence. Such a system as this evidently and rapidly tends to +ruin; these symptoms are the obvious marks of a diseased economy; +and, if decay appears in the present unripe state of the country, +with what propriety--with what hope--on what grounds, can the +mind calculate upon future prosperity?</p> + +<p>The vessels of neutral powers ought to be encouraged, in my +opinion, to trade to the settlement; they would serve the colony, +by giving encouragement to the settlers; there would once again +be a beneficial competition; there would be a channel for the +carrying off the surplus produce of the country, and industry +might again look forward with joyous expectation to the harvest +of its toil. These vessels might be laden back with spermaceti or +other oils, seal skins, coals, ship-timber, fustic, or any other +articles the produce of the settlements and the Southern Seas; +and thus a traffic might be established and carried on with +reciprocal benefit, and the independence of New South Wales must +be greatly aided in consequence of these beneficial +regulations.</p> + +<p>It may perhaps be argued, that the indiscriminate admission of +the trade of neutral vessels might tend to injure the British +ships trading to this colony; but such a consequence, I think, +may easily be averted, since the governor has power to prevent +those ships from selling any such articles as he may deem it +expedient to prohibit; and no injury could consequently be +sustained, while it would hold out the necessity of selling the +European goods at a reasonable rate, or the wants of the colony +might be supplied from another market. The arrival of neutral +ships with merchandize would also tend to prevent the too +frequent monopolies which take place in this quarter, of the +nature of which and their mischievous effects upon the general +prosperity of the colony, I have spoken in a former part of this +chapter; and I feel a great regret that circumstances at this +moment prevent me from enlarging upon so destructive a subject, +and exposing the very root of so pernicious an evil, which has +latterly been fostered by those whom nothing more than suspicion +could ever have attached to, but by recent events; and I am +anxious that a full exposition of the plans which had been +adopted to facilitate the rapid rise of a mercenary and powerful +few, to the serious injury and almost inevitable downfal of the +country, will be held up to the public view of every impartial +man; by which means the grand promoters of so nefarious a +practice will bring upon their own heads that disgrace, +dishonour, and infamy, which their vile projects had formed for +others to bear the burthen of. It has been truly said, that by +means of those ships a great quantity of spirits have been +introduced into the settlement of Port Jackson, and on this plea +the prohibition of their sales, it is said, has taken place, but +which I do not strictly believe: However, the landing of those +noxious cargoes might easily be prevented; or they might be +suffered to be brought on shore, and lodged in one of his +majesty's store-houses, under a bond, so that, whenever the +vessel was about to sail from the port, she might receive it +again, having some trusty and vigilant person placed on board, to +see that no smuggling transactions were carried on, and where he +should be ordered to remain until the ship quits the Heads. By +these means, which would be no expense to the crown, the dry +goods, &c. which had been brought to the market, might be +readily disposed of, without any risk being incurred of the +introduction of too much of that maddening liquor, generally +brought by these vessels, to be distributed amongst the +inhabitants of the colony.</p> + +<p>It must be obvious to every man of reason, that the early days +of a colony require as much attention and assistance as human +infancy, and that a course of improper and unskilful treatment at +the outset must undoubtedly lay the foundation of future +imbecility and ultimate destruction. Much evil has already been +done in the settlement, but it is not yet too late to apply the +remedy; the malady which threatens the existence of the colony +has not yet attained to an incurable height, and if the proper +measures are adopted, prosperity and happiness may yet be seen, +where adversity and apprehension are at present discovered; and +the seeds of a new and powerful nation may not be doomed to +perish, before they have scarcely broken the ground which was +intended for the scene of their growth and expansion. I shall, +however, without farther digression, endeavour to point out other +means of improving the settlement than such as relate to its +agriculture.</p> + +<p>The establishment of a post-office for the receipt of all +letters and parcels for private individuals, and for the dispatch +of those which are transmitted from the colony, would be +productive of essential service to the general interests, and +could be entrusted to some person of respectability, whose +remuneration might arise from a certain tax or postage: Such an +institution would prevent a number of letters from being lost, +delivered to wrong persons, or illegally obtained by such for the +purpose of sending to the friends of the person for whom they +were intended, with a view to obtain money or other property. It +has frequently occurred that boxes, &c. have been gained +under false pretensions, from on board ships which had arrived in +the port, and the contents of which have been worth a very +considerable value: The persons guilty of this crime, by some +means obtain the information as to the packages which are on +board, and then personate, or cause some of their connexions to +personate, those to whom the packages are addressed, on which +they obtain the property by only signing a receipt to the officer +on board. An office of this description would effectually prevent +the recurrence of such fraudulent practices, and would give a +security for the regular delivery or transmission, as well as the +security, of the letters, &c. which were entrusted to its +care. An oath might be administered to the superintendent.</p> + +<p>The unfit clothing sent out for the convicts has been a +subject of sincere complaint, as being dispatched without any +regard to quality or comfort. I am therefore of opinion, that it +would be highly expedient to send out a considerable portion of +wearing apparel unmade, so that there would be an absolute saving +of the cost of making; for the wearers would feel much greater +satisfaction from being allowed to receive it in the piece, that +they might suit it to their respective wants, as well as consult +their own comforts: Those who might have less leisure than their +fellow-prisoners, could have their clothing made by the tailors +of the different settlements, while the others would be happy to +make their own. If this plan were to be carried into execution, +it might be necessary to find a person properly qualified to take +the superintendence of this mechanical department; and such an +one might readily be found in the mother country, whose +disposition, owing to adverse circumstances, might lead him to +accept this situation in the colony; thus a proper quantity of +work would be completed, and economy would be much promoted.