The _Swallow_ Packet arrives on her way to China
Articles sold
The _Minerva_ arrives from Ireland with convicts
The _Fhynne_ from Bengal
Three settlers tried for murdering two natives
Assessment fixed to complete the gaol
February
Military rations
A soldier shoots himself
A whaler from America, with a Spanish vessel, her prize
The _Hunter_ from Calcutta
The _Friendship_ with Irish convicts arrives
Inutility of some of these prisoners
Clothing issued
Tax on spirits to complete the gaol
Transactions
A new magazine begun
March
The _Reliance_ sails for England
A mountain eagle shot
The _Martha_ arrives from Bass Strait
Settlers sell their sheep
Flood occasioned by bad weather
April
Criminal court held
The _Speedy_ arrives from England with Lieutenant-Governor King
The _Buffalo_ from the Cape
Regulations
1800.]
January.] On the third day of this month, the _Swallow_,
East-India packet, anchored in the cove, on her voyage to China. She
brought information of the capture of the Dutch fleet in the Texel, and
the surrender of the forts upon the Helder. This intelligence was
announced to the settlement in a public order, and by a discharge of the
cannon on the batteries. The _Swallow_ on her anchoring saluted the
fort, which was returned.
In addition to this welcome news, she had on board a great variety of
articles for sale, which were intended for the China market; but the
master thought and actually found it worth his while to gratify the
inhabitants, particularly the females, with a display of many elegant
articles of dress from Bond Street, and other fashionable repositories of
the metropolis. She remained here nearly three weeks, taking her
departure for China on the 21st.
Previous to her sailing (on the 11th) the _Minerva_ transport
arrived from Ireland, with a cargo, not of elegancies from Bond Street,
but 162 male and 26 female convicts from the gaols of that kingdom: all
of whom were in perfect health, their treatment and management on board
doing the highest credit to the master, the surgeon, and his officers;
three only having died during the passage. She was chartered for Bengal;
and, as the season was early for her proceeding upon that voyage, the
governor, being desirous of dividing this description of people as much
as possible, would have sent her on with them to Norfolk Island; but no
provision having been made, as had sometimes been the case, for her
proceeding thither under the charter-party, he did not choose to give the
sum which the master demanded. And having learned that another ship, the
_Friendship_, had sailed at the same time from Ireland, he determined
to land the convicts and wait her arrival.
It was much wished that a clause should be inserted in every
charter-party, enabling the governor to send the convicts to Norfolk
Island in the ship that brought them out, if he should see occasion; as
the difficulty with which they were got together for that purpose, when
once landed, was inconceivable.
The _Minerva_, having touched at Rio de Janeiro, had brought many
articles for sale, as well from that Port as from England, most of which
were much wanted by the inhabitants; but the prices required for them
were such as to drain the colony of every shilling that could be got
together.
With the _Minerva_ arrived the _Fhynne_, a small snow from Bengal,
under Danish colours, which had been chartered by the officers of
the colony civil and military, through the means of an agent whom they
had sent thither for that purpose. She was freighted on their account
with many articles of which they were much in want; and as more labour
could be obtained for spirits than for any other mode of payment, an
article so essential to the cultivation of their estates was not
forgotten.
On the evening of the 18th (which had been observed as the birthday of
her Majesty) a convict, in attempting to go alongside the _Minerva_,
although repeatedly told to keep off, was shot by the sentinel, who was
afterwards tried, and acquitted, having only executed his orders.
The decision of this affair was prompt, and unattended with any doubt or
difficulty; but not so was another business that had engaged the
attention of the criminal court. The natives having murdered two men who
possessed farms at the Hawkesbury, some of the settlers in that district
determined to revenge their death. There were at this time three native
boys living with one Powell, a settler, and two others, his neighbours.
These unoffending lads they selected as the objects of their revenge.
Having informed them, that they thought they could find the guns
belonging to the white men, they were dispatched for that purpose, and in
a short time brought them in. Powell and his associates now began their
work of vengeance. They drove the boys into a barn, where, after tying
their hands behind their backs, these cowardly miscreants repeatedly
stabbed them, until two of them fell and died beneath their hands. The
third, making his escape, jumped into the river, and, although in
swimming he could only make use of his feet, yet under this disadvantage,
and with the savage murderers of his companions firing at him repeatedly,
he actually reached the opposite bank alive, and soon joined his own
people.
