The _Buffalo_ arrives from England, and brings cattle from the Cape
A marine settler killed
Natives
A criminal court held
Taylor executed
Lowe punished
A highway robbery
Provisions in store
Ration altered
June, two whalers come in from sea
Ideas of a whale-fishery
Tempestuous weather
Effects
The _Albion_ whaler arrives from England
Her passage
July, a missionary murdered
The murderers tried and executed
Orders published
State of the farms
The _Hillsborough_ arrives from England
Mortality on board
Public works
May.] On the third day of this month his Majesty's ship _Buffalo_
arrived from England, but last from the Cape of Good Hope, whence she
brought sixty-six head of cattle, which, considering the length of the
voyage, were landed in good condition. She had also on board some tools
and articles of hardware for the use of the colony; but, unfortunately,
no bedding or clothing of any kind.
This ship arrived under the command of Mr. William Raven, whose services
to the colony in the private ship _Britannia_ cannot easily be
forgotten; and was sent out to replace the _Supply_, which had been
condemned as unserviceable, and whose commander, Lieutenant William Kent,
was with her officers and crew to be removed into the _Buffalo_; the
governor being directed to furnish Mr. Raven with a passage to England.
Although this ship was named the _Buffalo_, yet her head was the
carved figure of a kangaroo, which very much amused the natives, who
could have had no idea of seeing the animals of their country represented
in wood.
Some of these people, ever hostile to the settlers, had lately speared
one of them, a marine settler (as those were styled who had formerly
belonged to the marine detachment) at George's river, so effectually,
that he died of his wounds. The natives belonged to the tribe of which
Pe-mul-wy was the leader.
Savage as these beings certainly were toward our people, and to each
other, yet they could unbend, and divert themselves with the softer
amusements of singing and dancing. The annexed engraving represents a
party thus occupied, and gives a correct view of their persons and
manners. The figure leaning upon his shield, the attitude of the women
dancing, and the whole group, are accurate delineations of a party
assembled by the light of a fire at the mouth of one of their excavated
rocks.
It might be supposed, that with this exercise, and the company of their
females, their angry and turbulent passions would be at rest, and that
the idea of murder could not enter their minds; yet have they been known
to start away, in search of some unsuspecting object of their revenge or
hatred, who before the morning has received a dozen spears through his
body: and this is man in his uncultivated state!
Several offenders having been secured for trial, it became necessary to
assemble the court of criminal judicature; and on the 16th Simon Taylor
was brought before it, accused of the murder of his wife; of which
offence being clearly convicted, he received sentence of death, and was
executed on the 20th at Parramatta. This unhappy man was thoroughly
sensible of the enormity of his guilt, and in his last moments admonished
the spectators against indulging in drunkenness, which had brought him to
that untimely and disgraceful end.
At the same court, one man, Robert Lowe, was adjudged corporal
punishment, and one year's hard labour, for embezzling some of the live
stock of Government, which had been entrusted to his care. He was a free
man, and had been one of the convicts who were with Captain Riou in the
_Guardian_, when her voyage to New South Wales was unfortunately
frustrated by her striking upon an island of ice; on account of which,
and of their good conduct before and after the accident, directions had
been given for their receiving conditional emancipation, and being
allowed to provide for their own maintenance. Few of these people,
however, were in the end found to merit this reward and indulgence, as
their future conduct had proved; and this last act of delinquency pointed
out the necessity of a free person being sent out from England to
superintend the public live stock, with such an allowance as would make
him at once careful of his conduct, and faithful in the execution of his
trust.
It should seem that the commission of crimes was never to cease in this
settlement. Scarcely had the last court of judicature sent one man to the
gallows, when a highway robbery was committed between the town of Sydney
and Parramatta. Three men rushed from an adjoining wood, and, knocking
down a young man who was travelling to the last mentioned town, rifled
his pockets of a few dollars. On his recovering, finding that only one
man remained, who was endeavouring to twist his handkerchief from his
neck, he swore that no one person should plunder him, and had a struggle
with this fellow, who, not being the strongest of the two, was secured
and taken into Parramatta. A court was immediately assembled for his
trial; but the evidence was not thought sufficient to convict him, and he
was consequently acquitted. The want of any corroborating circumstance on
the part of the prosecutor compelled the court to this acquittal.