</p> + +<p>The indiscriminate distribution of the clothing sent over is +also another evil which requires a remedy, and this might easily +be provided, by supplying the prisoners only with such articles +as were necessary to them; since those who had received +superfluous garments have been in the habit of resorting with +them to gaming, or sell them, being unable to apply them to any +purpose of wear, as their scanty make will not allow of a change; +this, however, would not be the case if the clothing was given to +them unmade, since every man would find himself enabled to turn +it to some beneficial purpose. The clothing has materially fallen +off, in point of quality and suitableness for the climate, of +late years; but the evil complained of would, in my opinion, +cease to exist, if articles similar to those originally +distributed in the time of Governor Phillip (of which I have seen +several suits) were now to be issued annually. Many of the +females indeed are the slaves of vanity and pride, and being in +the custom of cohabiting with persons in affluent circumstances, +never appear in the dress originally given them by the crown; +from such as these the issue is now withheld, and they are struck +off the victualling list. The consequence of these regulations +would be the obtainment of more comfortable clothing to the +convicts, and a considerable diminution in the sick list, which +has been filled as much from this as from any other cause; and a +degree of content and carefulness would be instilled into the +minds of the prisoners, in lieu of the negligence, slovenliness, +and discontent, which have recently prevailed amongst them on +that account.</p> + +<p>A very considerable saving in the expenses of the colony would +be effected by the consolidation of the two offices of Ship-owner +and Contractor into one, and the undertaking to land all stores +which are liable to injury in the colony, in a perfect state, at +his own risk; for it is a notorious fact, as I have often had +occasion to observe in an official capacity, that vast quantities +of clothing, stores, and provisions, are landed out of every +vessel which arrives in the port, in such a damaged state as to +be actually unserviceable; the necessary consequence of which +very often is, the total loss of the articles to government; nor +has it unfrequently happened, that boxes containing stores have +been broke open on the passage, and articles of various +descriptions thereby have been purloined to a very great amount. +It cannot be doubted that there are many ship-owners who would +not scruple to enter into an engagement of the kind to which I +have alluded, by sending out his own vessels, and might undertake +to convey the stores safely at a very reduced expense. The saving +which would thus be effected is surely sufficient to justify the +experiment, since the security of the articles, which are in +general the most damaged, might be easily guarded by the adoption +of a few measures of prudent precaution, and by a careful +attention during the voyage. A considerable advantage might also +accrue to the merchant from employing his vessels in the Southern +Whale-fishery, and a strong probability would exist of his +procuring freights from India for his ships, on account of the +East India Company: The adoption of this plan seems to be +practicable, and there cannot be a reasonable doubt entertained +of its superiority over every other in point of economy.</p> + +<p>A commissioner or agent might be appointed for the purposes of +inspecting the stores and various articles sent to New South +Wales, whose duty it would be to see the articles shipped +correctly, and thus to prevent those omissions which are daily in +the habit of occurring, and which are of more consequence than +may, at first glance, be imagined. This person might also be +beneficially employed in comparing the stores shipped with the +receipts of the masters, so as to preclude all possibility of +practices which are inconsistent with the welfare of the +government, but which are too common, and can only be prevented +by the adoption of such a measure as the one which I now propose. +Whenever the governor of the colony should send over a +requisition, this agent ought immediately to be furnished with an +extract from his excellency's correspondence, so that by these +means the requisition would not be liable to neglect, and much +trouble would be spared to the Public Office, whose province it +had previously been to attend to this department. The reduction +of expense which would result from this appointment would be much +more than adequate to the increased expense incurred by the +appointment and remuneration of a gentleman of probity and +respectability to this office.</p> + +<p>The method of conveying convicts from England is so very +inhuman, that some better and more benevolent measure ought to be +adopted. The lives of these unfortunate victims of depravity +ought surely to be regarded with as much care as those of any +other class of his Majesty's subjects; the contrary of this has, +however, been too frequently the case, and some of the masters of +the transports who have been entrusted with these captives, have +treated them with such uniform rigour that numbers have perished +through the intensity of their sufferings. This want of care is +to be attributed to the former custom of contracting for the +transport of the convicts at so much per head, so that the master +has no interest in the preservation of those entrusted to his +care. This evil, too, might also be remedied by the contract +being made only for the number which might be landed in New South +Wales, and by which means the owner of the transport would study +to preserve the life of each individual with the most studious +attention, since the loss of a single life would be a diminution +of his profit, and there could no longer be a danger of the +unhappy prisoners being suffered to perish from any negligence or +severity. In addition to this, the surgeon and the master might +receive a reward for each person whom they delivered in good +order, if their humanity was such as to require a pecuniary +stimulus. I believe this has been tried in some instances, at +least report has so stated, and, if so, there must have been +sufficient evidence gained of the superiority of the method over +that which was formerly adopted. It might not be a bad plan to +try if some of the superfluous frigates in the service might not +be converted into good transports; for there could be no doubt +that, in vessels of this description, the accommodations which +might be afforded to the convicts would much exceed those of the +common transport ships, and the prisoners would of course be +sooner fit for duty, and less liable to the attacks of disease. +Out of several ships that have arrived, not two-thirds of the +number of convicts originally put on board have reached their +place of destination; and this mortality, it is feared, must have +been occasioned by the embezzlement of the provisions and stores +which were intended for the use of the captives. It is also much +to be feared that an undue degree of severity has oftentimes been +exercised towards the convicts, under the pretence of some +attempts to mutiny and effect their escape, and such methods of +throwing censure upon the innocent, to excuse wantonness and +cruelty, cannot be too severely reprehended, if reprehension be +all that can be inflicted upon the perpetrators of such +diabolical deeds. The treatment has been directly reverse where a +King's officer has been placed on board the transport, who +evinced an unshaken resolution to perform his duty. The convicts +which came out on board the Royal Admiral, Captain Bond, met with +a treatment, and arrived in a condition, which reflected the +highest honour on the humanity and prudence of her esteemed +commander, and might be properly held forth as a model and an +example to the masters of all transports who may in future be +employed in the service. Every attention was paid to their +cleanliness in particular, care was taken to provide them with +the most wholesome provisions, and their messes were so varied as +to prevent any dislike arising from repetitions with too much +frequency; on the slightest appearance of indisposition, some +nourishing broths, wine, &c. were constantly ordered; twice a +day they were mustered on deck, and the ship was completely +fumigated: The whole arrived in the most excellent health and +spirits imaginable. If every master had displayed a similar good +conduct, there would have been no ground for the present +complaint, nor any room for the remedy which I suggest in the +preceding part of this article.</p> + +<p>A number of gentlemen, of small fortunes, might be appointed, +whose characters will bear the strictest investigation, and whose +talents are adequate to the task, to go over to the colony as +justices of the peace, in order that the general welfare and +individual security of the colony should be promoted. To these +persons many indulgences might be granted, and a respectable +salary ought to be attached to the office, so as to enable them +to support that degree of respectability and dignity which their +situation requires; so as to make their interest totally +unconnected with those pursuits which have led so many to +sacrifice their principles, and to neglect their duty, for the +sake of pursuing the search after independence. The +incorruptibility which ought to characterise the conduct of a +magistrate should be so fortified by every prudent precaution, +that it may at no time, however remote, be in danger of +agitation; nor would it be prudent, in another point of view, to +permit these gentlemen to mingle in occupations which must have +an evident tendency to distract their attention from those +arduous tasks which they would be called upon to fulfil, in a +country where criminals must naturally abound. Numbers of persons +are doubtless to be found in Great Britain who would gladly +accept these appointments, whose educations have taught them to +look above situations to which unforeseen and unavoidable +calamity may have reduced them; men who have preserved their +principles and integrity unshaken by the attacks of adversity, +and who, consequently, must be eminently qualified to fill such +offices as those which I have here suggested. The example which +these persons would hold out to the rest of the settlement, could +not fail of producing very beneficial effects upon the moral +conduct of those who copy the models of their superiors; and +would also be of service in assisting to create a society of +power and independence, which might operate as a check upon the +influence of all other descriptions of persons.</p> + +<p>As instances of the irregularities that have been practised by +some of those in magisterial capacities, I need repeat none +others than that I have known men without trial to be sentenced +to transportation, by a single magistrate at his own barrack; and +free men, after having been acquitted by a court of criminal +judicature, to be banished to one or other of the dependent +settlements: And I have heard a magistrate tell a prisoner who +was then being examined for a capital offence, and had some +things found upon him which were supposed to have been stolen, +and for which he would not account, that, were he not going to be +hanged so soon, he (the magistrate) would be d----d if he would +not make him say from whence he got them. Nor do I believe it +less true, that records of an examination, wherein a respectable +young man was innocently engaged, have been destroyed by that +same magistrate before whom the depositions were taken. These and +numerous other cases which I could enumerate, cannot admit of a +doubt but that such a regulation must tend greatly to the +preservation of the liberty of the subject, the property of all +classes of the inhabitants, and the general interest and security +of the colony at large.</p> + +<p>I should also strongly advise, that nine or ten of the +principal officers of government should be authorized to act in +the capacity of council, to whom the governor could resort, in +all periods of difficulty and delicacy, for advice how to shape +his conduct, by which means he would not, in any future instance, +be left wholly dependent upon his own judgment. The good effects +of this arrangement must soon be evident, since the issuing of an +order of council could not fail to carry with it much additional +weight to that which would be attached to an act of the governor +alone, and would tend to the speedy suppression of any appearance +of insubordination, and discourage those who should incline so to +act as to originate a spirit of dissatisfaction in the +settlement. To a want of this council, it may not be too much to +attribute the present unsettled state of the colony, and the +maturation of a faction which has perverted the streams of +justice, and which has impeded the growth of opulence throughout +the settlement, merely to enrich a select party at the expense of +the general welfare, and consequently to spread vice and ruin +through a land, whose prosperity has never become their care, +although it was a solemn pledge of their leaders to support and +cherish it to the very utmost of their ability</p> + +<p>In addition to this council composed of the chief officers of +the government, I consider it essentially requisite that a +barrister should be appointed as a counsellor to the governor, at +all times when his excellency is referred to in matter of +doubtful disputation, which must oftentimes occur in the colony, +and which frequently reduces him to an unpleasant dilemma. Aided +by a legal adviser, however, his judgment must be strengthened, +and his decision would be more weighty, without creating in his +breast those uneasy sensations which must arise under different +circumstances. In the present conformation of the government, the +governor has no legal adviser to have recourse to when an appeal +is made to his decision, which is not rarely the case, except the +judge advocate, and this officer having previously given his +opinion in the court below cannot, of course, be again consulted +on the same subject. In consequence of this default of advice, +the governor must