The governor, on being made acquainted with this circumstance,
immediately sent to the place, where, buried in a garden, the bodies of
these unfortunate boys were found, stabbed in several places, and with
their hands tied as has been described. Powell and his companions in this
horrid act were taken into custody, and, a court being convened, they
were tried for the wilful murder of two natives.
The evidence that was brought before the court clearly established that
the deceased had come to their death by the means of the prisoners; and
the members of it were unanimously of opinion that they were guilty of
killing two natives; but, instead of their receiving a sentence of
death, a special reference was made to his Majesty's minister, and the
prisoners were admitted to bail by the court.
The prisoners, in their defence, brought forward a crowd of witnesses to
prove that a number of white people had at various times been killed by
the natives; but, could these people have been sufficiently understood,
proofs would not have been wanting on their side, of the wanton and
barbarous manner in which many of them had been destroyed.
Entertaining doubts as to the light in which the natives were to be held,
the court applied to the governor for such information as he could
furnish upon this subject; and he accordingly sent them the orders which
from time to time had been given respecting these people, and a copy of
an article in his Majesty's instructions to the governor, which in strong
and express terms places them under the protection of the British
government, and directs, that if any of its subjects should wantonly
destroy them, or give them unnecessary interruption in the exercise of
their several occupations, they were to be brought to punishment
according to the degree and nature of their offence.
In this instance, however, the court were divided in their sentiments
respecting the nature of the offence, and submitted the whole business,
with their doubts, to his Majesty's minister. As they could not see their
way distinctly, they certainly were right to apply for assistance; but,
as it was impossible to explain to the natives, or cause them to
comprehend the nature of these doubts, it was to be expected that they
would ill brook the return of the prisoners to their farms and
occupations, without having received some punishment: a circumstance
wholly inconsistent with their own ideas and customs; and, indeed, they
loudly threatened to burn the crops as soon as it could be effected.*
Fire, in the hands of a body of irritated and hostile natives, might,
with but little trouble to them, ruin the prospect of an abundant
harvest; and it appeared by this threat, that they were not ignorant of
having this power in their hands; it was, therefore, certainly very
essential to the comfort and security of the settlers in particular, that
they should live with them upon amicable terms.
[* Fortunately, though greatly incensed, they did not put this threat
in execution.]
Towards the latter end of the month, the _Walker_ whaler came in
from sea, not having met with any success, though cruising in the height
of the summer season. She had spoke the _Albion_, which, though out
a longer time, had been equally unsuccessful.
The public gaol at Sydney still wanting much of its completion, from the
insufficiency of the sums which had been raised to carry it on; and it
appearing that most of the officers had already paid to the amount of
forty pounds each as an individual share of the expense, it became
indispensably requisite that some means should be immediately adopted to
finish the building; and, as the price of wheat had, at the urgent and
repeated solicitation of the settlers, been for this season continued at
ten shillings per bushel, it was proposed to raise a sum for this
purpose, by each person leaving in the hands of the commissary sixpence
for every bushel of wheat they should put into the store. This
contribution would be the least felt, and was to cease so soon as a sum
sufficient for the purpose was collected.
There not being at this time more than five months' provision in the
store at full allowance, it became necessary to issue only two-thirds of
the weekly ration; and this was ordered to commence on the first of the
ensuing month. A trifling addition was made to the quantity in store, by
the purchase of about seventy casks of salt provisions which the master
of the _Minerva_ had for sale.
The _Francis_ and the _Norfolk_ brought round from the river a
quantity of timber and plank for the vessel that was building at Sydney,
and for other purposes.
February.] On the first of the month the proposed alteration in the
ration took place. It has been said, that Colonel Paterson brought out
with him a new arrangement of the military ration. This, as directed by
his Majesty's regulation, consisted of, per man per diem,
PER MAN PER DIEM.