A quantity of fresh pork having been for some time received into the
store, there were found at this period six months salt provisions
remaining; which, without this supply would have been all consumed, and
the colony left without animal food, save in the article of live stock, a
resource on which it could not have been prudent to have touched as a
supply, except in a case of the last necessity.
Every encouragement was given to the curing of pork upon Norfolk Island;
but the casks in which the salt meat was sent from England were in
general so extremely feeble by the time they arrived, that scarcely one
in a hundred was fit for that purpose a second time. Could any timber,
fit for this use, have been found in the country, yet a supply of hoops
and salt pans would have been necessary; and, unless it was cured in the
winter season, and the method observed by Captain Cook was practised at
Norfolk island, it remained a doubt whether it could be accomplished to
any considerable extent.
The price of fresh pork having been raised in consequence of the failure
of the late harvest, as a temporary relief to those who had suffered by
that misfortune, the commissary was, at the close of this month, directed
to return to the price formerly established, viz nine-pence per pound.
The state of the public stores with respect to salt provision having been
carefully examined, it became necessary to make a small reduction of the
ration in time, in order to prevent a greater. It was accordingly
ordered, that the following proportions should be issued, per man per
week; viz
Beef 5 pounds
or
Pork 3 pounds
Wheat 12 pounds
Sugar 6 ounces
and this they were informed was not to continue longer than the arrival
of a storeship with a supply of salted provision.
The commissary was also directed to issue to such men as might be
entitled, as much blue gurrah (an East India article not much better than
bunting) and thread as would make a frock and a pair of trousers, and a
proportion to the women and children. These gurrahs had been brought from
India in some of the speculative voyages to this country, and were now
found useful in covering the nakedness of the people.
By the arrival of the _Buffalo_, the governor at length had it in
his power to inform those people who had been convicted in Ireland, and
by the laws of that kingdom had been transported to New South Wales, that
he had received from thence a correct statement of the several sentences
of those who had been brought in the _Queen_; and an assurance, through the
secretary to the Lord Lieutenant, that the lists of those who had been
sent out since that period should be forwarded by the next vessel which
might sail from Ireland for this colony.
Those, therefore, who were remaining alive of the convicts received by
the _Queen_, might learn the extent of their conviction, by applying
at the commissary's office. Such as might appear to have been sent out
for life were told they need not despair of being, in due time, again the
masters of their own labours; as every one must have seen, that a decent,
orderly, industrious and obedient conduct, had frequently recommended
many of their description to public favour.
June.] On the 2nd of this month, the _Diana_ and _Eliza_
whalers came in to refit, and to refresh their crews. They had each
procured about twenty-five tons of spermaceti oil since they left the
port, and had spoke the _Britannia_, which had been more successful,
she having, in all, one hundred and ten tons of oil on board.
About this time the _Indispensable_ sailed on her fishing voyage.
This ship had been careened and completely repaired in the Cove.
From the experience of the masters of these whalers, there was every
reason to believe, that ships resorting hither, properly fitted for the
variable weather which they are liable to meet with upon the coast, would
most certainly succeed. The ships that had arrived, in general, were not
prepared for the weather of this ocean, but were fitted for the more
certain and serene skies of the coast of Peru; which occasioned their so
frequently running into port to refit. In this, such assistance as the
colony could supply was always readily afforded them; and it might be
worthy the attention of the houses of Messrs. Champion, Enderby, and
others, owners of ships in the whale fishery, to establish a depot or
warehouse at Sydney, well supplied with naval stores, where their
business could be transacted by their own people, and their ships
refitted with their own materials.