give his own opinion, which may or may not be +in conformity with the laws of the mother country, just as it may +happen, and according to the knowledge he may possess of the +principles and practice of jurisprudence, which is seldom very +deep in persons whose inclinations are so opposite to this kind +of study as the officers of the navy and army, from whom the +governors of the colony have hitherto been selected. This +counsellor could be selected from those who might be induced to +listen to such a proposal, as may place before them a certain +liberal competence, with the opportunity of rising to +independence in a sphere where the number of competitors would be +so low as to render final success less precarious. It is needless +to expatiate more amply upon the benefits which must accrue from +an appointment of this nature, which would impose but a trifling +additional burden on the crown, since it is extremely possible +that a barrister might be obtained for the salary of 150<i>l</i>. +per annum, which, together with the victualling of himself and +his family and servants from the public stores, and residence in +the colony rent-free, added to the other customary indulgences +given to persons from whose services utility is expected to be +derived, would not make his situation worth less than +500<i>l</i>. per annum, a temptation which must possess some +weight in the minds of those who meet with inadequate +encouragement in England.</p> + +<p>The legislative code of the colony requires a careful +revision, since the numerous residents who have arrived in the +settlement, and their increasing respectability and opulence, +render such a measure necessary. That system which would suit the +original establishment, composed only of two classes, the +officers of government and the convicts, will scarcely be +expected to adapt itself to the wants and wishes of a community +advanced in civilization: In the former case, the principal +object was to punish delinquency; in the latter, to secure +property, and insure the safety of that wealth which now began to +shew itself in the multiplication of luxuries, and the +augmentation of individual splendour. The present system is so +liable to abuse, and has given just occasion for so many +complaints on the part of those traders who visit the colony in +great numbers, as well as of the more respectable classes of the +inhabitants themselves, that it is become highly expedient to +substitute in its place one which shall be incorruptible, and +which, from its own importance, may command a greater degree of +respect. At the head of this court ought to be placed a chief +justice, who, by the respectability of his salary, should be +effectually placed above the reach of every motive of an improper +or injurious nature; and in order to lighten this expense to the +crown, certain court fees might be established which would +materially assist to swell the amount of the remuneration which +ought to be attached to this high office, so as to render it +worthy the notice of men who are fitted, by habit and education, +to execute its duties in a correct and honourable manner. The +rent of the residence appointed to this gentleman ought to be +taken from his shoulders, and the public stores should find +provisions for himself, his family, and his servants, together +with fuel and candles; the wages of a limited number of domestics +might also be paid by government; and thus he would be exonerated +from so many burthens of a pecuniary nature, that a salary which +might at the first glance seem inadequate to the trust reposed, +would, on considering every circumstance, appear less +exceptionable, and more equal to the dignity which would +externally be attached to the office. It is almost superfluous to +mention, that the utmost care should be taken in the choice of a +proper person to fill this situation, since his character, his +conduct, and his general habits, ought to be such as to render +him like Caesar's wife--"not only free from suspicion, but +free from the suspicion of being suspected." With a person +of this description to superintend the court of judicature, there +could no longer exist causes to fear the introduction of party +motives and malicious prejudices, to contaminate the stream of +justice; a strict impartiality would direct every decision, and +those who were doomed to meet with disappointment in their views, +while they writhed under its decision, would not be able to +impeach its integrity. If it were found necessary to adopt any +further measures to preserve their honour unsullied, the +rendering their situations limited might probably produce a good +effect; and a pension might be allowed to them on their return to +England, if they were able to produce certificates from the +governors and lieutenant-governors who had held command in the +colony during their residence, attesting the incorruptibility of +their conduct, and the zeal which they had displayed in the due +execution of their duty. A farm might also be allowed to the +individual placed in this important office, if it were thought +expedient, under certain restrictions which should prevent him +from abstracting his attention from his official duties, at +periods when his professional avocations might require his +presence in the service of the public. A salary of 500<i>l</i>. +per annum, with the addition of these indulgencies, would be +equal to 1200<i>l</i>. a year.</p> + +<p>An alteration in the judicial code appears also to be +necessary, or at least highly expedient. In the criminal court, +the judge advocate and six naval and military officers are at +present empowered to decide and try delinquents; and although I +believe that their opinions on verdicts have latterly been almost +unanimous, yet I cannot but call to recollection a period when, +painful to relate, the naval and the military were too +frequently, if not generally, opposite in their determinations: +Nor is this the least part of the evil; for evidence is on record +of persons having been bribed, or controlled, by one or more of +the members of the court then sitting in judgment, to accuse +their industrious neighbour, upon oath, of crimes which he had +never committed, in order to lay a ground for the ruin of the +unfortunate individual, merely because his industry and +prosperity in trade were objects of envy. If such a system is not +suppressed, it is not possible for the human mind to calculate +upon the termination of the mischiefs which may ensue from it; it +is not possible for humanity to look upon the probable +consequences, without emotions of horror and dismay. To prevent, +therefore, the recurrence of any circumstance so flagrant and +unjust, it is absolutely necessary to take some measures to +render the criminal and civil courts free from every kind of +prejudice; for what argument can justify the committal of the +existence or the fortunes of individuals, to the mercy or the +caprice of men who are blinded by prejudice.