The building was thatched,- and there was not any doubt o f its
having been done through defign. But, i f this was the fa£t, it
will be read with horror, that at the time there were confined
within its walls twenty prifoners, moll of whom were loaded with
irons, and who with difficulty were fnatched from the flames.
Feeling for each other was never imputed to thefe mifcreants;
and yet if .feveral were engaged in the commiffion o f a crime they
have feldom been known to betray their companions in iniquity. •
To complete this catalogue o f offences, a few days after, Ibme
Irilh convidts, with their faces blackened, attacked the houfe of an
induftrious man (one o f the miffionaries), whom they feverely
-wounded in feveral places and plundered o f all his property.
Were it not evident that certain punilhment awaited the con-
vidtion o f offenders, ’ it might be fuppofed that a relaxation of
the civil authority had begotten impunity ; but far otherwife ypAs
-the fa d : the police was vigilant,. the magiftrates adtive, and the
governor ever anxious to fupport them, and with inceffant diligence
^endeavouring to .eftabliffi good order and morality in the fettlement.
But, fuch was the depravity o f thefe people, from the habitual
-practice o f vice, that they-were become alike fearlefs o f the punilh-
ments of this or o f the world to come. ;
-Notwithftanding the fettlement had before it the ferrous prof-
pe£t of wanting grain, and the confequent deftrudtion of muejh
:ufeful flock, it was known that feveral people had eredied Hills,
rand provided , materials for the purpofe ,of diftiffing. fpirituous liquors
; a pernicious pradtice which had long been forbidden by
1 every officer who bad had the diredtion of the colony. Former or-
■ -ders on this fubject were now repeated, and perfons o f all deferip-
tions were called upon to ufe. every means in their power, in aid of
the civil magiftrate, to feize and deftroy fuch Hills, and materials as
they might find.
Prefuming on the late inefficient harveft, thefettlers requefted again
to he fupplied with feed wheat from the ftore, but -were, refufed.
It
It was well known, that they fold for fpirits, to the laft buffiel of
their crop, and left their families without bread. Then they pleaded
poverty and dillrefs, and their utter inability to repay what they
had borrowed.. When feed has been lent them, they have not
unfrequently been feen to, fell it at the door of the flore whence they
had received it !
On the, laft day o f the month a man belonging, to the military
was found dead, fitting upright againft the outfide of the barrack
paling. It was known, that he had. been much intoxicated the preceding,
night; and it was fuppofed that, being unable to reach his
hut, he had fat himfelf down,, and; falling alleep, paffed from this
life without a flruggle.
The great drought and exceffive heat had affedlcd the water.
Such ponds as flill retained any were reduced fo very low, that:
molt of them were become brackifh, and fcarcely drinkable. From
this circumftance, it was conjectured; that the earth contained a
large portion of fait, for the ponds even on the high grounds were
notfrefh. The woods between Sydney and Parramatta were com-'
pletely on fire, the trees being burnt to-the tops, and every blade o f
grafs was deftroyed.-,
- To defeat as much as poffible the intentions o f thofe who were,
concerned in fetting fire to the gaol, a ftrong.and permanent building
of ftone, with, very fubftantial walls,, was begun in this month,...
and .was well calculated to defy every, fuch attempt in future.
March.] The dry weather which had fo long prevailed,, to the
great detriment of the cultivated and pafture grounds, was fuc-
eeeded by rain for two or three days, which greatly refrefhed the
gardens that were nearly wholly burnt up, and every where revived.
the perifhing vegetatjon. A t the Hawkefbury, however, an accident
occurred, which, although not fo ruinous to the colony at large as-
the drought, proved mofl deftruClive to the fettlers in that diftria,.
This river fuddenly, and in .the courfe of a very few hours, fwelled1
to the. height of fifty feet,above its .common level, and with fuch'
rapidity