Flour or bread 1½ lb
Beef 1 lb
or
Pork ½ lb
Peas ¼ pint
Butter or Cheese 1 oz
Rice 1 oz
When the small species cannot be issued, 1½ lb of bread or flour, and
1½ lb of beef, or 10 oz of pork, make a complete ration. The quantity of
salt provisions at this time remaining in the store, not admitting of
exempting the regiment from a reduction of the ration, they were informed
that, until the store could afford to victual them again agreeable to the
regulation, they would receive the same ration as the civil department;
but that no stoppages from their pay would on that account take place.
One of these people, a quiet well-disposed young man, fell a victim to an
attachment which he had formed with an infamous woman; who, after
plundering him of every thing valuable that he possessed, turned him out
of the house, to make room for another. This treatment he could not live
under; and, placing the muzzle of his gun beneath his chin, he drew the
trigger with his foot, and, the contents going through his neck,
instantly expired.
On the 13th, the _Betsey_ whaler arrived from the west coast of
America with 350 barrels of oil. She was extremely leaky, and much in
want of repair. At the same time came in the _Hunter_ bark from
Calcutta, with a cargo on speculation; and on the day following, a
Spanish brig which had been captured by the whaler.
Early in the morning of the 16th, the _Friendship_ transport arrived
from Ireland with convicts. She had been fifty days in her passage from
the Cape of Good Hope, where she left his Majesty's ship _Buffalo_
taking on board cattle for the settlement. The convicts arrived in very
good health, though the ship had been sickly previous to her reaching the
Cape.
Many of the prisoners received by this ship and the _Minerva_ were
not calculated to be of much advantage to the settlement; and but little
addition was made by their arrival to the public strength. Several of
them had been bred up in the habits of genteel life, or to professions in
which they were unaccustomed to hard labour. Such must become a dead
weight upon the provision store; for, notwithstanding the abhorrence
which must have been felt for the crimes for which many of them were
transported, yet it was impossible to divest the mind of the common
feelings of humanity, so far as to send a physician, the once respectable
sheriff of a county, a Roman Catholic priest, or a Protestant clergyman
and family, to the grubbing hoe, or the timber carriage. Among the lower
classes were many old men, unfit for any thing but to be hut-keepers, who
were to remain at home to prevent robbery, while the other inhabitants of
the hut were at labour.
Some clothing had been received by these ships and the _Walker_,
but, unfortunately, not any bedding. The governor therefore purchased a
thousand bad rugs, which had been manufactured in some of the Spanish
settlements on the west coast of America, and were in the prize which
last arrived. These, with a complete suit of the clothing to each, were
now issued to the convicts.
The settlers of several of the districts declining to come forward to
assist with the small assessment of sixpence per bushel on their wheat,
which had been proposed toward the completion of the public gaol, it
became necessary to adopt some other expedient; and, as an article of
luxury was considered a fitter subject than any other for taxation, an
order was published, directing that on a permit being applied for to
land spirits, wine, beer, or other strong drink, from ships having those
articles for sale, the person desiring it was to make his first
application to the gentlemen of the committee appointed to carry on the
above building; to whom security was to be given for the payment of one
shilling per gallon on the purchase of spirits, sixpence per gallon on
the purchase of wine, and threepence per gallon on the purchase of porter
or strong beer; these sums, if the permits were granted, which depended
on the character of the person applying, were to be paid into the hands
of the committee, and appropriated to the above purpose.
It having been for some time observed, indeed more particularly since the
late arrivals from Ireland, that a number of idle and suspicious persons
were frequently strolling about the town of Sydney at improper hours of
the night, and several boats having been taken away, and much property
stolen out of houses; in order to put a stop to such practices, the
sentinels on duty were directed not to suffer any person, the civil and
military officers of the settlement excepted, to pass their posts after
ten o'clock at night, without they could give the countersign; in which
case the sentinel was to detain them until the relief came round; when,
if the corporal should not be satisfied with the account which they might
give, they were to be taken to the guardhouse, and there detained, until
released by proper authority. The patrol of constables were also directed
to be very strict in their rounds, and apprehend such improper or
suspicious persons as they might meet in the town during the night.