--Prejudice and party +must be fatal to the progress of justice; and as the preceding +remarks are nothing more than the details of facts which are +notorious to every individual who has lived long in the colony, +there is no occasion for my saying much in addition, to prove +that a necessity does exist for some change in the judicial code +of the settlement; and it is much to be wished and desired, that +by that change the power may be vested in honest and +incorruptible hands, which may be held out equally to punish the +guilty, and to protect the oppressed; to curb the insolence of +pride, and foster humble merit; and, finally, to render New South +Wales an exact copy from that fine picture of freedom and justice +which is represented in the mother country.</p> + +<p>That the trial by jury should be introduced into the colony, +has long been a <i>desideratum</i> amongst the best-informed +inhabitants of the colony; since its effects could not be +otherwise than beneficial where such universal iniquity prevails, +and where even in the courts of law many enter with impure +motives and unclean hands; since the greater part of the +community are more or less implicated in the notorious and +impoverishing impositions which are continually practised amongst +all classes. When I say that this blessing has been desired by +the <i>well-informed</i>, I must also be understood to mean the +<i>well-intentioned</i> only; for its establishment in the +settlement would unavoidably prove fatal to that ruinous traffic, +from which several of the superior classes have derived their +opulence and consequence, and it is not therefore to be expected, +that such as these would wish to behold the approach of that +scourge which would remove from them the power of extending +universal evil for the promotion of their individual good. By +these persons the admission of the trial by jury is sincerely and +ardently deprecated, while it is wished for with equal fervency +by others, and particularly those oppressed inhabitants, whose +miseries and necessities have been the means of increasing the +wealth, and hardening the feelings of those who have so long +pursued the destructive system of monopoly. It would not have +been practicable to introduce the trial by jury at the +commencement of the settlement, since there were none but +convicts, and a few free persons who were paid and supported by +the crown; but the case is now materially altered, and the great +influx of free, independent, and respectable inhabitants, which +the later years of the colony have witnessed, not only render +such a measure practicable and prudent, but loudly call for it as +a step rendered indispensable to the welfare of the community. +Numbers have also served their terms of transportation, or have +been made objects of royal bounty on account of their signal good +conduct, and have thus swelled the numbers of free residents; so +that there could be no difficulty in making out a list of jurors, +sufficient for every purpose, even if the assizes were ordered to +be held monthly, which is a more frequent occurrence than in the +mother country. Objections may be started to the propriety of +receiving those, who have been convicted and have suffered the +sentence of the law, as jurors; but if this description of +persons are worthy to be received as evidence at all in a court +of justice, and there are instances sufficient on record to prove +this to have been the case; and where this evidence of persons so +objected to and proscribed, has been the sole means of the +conviction to death of the accused, surely it could afford no +room for cavil that a jury should in part be composed of persons, +whose conduct during the term of their punishment has been such +as to give general satisfaction, and who have proved by their +conduct that they have reformed their dispositions, corrected +their principles, and are likely to become useful, and +consequently valuable, members of society; and none others should +be admitted on the list. Besides, even allowing this objection to +have some weight, will reason and policy justify the carrying of +this principle to such a length, as to exclude from this +privilege those free settlers who have been guilty of no crime, +and have suffered no punishment? Shall these, in return for their +voluntary exile from their native land to promote the interest of +the colony, lose the benefit of this inestimable distinction, +which operates as a security to the freedom of Englishmen, and +renders it so far superior to the boasted independence of any +other nation in the world? If it were thought inexpedient to +admit twelve jurors, in consequence of the limited population of +the settlement, eight might be allowed in the first instance, and +the rest could be added when circumstances would permit; so that +the principle of the system would be established, and these could +be instructed in the laws of the land from the bench. In each of +the settlements there are a great many persons competent to fill +the office of jurors, and it is to be hoped that no long interval +will be suffered to elapse without the colony being permitted to +participate in those inestimable privileges which render the +mother country the envy of the world.</p> + +<p>The admission of the bankrupt laws into the colony would tend +still more to the perfecting of the system of jurisprudence, and +appears to be a very desirable object of solicitude. For want of +some legal system of this kind, many families have been reduced +to the lowest extremes of misery and want, the heads being +immured in prison, without the ability to liquidate the claims of +their unfeeling creditors, or to provide support for their +perishing families. The necessary consequence was, the +individuals fell to the charge of the government, since they must +not be suffered to starve. The obduracy of the creditors may be +assigned as the sole cause of this wretchedness; for although, in +such circumstances, the unfortunate debtor had been willing to +relinquish all his possessions; to surrender his land, his +cattle, his stock, and every thing else of which he could boast +of the possession; nothing short of payment in money could +satisfy; and the ill-fated was doomed to experience the +accumulated horrors of personal suffering, in addition to that +which must arise from the idea that his sorrows extended +themselves, with equal or superior bitterness, to those who were +dear to him. Such occurrences as these have tended to multiply +considerably the expenses of government, who have frequently +found it necessary to extend their assistance to the whole of the +unfortunate debtor's family, to preserve them from actual +destruction; and who could not, by any authority which was vested +in them, compel the hard-hearted and inhuman creditor to accede +to the only proposal which it was in the ability of the prisoner +to offer. The introduction of the bankrupt laws could not fail to +afford an effectual relief to persons reduced to this unfortunate +condition, and must be productive of much future benefit, in +consequence of the continual augmentation of the trade of the +settlement, and the increasing numbers of the dealers; +circumstances of themselves which must carry to every rational +mind the strong necessity which exists for the adoption and +introduction of some legal code, assimilated as much as possible +to the bankrupt laws of the mother country, if it should be +considered imprudent to copy precisely after this exquisite +model.