If try-pots were fixed at some convenient place near the entrance of the
harbour, and many such offer, where their warehouse might also be
established, the fishing ground not being far from the coast, might not a
ship run in with the whale in blubber, leave it to be tried out, and in
the mean while put to sea in quest of more? If any time would be saved by
this mode of proceeding, it surely would be worth adopting; but of this
these gentlemen must be the better judges.
In the evening on the fourth of June, which had been observed as His
Majesty's birthday with every demonstration of loyalty and respect, the
weather became very tempestuous, and continued for three days blowing a
heavy gale from the southward, attended with a deluge of rain; by which
several buildings belonging to Government, which had been erected with
great labour, were much damaged; among others, was unfortunately the
tower of the new mill at Sydney, of which the roof was fitting. The
south-side of this building was so much injured, that it became necessary
to take the whole down; which was done, and the foundation laid a second
time.
This gale having subsided, it returned about the middle of the month,
blowing again from the southward with increased violence, and attended
with another deluge of rain. In its effects it was more destructive than
the preceding, doing much damage to various public and private buildings.
The south side of the church tower was entirely destroyed, but the clock
was saved. The Government house at Parramatta, which was nearly finished,
received some material injury, but was not wholly destroyed. A man, in
crossing a gully between Sydney and Parramatta, was, in attempting to
ford it, carried away by the violence of the torrent, and drowned. The
cattle suffered much, and a few of the public as well as private stock
perished.
The ravages of this storm were so great, that the settlement was thrown
back nearly twelve months in those works which at the time were expected
very shortly to be completed. The weather, from the beginning of this
month, had never since the establishment of the colony been observed to
be so severe. The settlement had indeed, between the fires of the summer,
and the floods and gales of the winter, suffered very considerably. Added
to these, at this time, were the inconveniences arising from an
unproductive harvest, from an exhausted store in the very essential
articles of clothing and bedding, from the hostile disposition of many of
the natives, and from the annihilation of morality, honesty, and industry
in the major part of the colonists.
As this picture is not exaggerated, the situation and feelings of the
rational part of the settlement were certainly not to be envied.
Every exertion was immediately made to remedy the misfortunes occasioned
by the late tempestuous weather, and it was hoped that most of them would
be surmounted by the end of the present year. The erecting of the stone
prison at Sydney being found to create much expense, as well as require
much time, the governor called a meeting of the officers, principal
inhabitants, and landholders, and proposed an assessment to be furnished
by each, as well of money, as of labour; which was readily agreed to on
their part; and that necessary building was thenceforth carried on at
their expense, the public stores only furnishing such iron as might be
requisite.
On the evening of the 29th, the ship _Albion_ arrived from England,
having made the quickest passage of any that had yet come to this
country, being only three months and fifteen days on her voyage. She
brought out 900 tierces of salt pork, some dispatches, and a few letters,
by which the governor was taught to expect the arrival of two transports
with convicts, and of a king's ship, the _Porpoise_, which was to
replace the _Reliance_.
The extraordinary passage made by this ship drew the attention of those
who were judges, to her construction. This was her first voyage, having
been launched on the 25th of October 1798, from the yard of Messrs.
Barnard and Roberts at Deptford, where she was built. The length of her
keel for tonnage, was 86 feet; her extreme breadth, 27 feet 6 inches; her
depth in hold, 12 feet; her height between decks, 6 feet, and her
admeasured burden, 362 tons. She was remarkably clean in her run; and,
although extremely deep in the water when she sailed from Spithead, gave
early proof of her capacity in sailing.
Mr. Ebor Bunker, who had been at Port Jackson before in the _William
and Ann_ transport, commanded the _Albion_, and was now selected
by her owners, Messrs. Champions, to give the whale fishing upon the
coast a complete and fair trial. For this purpose the ship was fitted out
with the accustomed liberality of those gentlemen in the amplest manner,
with every store that could be necessary for her own use, and every
comfort for her people.
Fortunate it would have proved for the settlement in general, had these
and such respectable gentlemen been among the first of those whose
speculative views had induced them to embark their property in these
undertakings: it would then have escaped the extortions which had been
but too successfully practised by many others.
