The veflel that has the credit o f having firft circumnavigated Van
Diemen’s land was built at Norfolk-Ifland, o f the fir of that country,
which was found to anfwer extremely well. Being only five-
and-twenty tons in burthen, her comforts and accommodation mud
have been very ineonfiderable, but great when compared with
thofe which could have been found in a whale boat. Yet in a
whale boat did Mr. Bafs, as has been already fhewn,' run down the
eaftern coaft o f New South AYales from Port Jfackfon to the entrance
of the ftrait. Captain Flinders has not the gratification of
affociating this gentleman with him in his prelent expedition, he
having failed on another voyage and a different purfuit.
Majcfty’ s flup In m J K g a lc r . H e is accompanied by feveral profeffiomd men o f great abilities,
felefted by that liberal and diftinguilhed patron o f merit Sir Jofeph’ Banks, from whofe exer-
tions, joined with thofe o f the commander, navigation and natural hiftory have much information
and gratification to expeft. The Inveftigator. is to be attended by the L a d y N e lfo rt , a
fmall veffel o f fifty tons burthen, built under the infpeeftion and according to the plan o f that
truly refpeftable and valuable man, and fcientific officer, Commiffioner Schanfe, whofe abilities
are too well known to require any eulogium from this pen..
CHAP.
C H A P . X V II.
T R A N S A C T IO N S .— IN FO RM A T IO N FROM N O R FO L K - I S L A N D .— A B U R G L A R Y
‘ C O M M IT T E D .— T H E C R IM IN A L C O U R T A S S E M B L E D .— A M A N T R I E D
' Fo r k i l l i n g a n a t i v e .— tw o m e n e x e c u t e d .— t h e p u b l i c g a o l
B U R N T . — O B S E R V A T IO N S .— S T I L L S O R D E R E D TO B E S E I Z E D .—
S E T T L E R S , T H E IR P R O F L IG A C Y . — A M A N FOU ND D E A D .----G R E A T
D R O U G H T .----A 'FLO O D A T 1 T H E R IV E R . -----TWO W H A L E R S A R R I V E . ----
C O N D U C T OF T H E L A B O U R IN G C O N V IC T S .— A S E A M A N K I L L E D .— A
W OM AN M U R D E R ED . B Y H E R H U S B A N D .— N A T IV E S . — A S P A N ISH P R I Z E
A R R I V E S .— N O R FO L K - I S L A N D .— R E SO U R C E S IN N EW SOUTH' W A L E S .—
P U B L IC W O R K S .
Y V E muff riow return to the other concerns of the fettlement, from
which we have been fo long abfent.
Some pleas o f debt having been decided by the civil magiftrates,
to relieve them from that duty, and enable them to attend to that
only o f the juftlce of the peace, an order was iffued, declaring that
fuch pleas belonged to. the court o f civil jurifdi&ipn folejy, as was
♦ clearly expreffed in the letters patent for eftablifhing that court;
but they were at the fame time requefted to ufe their utmoft endeavours,
as fir as their influence as magiftrates copld be effectual,
in recommending the fettling o f trifling debts by arbitration, and
thereby prevent much vexatious litigation.
Agricultural concerns wore as unpromifing. an appearance in
this as in the laft month. The governor, in a vifit which he made
to Parramatta, found that the pafture over the whole country had
been entirely burnt up ; in confequence of which the grazing cattle :
were in great diftrefs; and, from the lamentable continuance of
the drought, the maize was every where likely, to fa il: a misforCCA
tune