</p> + +<p>The encouragement of a few barristers to go over to the +settlement, who have not met with success adequate to their +wishes in the mother country, but who are, notwithstanding, +persons of unimpeached moral character (for nothing could be more +impolitic in any case than to import persons of doubtful +characters into a colony of this description), and whose legal +knowledge would be amply sufficient for every purpose in New +South Wales; such an importation would be attended with very +great advantages to the inhabitants. For the want of such persons +has, in numerous instances, been very severely felt by those who +have had occasion to come into the courts of law. Many instances +have occurred, within my observation, where the persons accused +might, by the assistance of a counsel who possessed the ability +to penetrate the motives and intentions of the prosecutor, have +escaped the punishment which he has been compelled to endure. +Evidence is frequently mis-stated and misrepresented in the +courts, and this, owing to the great ignorance of numbers who are +brought forward as witnesses, is a circumstance of no rare +occurrence; the questions being taken down in writing, and, in +the attempt to give them some grammatical connection, ideas being +frequently perverted, and taken directly opposite to their +original meaning, without any intention whatever to enter into a +mis-statement. Now it must be sufficiently obvious that the +allowing of counsel would tend to do away this evil, since he +would himself be in the habit of taking notes of the evidence, +and would thus not only be able to detect any misrepresentation, +but would convey satisfaction to the mind of the prisoner +himself; and convince the spectators (who, by the bye, frequently +retire under very different impressions), that the accused has at +least been treated throughout with fairness. It cannot be +necessary to enter into reasoning to prove that this +mis-statement of evidence is an evil which calls for redress; and +I think the reader will concur with me in opinion, that no better +plan can be devised than the introduction of counsel into the +courts, who might keep a vigilant watch over the progress of the +trial, and not only insure the correct statement of the various +depositions, but be ready to take immediate advantage of any +circumstances which might arise of a favourable complexion to the +person accused, by which means many prisoners might be rescued +from the punishment which, from a want of legal aid, they have +been compelled to submit to. In the answers of witnesses, I have +myself heard of "No" being substituted for +"Yes;" and what guarantee can there be for the +obtainment of justice, where a possibility exists of the +occurrence of such mistakes--mistakes on which the existence of a +fellow-creature might hinge!</p> + +<p>If then the criminal court needs so strongly the introduction +of counsel, the court of civil judicature is equally in want of +similar aid, where subjects of the most complicated nature are +frequently brought for decision, and where the difficulty of +deciding correctly is almost, if not totally, insuperable. +Considerable sums here depend upon the issue of a question, of +the nature of which no one present is qualified to judge; and an +appeal from the decision which ensues is frequently made to the +governor, who is thus left singly to decide what has caused so +much difficulty to a whole court!</p> + +<p>The utility, nay the necessity, then, of a professional +assistant in these cases, must surely be evident to every one, +and without such aid it is not possible that justice can be +impartially administered. The ignorance of many suitors, even men +of great opulence and respectability, is so deplorable that they +cannot make you comprehend their own case, when called upon to +state their grievance; but the possibility of having their cause +pleaded by a counsellor would not only save the court itself a +serious loss of time and a considerable degree of perplexity, but +must surely lead to a more correct decision in cases of +difficulty. By these means the discontent which now universally +displays itself in the person who has lost the cause, would be +completely done away, and he could no longer attribute his defeat +to the partiality of the judges, when he should have experienced +the full benefit which he might derive from a communication with, +and the able aid of, a legal adviser. If two, three, or more +barristers, could be induced to depart for the colony merely as +private settlers, receiving from government a free passage; +victualling from the stores for themselves, families, and +servants; and every other indulgence which is usually granted to +settlers, there could be no doubt that they would soon find their +endeavours successful; and the allowance of government, with the +emoluments which they would derive from their practice, which +might safely be calculated at 200<i>l.</i> or 300<i>l.</i> per +annum; having a farm allowed them to cultivate, would render +their situations not only comfortable, but eminently respectable; +and their introduction would be attended with no extraordinary +expense to government, beyond what is generally allowed to +settlers in the colony. To encourage gentlemen of education and +ability to make this attempt, it might not be an improper +extension of liberality to allow them a free passage back to +England, if, upon a fair and sufficient trial, it should be +discovered that the speculation which induced them to embark for +the colony should not turn out productive enough to reward them +for their exertion, and to offer them that genteel support to +which they would be entitled, on account of the superiority of +their situation, and according with the habits of their former +life.</p> + +<p>In the trial of civil causes, it had, until latterly, been the +custom of the court to insert in writing only the amount of the +debt sought to be recovered, the damages which have been awarded, +the names of the plaintiff and defendant, and the adjudication of +the court; but in the opinion of many persons of consequence and +respectability in the colony, it is absolutely requisite to cause +all the <i>viva voce</i> evidence which is given in all civil +cases to be taken down in writing. The following reasons are +given for this alteration in the former custom, and their full +weight has been allowed to them whenever I have heard an opinion +given upon the subject. It occurs very frequently that appeals +are made from the decision of the civil court to the governor, +and, in consequence of the evidence which has been given before +the court not being taken down, the witness has an opportunity of +correcting, enlarging, or otherwise altering his depositions, so +as to make his own case appear in a very different point of view +to that which it bore in the former instance, and thus a +temptation is held out to perjury, which is too strong for the +weak morality of many in the colony to resist, and the current of +public justice may, by this method, be completely turned out of +its proper channel; and the decision of the civil court is at all +times liable to be disputed and reversed. No writ of court is +issued for less than ten pounds, so that the necessity of taking +down the evidence in a suit instituted for a sum beneath that +amount, does not appear to be so strikingly obvious; although an +appeal may be made to the governor from the civil court, for any +sum, even less than ten pounds; but this is not very often done, +although some instances have occurred in my recollection. Where +the sum sued for exceeds 300<i>l.