The labouring people were principally employed during this month, in
repairing the devastations occasioned by the late tempestuous weather.
July.] Another instance occurred of the little effect which even capital
punishments had in this profligate settlement. On the evening of the 2nd
of this month, a most horrid murder was committed upon Mr. Samuel Clode,
one of the missionaries, who had flown for refuge from the savages of
Otaheite to this government. This act of more than savage barbarity was
committed at the brickfields, in the house of one Jones, a soldier. His
brains were beaten out at the back of his head, with an axe, and his
throat so cut as nearly to sever the head from the body, which was then
dragged to a sawpit, at that time full of water, and, being thrown in,
was covered over with bushes. Here it remained only until the following
morning, when it was discovered by a labouring man, who went to get his
hoe; which, to prevent its being stolen, he had been in the habit of
concealing in the sawpit. Such are the directions of Providence!
Suspicion falling upon four persons, they were taken up; and, the
criminal court being immediately convened, three of the number, Thomas
Jones (a soldier), a woman (his wife), and John Albury (a free man),
were, on the clearest evidence, convicted of the murder, and adjudged to
suffer death.
It appeared upon the trial, that the trifling sum of ten pounds, which
Jones had been indebted to Mr. Clode, prompted him to his destruction. To
effect this, he signified to that truly unfortunate gentleman, that if he
would call at his hut in the evening he would pay him. Not suspecting any
evil design in this request, he called at the appointed time, and, while
leaning over a table to draw up a receipt, received the first blow with
the axe, from the hand of Jones (Albury's resolution, for it was agreed
that he should give it, failing at the moment), who, from the pecuniary
transaction between them, must have been under an obligation, which he
took this dreadful method of discharging.
Being convicted on the 4th, they were executed on the 6th, upon the spot
where the murder had been committed. The house was pulled down and burnt,
and the bodies of the two men were hung in chains near the place. That of
the woman was delivered to the surgeons for dissection.
The abandoned state in which the settlement was at this time cannot be
better understood than by a perusal of the following orders, which were
issued.
"From the late increased number of nocturnal robberies, there is much
reason to suspect that the petty constables and divisional watchmen are
either extremely negligent in the performance of their duty, or that they
suffer themselves to be prevailed on by the house-breakers to be less
vigilant than that duty requires, and to connive at their depredations on
the inhabitants. A continuance of this unpardonable remissness upon their
part must dispose the more respectable inhabitants to believe them
partakers with the thieves. It is, therefore, hereby particularly
recommended by the governor to every officer in the colony, as they value
the security of their property, to give their utmost assistance to those
immediately concerned in the executive part of the civil police, in
putting, as speedily as possible, a stop to so very great an evil. It is
also particularly recommended to the principal inhabitants of the towns
of Sydney and Parramatta, that they select a few of the most respectable
of their number, in each division of these towns, whom they may authorise
to consider of the most effectual means of detecting the robbers, and
bringing them to trial; whether by such rewards as they may be enabled to
offer, or by small divisional patrols for the night service, and who
shall take that duty by turns, and be under the immediate direction of a
reputable inhabitant, of their own choice, or an officiating constable
selected from among the most sober and vigilant of that description of
persons."
Proposals for this purpose were to be sent in writing to the
judge-advocate's office, and a bench of magistrates were to approve or
alter them, as they should think proper.
This order was published on the 2nd, and on the 3rd the following
appeared:
"The continual complaints which are made of the conduct of the female
convicts require the most rigid and determined discipline with such
characters, who, to the disgrace of their sex, are far worse than the
men, and are generally found at the bottom of every infamous transaction
that is committed in the colony. It is hereby most strenuously
recommended to the magistrates in general, that on proof being brought
before them of any improper conduct in those dangerous and mischievous
characters, or of any disobedience of orders, or neglect of such duty as
they may be directed to perform, they may be ordered such exemplary
punishment, either corporal or otherwise, as the nature of their crime
may call for. This measure will appear the more necessary, when it is
recollected, that formerly, when such punishments were had recourse to,
these women gave much less trouble, and were far more orderly in their
conduct."