Shortly after the publication of this order, several of the Irish
prisoners having assembled at a private house, and making more noise than
was proper during the night, were taken up, and lodged in the gaol until
the morning; when they were liberated with assurances of being punished
if brought there a second time.
Among other public and necessary works which were in hand at this time,
must be noticed the construction of a new powder magazine. The former
building had been placed at too great a distance from the principal
battery, in a dangerous and insecure situation. The foundation of the new
one was now dug in a more eligible spot, and where it could be much
better secured; which had been rendered necessary from the turbulent
disposition of the people lately arrived from Ireland.
March.] His Majesty's ship the _Reliance_ being completely worn out,
and no longer capable of rendering any service to the settlement, it
became necessary to give her such repairs as would enable her to reach
England. In order, therefore, to ease the crown of such useless expense,
she was fitted for sea, and sailed on the 3rd of this month on her
homeward-bound voyage.*
[* The _Reliance_ touched at the Cape of Good Hope and the Island
of St. Helena, whence she brought some Indiamen safe home under
her convoy. She arrived at Plymouth on the 26th of August, 1800.
Nothing remarkable occurred during the voyage, except the discovery of an
island, which, from its approach to the Antipodes of London, Captain
Waterhouse named Penantipode island. He determined its latitude by one
double altitude, and chronometer, to be 49 degrees 49 minutes 30 seconds S
and its longitude, 179 degrees 20 minutes E. It was seen in the middle of
the night; and as the nearest of the double altitudes by which its
latitude was determined was nearly an hour past noon, hence, and from the
change of place in the interval of four hours, the latitude ought not to
be depended on nearer than from 5 minutes to 10 minutes. The error of the
chronometer being uncertain at the time, no correction was applied to the
longitude, which may very probably be within half a degree, or much
nearer. When this island was seen, it was blowing a gale of wind. There
were seals on it, and it did not appear quite so large as Norfolk Island.]
Captain Waterhouse, in an excursion which he made to the north arm of
Broken Bay, wounded and secured a bird, of a species never seen before in
New South Wales, at least by any of the colonists. It was a large eagle,
which gave a proof of his strength, by driving his talons through a man's
foot, while lying in the bottom of the boat, with his legs tied together.
it stood about three feet in height, and during the ten days that it
lived was remarkable for refusing to be fed by any but one particular
person. Among the natives it was an object of wonder and fear, as they
could never be prevailed upon to go near it. They asserted, that it would
carry off a middling-sized kangaroo. Captain Waterhouse hoped to have
brought it to England; but it was one morning found to have divided the
strands of a rope with which it was fastened, and escaped. A drawing had
been made of it while in our hands, of which the annexed engraving is a
copy.
The _Martha_ schooner, having some time back sailed again to the
southward, returned on the 6th with a cargo of oil and seal skins. The
_Nautilus_ having left some of her people upon Cape Barren Island,
it appeared by their accounts, that the most productive time for the
seals among those islands was from November to May. They stated, that
they had much fine weather during the winter months, and met with very
little frost or severe cold. Cape Barren is in 40 degrees 26 minutes 20
seconds S latitude.
About this time many of the Irish prisoners lately arrived were afflicted
with dysenteric complaints, of which several died.
Much has been said of the little indulgence to which some of the settlers
were, from their own misconduct, entitled. An instance of misbehaviour
occurred in a description of these people from whom it could scarcely
have been expected. The settlers who were fixed on the banks of George's
river had formerly served in the marine detachment, and afterwards in the
New South Wales corps. By their entreaties having prevailed upon the
governor to supply them with some live stock, they were furnished each
with a ewe sheep, of which they were no sooner possessed than they sold
them. This coming to the governor's knowledge, he directed them to be
seized, and instantly returned into the flock belonging to government.
Such conduct on their part certainly precluded them from ever soliciting
similar assistance again.
