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is Walamoola, so named b y th e -natives, a rural situation, where
Mr. Palmer, the Commissary j has built, a large and commodious
house, and bestowed much labour in cultivating the laud
round it, „.Such a house in so young a Colony excites a degree
of surprise in a new comer, The town of. ^ydney^fsu.much
larger and more respectable that can well be imagined considering
the time, it has been built. The streets are by order made
broad and strait; each house is generally separated from the
adjoining oues, an excellent regulation in case of. fire 4 few or
any are without gardens^ and many ofthe? houses are 4ufge3and
commodious. When 1 landed I found that the heavy rain,,
which I had experienced some days before, had beenpqually
felt. hero. The Hawkestaury River .had been swelled almost in-
staneously to the great annoyance. q£The
Various were the causes assigned for the rapid increase p f water*
some supposed it owing to the bursting of a cloud in tl^ muhh^
tains, which hurried the water down the. level country ;^ others
to the: overflowing of « lake or morass, whid^iraffglP^ntf d-fh©
currents of all the neighbouring rivers, for that at Paramatta
had also overflown its banks to a very great height,., as I: afterwards
was shewn by Dr. Thompson, now- the Resident Colonial
Surgeon, as almost to be suppose,d impossible.
Paramatta, which is the name given by .the natiyes to what
was a t first called Eose Hill, is a very pretty yillage^ and flow
what I could judge, much preferable in point of spil lo Sydsey.
The Government House standsat.the end of a street, needy an
English mile in length, making a very fine appearance. There
.is an excellent garden adjoining tps-it, well stocked with vegetables
and fruit trees; amongst which, the peach and fig. were
large and fine. All the houses had gardens to them well cultivated,
the soil of which is good. The. Rev. Mr. Marsden,
Clergyman to the Colony, has his residence here. That Gentleman
tleman while I was here was indefatigable in superintending the
building« of a small neat'church. The first that Was erected Was
unfortunately bumt-Iown; Divine Service
was tfeerefofe obliged to be performed in a Store cleared
out for the purpose in that town; but as from its excellent harbour
anA'iimmise^bf' houses and population it will always remain
the Seat- o f Goveramfent, ‘ thC'-bhufch willy no doübt, be
rebuilt in a durable manner.
■ The höUsësof theConviCts in general are constructed with
wattlësc covered with shingles, and plaistered: inside and out
With eiay^ over which they put a coat of lime, burnt fiom shells^
giving them a very nèaf and clean appearance. I t is seldom
that two families inhabit one dwelling, therefore every man becomes
absolutely master of his house, and when he can afford
it, lèe weather-boards and paints if.' In '-thé;Smallest dwelling I
entered, I never saw less than two apartments. Many houses
are eonstruétéd With bricks, and as well finished to fbe eye as
European buildings > in such the apartments are numerows, In
short, from the very comfortable manner these people are lodged,
(much more so than the poorer sort in England,) I cannot avoid
remarking, that fit no doubt has a tendency to promotS-the
great, degree o f health and flow of spirits I observed them possessed
of, and readily accounts for many wishing to remain^
whose years of banishment havé expired. ;
■ The stores for the Colony which I had brought out being all
landed, and delivered into his Majesty’s Store-hóuSe at Sydney 5
and-the Seamen having fulfilled their agreement were paid their
wages, and discharged, by order of the Governor, on the 31st
of December, in presence of the two Civil Magistrates, William
•Balmain, and John Harris, Esquires, I t will not be wondered
if I felt a regret at parting with the companions of my voyage,
more particularly those, who from fidelity-and attention had
- m 2 reeom