The superintendants were directed not to allow them to leave their work
at their own pleasure, but to attend them, and see that they were
employed during those hours which were allotted for their labour. The
former of these orders seemed to have been attended with some effect; for
in a few days several idle people, who, being out of their time, were
employed only in wandering from one district to another, without any
visible means of getting their bread, were apprehended, and, being
examined before the sitting magistrate, were ordered to labour in the
gaol gang.
Still alarming depredations were nightly committed upon the live stock of
individuals, and were doubtless effected by those wandering pests to
society; the regulations which had long since been established as a check
to such an evil being wholly disregarded. It was discovered, that hogs
were stolen, and delivered on the victualling days at the public store,
without any enquiry being made, as to whose property they were, or by
whom delivered, any person's name which they chose to give in being
considered by the store-keeper as sufficient to authorise him to receive
it, although printed vouchers for the delivery of such pork (and grain
likewise) were left at the store, for the purpose of being signed by the
party offering it. This certainly operated as an encouragement to the
commission of these thefts; and it became necessary to order, that such
persons as attended the receipt of any of these articles at the store
should direct whoever delivered them to sign the voucher of the quantity
received by him, the governor being determined never to approve of any
bill laid before him for that purpose, unless the commissary should
produce the voucher, properly signed, by the person in whose name such
bill was made out.
About the middle of this month a general muster was made of all the
inhabitants in the different districts of the settlement; and the
governor, attending in person, collected from the settlers an accurate
state of their farms and grounds in cultivation. This he did with a view
of transmitting, in his next dispatches to Government, such an account of
these people as, from being taken under his immediate inspection, might
be depended upon. From the 14th to the 24th were taken up in this
enquiry, from the result of which it appeared that there were in the
district of the River Hawkesbury: 2544 and a half acres in wheat, 907
acres for maize; in the district of Parramatta: 1259 and a half acres in
wheat, 663 and a half acres for maize; in the Sydney districts: 538 and
a half acres in wheat, 365 and a half acres for maize; making a total of
4392 acres and a half in wheat, and 1436 acres for maize, in the three
principal districts of the settlements.
At the Hawkesbury, the greatest quantity of ground in cultivation by any
individual, who had from a convict become a settler, was fifty-one acres,
forty-six of which were in wheat. Two others had fifty each, forty of
which were in wheat. A man of the name of Flood (who, had been left by
Mr. Hogan, when here in the ship _Marquis Cornwallis_ in 1796, in
the care of some ground which that gentleman had purchased) had at this
time two hundred, and an agent of Mr. Palmer the commissary, had within
seven of three hundred, acres in wheat. There were but few sheep in the
possession of the settlers of this district, and about two hundred and
forty goats. Hogs were more numerous, there being, after all the
slaughter which had lately taken place among these animals, nearly two
thousand remaining. The fertility of this spot had invited about one
hundred and eighty persons to become holders of land thereon; and when
they shall have erected their dwelling-houses and barns on ground
inaccessible to the overflowings of the river (which, from its vicinity
to the immense body of mountains to the westward, and its own irregularly
winding form, must often occur), they will not find their time or
exertions to have been misapplied.
The settlers in and about Parramatta had not so much ground in
cultivation, and were fewer in number than those of the Hawkesbury
district. A widow woman of the name of Daveny, whose husband had been a
superintendant of convicts, had fifty acres in wheat, and twenty-three in
maize. Among the individuals who had attended to the rearing of stock
must be mentioned with the credit which he merits, Edward Elliot, who,
having firmly withstood every temptation that was placed in his way to
induce him to sell them, had at this time a stock consisting of 116*
sheep, derived from one ewe, which had been allowed him by Governor
Phillip in December 1792. It, perhaps, may be read with some
satisfaction, that George Barrington appeared to have twenty acres of
ground in wheat, and to be the possessor of thirteen sheep, fifty-five
goats, and two mares. His conduct continued such as it had been from the
first; but his health was visibly declining, his unremitted attention to
the duties of his office proving too much for an asthmatic habit, which
he brought with him from England.