</i> a court of appeal may be +demanded, and if the plaintiff is dissatisfied with the decision +of the governor, he has the right of appealing to the King in +council; and here the necessity of taking down the evidence +brought before the court becomes still more strong, since the +character of the court itself may be involved in the issue of the +legal decision. Suits to this amount are not now very rare, but +they may be expected to become much more frequent in the thriving +state of the colony.</p> + +<p>The affixing a greater degree of respectability to the office +of chief constable at Sydney, and the attachment of a salary to +the situation from the crown, would be a desirable measure, since +on this officer depends, in a great measure, the peace, the +internal security, and good order of the colony; and it is +therefore worthy of consideration whether the trust, inferior in +importance to scarcely any in the settlement, ought not to be +reposed in a person of some respectability, and who, by the +receipt of an adequate remuneration, might be enabled to devote +his time and attention to the duties of his office. To this +situation so much responsibility is attached, and from it so much +good is expected, that the person who fills it ought to be +enabled to preserve a respectable appearance, and to embrace the +comforts of life, without being permitted to have recourse to +traffic or other pursuits which might contaminate his principles, +or render him less zealous in his exertions for the good order of +the colony. The benefit which must arise from the conscientious +discharge of the duties of this office is much more than can be +imagined at first sight; and the evils, on the other hand, which +flow from its mal-execution, are in an opposite extremely +baleful, and calculated more to promote excesses and tumults than +to repress them.</p> + +<p>That prisoners who are transported for life are in general +indifferent to their future fate, and careless of their conduct, +is a fact well known to all persons who have resided in the +settlement; and it therefore becomes a naturally interesting +question, by what means these convicts may be brought to +discharge their duties with more readiness, and to follow a +course of life more fraught with happiness to themselves, and +more satisfactory to those who are placed near them. The best +method which suggests itself to me, is that of employing +prisoners for life on government labour for a limited time only, +at the expiration of which period they should be made free of the +country, and, in case their conduct had been such as to merit +approbation, should be allowed to become settlers, with the usual +indulgences, and thus have the means once again placed before +them of raising themselves to a respectable rank in society, in +that country to which they had been banished. Those, on the other +hand, who are found to be dissolute and abandoned characters when +their term of labour had expired, might be made free also; but, +instead of being allowed to become settlers and to receive +indulgences, they might be taken off the stores, and be compelled +to labour for their daily bread. Such an amelioration of the +punishment of those unhappy delinquents who have incurred this +heavy vengeance of the laws of their country, would induce +numbers to look forward into futurity with a satisfaction which +they had not possessed previously, arising out of the distant +hope of becoming opulent and respectable, and of making the +renewal, in the decline of their existence, of those prospects +which, in their earlier years, had been eluded and destroyed by +their vices; and this idea would not fail to stimulate them to a +conduct more laudable, and calculated to accelerate the +accomplishment of their wishes. It may be brought against this +measure, as an argument, that it would reduce the extent of the +power of government to grant pardons to deserving convicts, and +that government would thus lose the advantage which was derived +from the labour of those prisoners; but to the former objection +it may be replied, that the certainty of an alleviation, and of +the advantages which would attend a meritorious conduct during +the specified period of punishment, would prove a powerful +incentive to the convicts, and would tend to produce more good +members of society and useful settlers than could be expected, +unless some reward was to be the certain result of meritorious +conduct; without this stimulus, there might be, as there has +been, some good characters to reward, but their numbers would be +comparatively insignificant: To the latter objection it will only +be necessary to say, that if government loses the labour of these +convicts, it also disburdens itself of the weight of supporting +them and of providing them clothing, &c.</p> + +<p>Against the perpetual imprisonment of convicts the following +reasons may be brought forward:--The restlessness and +indifference which generally pervade the conduct of delinquents +of this description, who, seeing no termination to their +captivity, lose the inclination to labour, if they ever possessed +it, and become indolent and careless as to the colour of their +future fate; the impossibility of any governor, however diligent +and compassionate, being enabled to discover all the meritorious +convicts of this description who might be entitled to their +liberation in pursuance of the present system, since he could not +possibly, at any time, keep an eye upon the whole, scattered as +they are through the settlements, and in the employ of various +persons; many deserving prisoners, having never been in the +service of an officer, have none to recommend them, and remain, +consequently, unnoticed, although they may be more meritorious +than even some who are emancipated; and the numerous desertions +which take place amongst those convicts who have no prospect of +amelioration in view, and who are, therefore, indifferent what +becomes of them, placing upon a level the dangers of destruction +and the prospect of toiling away existence, without the hope of +freedom or of happiness, to the close of their days. Such a +conduct as this is truly not to be wondered at, when the +behaviour of some criminals at the bar of their country is +recalled to mind, where they have declined that mercy which has +been extended to them, and preferred death to a perpetual +banishment from that society which they had injured. If any of +the liberated convicts should afterwards attempt to make their +escape from the colony, they might be returned to the public +labour, or be sentenced to such other punishment as may be +thought adequate to the importance of their offence. What the +consequence of the amelioration of the rigour of punishment would +be may easily be imagined; instead of continually murmuring at +the gloomy prospect before them--of displaying indifference to +the future--of beholding before them no limitation of their +slavery, nothing but misery, toil, and death; instead of these +cheerless contemplations, they would begin to display a degree of +contentedness with the situation to which their delinquency had +reduced them, and their progress would be marked by utility to +the government and to the community, instead of being chequered +by continual efforts to elude the vigilance of their overseers, +and to escape from a scene of uniform hardships, unillumined by a +single ray of hope.