Accounts of a most alarming nature were received toward the latter end of
the month from George's river and the Hawkesbury. The weather had,
unfortunately for the maize now ripe, been uncommonly bad for three
weeks, the wind blowing a heavy gale, accompanied with torrents of rain
that very soon swelled the river Hawkesbury, and the creeks in George's
river, beyond their banks; laying all the adjacent flat country, with the
corn on it, under water. Much damage, of course, followed the desolation
which this ill-timed flood spread over the cultivated grounds; and,
although fewer than could have been expected, some lives were lost.
The prospect of an abundant maize harvest was wholly destroyed, and every
other work was suspended for a while, to prepare the ground a second
time this season for wheat. The settlement was yet too young to be able
to withstand such a succession of ill-fortune without its being felt, in
some degree, an inconvenience and expense to the mother country. Had the
settlers themselves in general been of a more industrious turn, they
would have been better prepared for such accidents; and it was much to be
lamented, that, in establishing them on the banks of the Hawkesbury, they
had not with more attention considered the manifest signs of the floods
to which the river appeared to the first discoverers to be liable, and
erected their dwellings upon the higher grounds; or that the inundations
which had lately happened had not occurred at an earlier period, when
there were but few settlers. These indeed had been such as formerly no
one had any conception of, and exceeded in horror and destruction any
thing that could have been imagined.
That the ground might with all possible expedition be prepared for wheat,
all descriptions of persons were called upon to give their assistance;
and there being at this, as at every other time, a number of idle persons
wandering about the colony, who refused to labour unless they were paid
exorbitant wages, these were again directed to be taken up, and, if found
to prefer living by extortion or robbery, to working at a reasonable
hire, to be treated as vagrants, and made to labour for the public.
During this month, the _Walker_ went to sea upon the fishery; and
the _Martha _snow went to Norfolk Island, with some articles for
sale, the property of her owners.
April.] On the first day of this month, the court of criminal judicature
was convened for the trial of several offenders. Robberies had of
late been very frequent, both on household property and live stock.
At this court, two men were found guilty of robbery, and one women,
Mary Graham, of forgery. Several were sentenced to receive corporal
punishment, and some were ordered to be transported to Norfolk Island.
The governor extended his Majesty's pardon to the woman and one of the
men, leaving the other to his fate, and the day was appointed for his
execution; but, the military officers soliciting in a body that the life
of this man should be spared, the governor consented. He however directed
that both the prisoners, being yet unacquainted with the pardon that was
to be granted them, should be taken to the place of execution with their
coffins, where the warrant for that execution should be read, and every
appearance observed that could give solemnity to the moment, and impress
the minds of the spectators with awe. These directions were followed. The
ropes being put about their necks, the provost marshal produced the
pardon and read it. One of the men appeared much affected; but the other
declared that he was never in his life so well prepared for death, and
scarcely seemed to desire a prolongation of existence.
On the 14th the _Hunter_ bark sailed for Norfolk Island, whence she
was supposed to be bound for Amboyna and Bengal; and on the 16th the
_Speedy_ whaler arrived from England, with fifty female convicts;
and, what were much more welcome and profitable, eight hundred and
thirty-two casks of salt provisions, which enabled the governor once more
to issue a full ration.
In this ship arrived Captain Phillip Gidley King, the lieutenant-governor
of Norfolk Island; and those marks of respect which were due to his rank
and situation as a lieutenant-governor were directed to be paid to him
by all guards, sentinels, etc.
On the evening of the same day, his Majesty's ship the _Buffalo_
returned from the Cape of Good Hope, having on board 85 cows and 20
breeding mares for the settlement. This voyage was performed in seven
months, the _Buffalo_ having sailed from Port Jackson on the 15th of
last September. She made her passage thither in three months, having
arrived in Table Bay on the 16th of December. This, therefore, will be
found to be the proper season for going to the Cape by the way of Cape
Horn.
The quantity of spirits at this time in the colony occasioned much
intoxication and consequent irregularity. The settlers at the river were
so lost to their own interest as to neglect the sowing of their grounds:
a circumstance which, but for the timely interference of the governor,
would have ended in their ruin. Immediately on hearing their situation,
he forbade the sending any more spirits to that profligate corner of the
colony, as well as the retailing what had been already sent thither,
under pain of the offenders being prosecuted for such disobedience of his
orders.