[* Vide Vol I Ch. XXXI p 401, viz: 'One man, a settler at the
Eastern Farms, Edward Elliot, had received a ewe sheep from the late
Governor Phillip before his departure in the year 1792. He had resisted
many temptations to sell it, and at the time this inquiry took place was
found possessing a stock of twenty-two sheep, males and females. He had
been fortunate in not meeting with any loss, but had not added to his
stock by any purchase. This was a proof that industry did not go without
its reward in this country. Other instances were found to corroborate
this observation.']
There were nine hundred and three goats, three hundred and thirty-two
sheep, and about four hundred hogs, in this district, the settlers of
which were one hundred and four in number.
It has been shown, that the cultivated ground in the district of the
principal settlement was far less than in either that of the river, or
Parramatta. At each of these, the soil was greatly superior, and had
therefore been more desired by settlers; it must moreover be observed,
that most of the farms in the neighbourhood of Sydney were taken before
much knowledge had been obtained of the superior richness of the soil in
the interior, over that near the coast. The greatest quantity of ground
in cultivation by any individual was thirty-three acres. Their stock of
sheep amounted only to thirty-eight, of goats to two hundred and
ninety-two; and there were remaining among them about three hundred and
sixty hogs. The number of settlers was seventy-one. In this statement,
the farms and stock of the officers of the civil and military department,
and of some of the free settlers, were not included.
This certainly was not an unpromising view of the agricultural part of
the settlement. Much might be expected from the exertions of three
hundred and fifty-five people, and the greatest advantage would have been
derived from their labours had they been less prone to dissipation and
useless traffic--a traffic which most of them entered into solely with a
view to indulging themselves in their favourite propensity of drinking.
Independent of the wild herd of cattle to the westward, the live stock
belonging to the Crown, and to individuals, was annually increasing to a
great amount; but it was not yet sufficiently numerous to admit of
supplying the colony with animal food. To begin too early to apply it to
that use, would only have retarded the time when the colony would be
independent of any other country for provisions; and none but superfluous
males were ever killed.
On the 26th of this month the _Hillsborough_ transport arrived from
England, whence she had sailed with three hundred male convicts on board;
but, from the raging of a gaol fever, that made its appearance soon after
her departure, ninety-five had died during the voyage, and six more were
added to the number in a few days after they were landed.
It was impossible that any ship could have been better fitted by
Government for the accommodation of prisoners during such a voyage than
was the _Hillsborough_; but, unfortunately, they brought with them,
perhaps lurking in their clothing, a disease which bade defiance to all
the measures that could be taken for their comfort and convenience.
The hospitals were immediately filled with the survivors, from whom no
labour could, for a length of time, be expected; and they were supplied
with fresh meat.
None of the military having been embarked in this ship, the owners had
put on board a certain number of people, to act as a guard; and on the
commissary's mustering them and the ship's company, pursuant to a request
to that purpose from the commissioners of the Transport Board, it
appeared, that the terms of the charter-party had been strictly complied
with.
The erecting of the public gaol advancing but slowly, the constables of
the different divisions of the town of Sydney were directed to give
information to the inhabitants of their respective divisions, that, as
this building was a work in which they were all interested, they were to
furnish from each of the four divisions, viz from King's, Nepean's,
Banks's, Maskelyne's (such being their names), and from that of the
Brickfields, five men each day, with a watchman to attend them. These
were to be relieved by a like number of men every day, and this
assistance was to be continued so long as the gentlemen who had the
direction of the work should have occasion for them.
Had the convicts who arrived in the _Hillsborough_ been in a condition
to labour, this requisition would have been unnecessary.
The _Albion_ was cleared during this month of the provisions which
she brought out for the colony, and prepared to proceed upon her fishing
voyage.
The _Buffalo_ was also getting ready to go to the Cape of Good Hope
for cattle.