</p> + +<p>The best interests of the colony would be greatly forwarded, +if government were to select some clergymen, of unequivocal piety +and zeal, to inculcate religious and moral principles. For this +purpose, they should be chosen of unblemished character, whose +respectability and exemplary conduct would assist to give weight +to the doctrines which flow from their lips. Much good cannot be +derived from the efforts of men, who are chiefly engaged in +farming and traffic, and who will sell a bottle of spirits, or +<i>oblige</i> some of those very persons with it, to whom they +have just before been preaching the duty of temperance, and whose +learning and appearance are better adapted to less important +avocations, than fulfilling the sacred functions it is intended +they should perform.--The future prosperity of the settlement +also greatly depends upon the manner in which the rising +generation are instructed. The education of youth is, at present, +much neglected, through the want of four or five schoolmasters of +sufficient capacity. There cannot be a doubt that persons +qualified for this profession would meet with very liberal +encouragement, as the children are numerous, and there are but +few parents who cannot afford to educate their offspring +respectably.</p> + +<p>The want of some able superintendants in different branches of +business is at present much felt, since such individuals might be +usefully employed in training up youth to the pursuits of +industry; by which means the commission of crimes would be +rendered less frequent, and the dispositions of children would +receive a proper bias. An arrangement of this nature would also +remove the severe inconvenience occasioned by the extreme +scarcity of able mechanics throughout the colony.</p> + +<p>It will be immediately admitted by every unprejudiced mind, +that the salaries of the deputy-commissaries should be increased, +when the circumstances under which they are placed are duly +considered. They have now only five shillings a day; a sum so +totally inadequate to the services they perform, as to excite +surprize in all who witness the extent of the trust reposed in +them. This daily pay is barely sufficient to purchase a dinner in +the colony, as they are obliged to appear in every respect as +gentlemen; and the necessary consequence is, they are compelled +to enter into other occupations, unless they have a better source +of income than their salaries, in order to meet their own +unavoidable expenditure, and to maintain (as is generally the +case there) a wife and large family. The impolicy of giving small +salaries must be obvious, when it is considered that individuals +who are thus sparingly rewarded for their labour, abstract from +their official duties some portion of that attention which ought +to be wholly devoted to them.</p> + +<p>A different arrangement with respect to the grants and leases +of land would also be productive of beneficial consequences. +Whenever any of those deeds have been made, under the hand and +seal of the governor, or of the colonial seal, they ought to be +considered as secured to the grantee or lessee, their heirs, +&c. and, under no pretence whatever, except a failure in the +fulfilment of the conditions expressed therein, ought the +governor, or any succeeding governor, to retain the power of +taking that land away. The existence of such a power, indeed, is, +upon its surface, arbitrary; and, in its effect, totally +destructive of the spirit of improvement; for there scarcely +exists a man who would bestow his whole exertions and property in +increasing the value of buildings and land, which he holds by +such an uncertain tenure. In the midst of his expectations, just +as he has impoverished himself with the hope of reaping a future +recompense, he may, by the sudden whims or caprice of an +individual, be deprived at once of the means of gaining future +subsistence, and plundered of every thing which he may have done +with a view to his own benefit, and the bettering of the estate. +It is surely unwise to leave a power (which, it is to be hoped, +is without authority) of this description, in the hands of any +man, however exalted his character, and however conspicuous his +love of justice.</p> + +<p>The whole of the contingent expenses which would result from +these improvements, might be paid by duties laid on importations, +exportations, &c. which are at present by no means +inconsiderable, but might be greatly increased, to the mutual +advantage of the colonist and the government.</p> + +<p>To expatiate largely on the benefits which would result from +the establishment of a free trade, is altogether superfluous to +men whose minds can embrace the increased stimulus which would be +given to industry, the influx of wealth and population, the +improvements in agriculture, commerce, and the arts and sciences, +and the rapid advancement of the best interests of the colony, +which must result from such a measure.</p> + +<p>The strong necessity for some considerable alteration in the +internal arrangement and policy of the colony, to various parts +of which I have drawn the reader's attention, can but be apparent +to all unprejudiced persons, who have but a superficial knowledge +of the settlement. The suggestions I have now presumed to offer +to the public, as my opinion for means of improvement, I beg to +state, are as unbiassed as my statements are faithful; and which +are the result of some reflection, founded upon the experience of +a long, and, I should hope, an unimpeachable residence, in the +fulfilment of some important duties, thereby obtaining more than +common means of observation. With these assurances, I have to +trust that due credit will be given to my intentions, which had +their principal stimulus from an anxious wish that the mother +country should receive every possible benefit, in the adoption of +so promising and highly interesting a part of the uncivilized +globe to its fostering care.</p> + +<h2>The End</h2> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Present Picture of New South Wales +(1811), by David Dickinson Mann + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NEW SOUTH WALES (1811) *** + +***** This file should be named 15533-h.htm or 15533-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/5/3/15533/ + +Produced by Col Choat + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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