DEDICATION CHAPTER 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.-

Plan of the Settlements in New South Wales View of Sydney from the East Side of the Cove View of Sydney from the East Side of the Cove View of Sydney from the West Side of the Cove View of Sydney from the West Side of the Cove To JOHN HUNTER, ESQ. VICE-ADMIRAL OF THE BLUE AND LATE CAPTAIN-GENERAL AND GOVERNOR IN CHIEF IN AND OVER HIS MAJESTY'S COLONY OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND ITS DEPENDENCIES, &c. &c. &c. SIR, During the period of your government, the settlements of New Sout

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 whi

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:-- Agreements --not cognizable, unless written and registered; being witnessed by one person, not a prisoner. Apprentices and Deserters --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 prison

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:-- Belonging to the Crown--100 acres in wheat. 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 potat

The following was the current price of Articles of Food, in the year 1809:--Wheat 12 s . per bushel; maize 5 s . per bushel; barley 5 s . per bushel; oats 4 s . 6 d . per bushel; potatoes 10 s . per cwt.; turnips 4 d . per bunch; carrots 6 d . per bunch; cabbages 3 d . each; lemons 6 d . per dozen; peaches 2 d . per dozen; apples 2 s . per dozen; pears 3 s . per dozen; strawberries 1 s . per quart; quinces 2 s . per dozen; water melons 9 d . each; musk and other melons 1 s . each; apricots 1 s .

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 Britai

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. When a transport arrives with prisoners, their irons are immediately

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 frequent

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

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,

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 c

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

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 pra

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 turbul

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

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 exe