and private buildings. The fouth fide of the church tower was entirely
deftroyed, but the clock was faved. The Government houfe
at Parramatta, which was nearly finilhed, received fome material
injury, but was not wholly deftroyed. A man, in crofting a gully
between Sydney and Parramatta, was, in attempting to ford it,
carried away by the violence of the torrent, and drowned. The
cattle fuffered much, and a few o f the public as well as private
flock periffied. |
The ravages o f this ftorm were fo great, that the fettlement was
thrown back nearly twelve months in thofe works which at the time
were expe&ed very Ihortly to be completed. The weather, from
the beginning of this month, had never fince the eftabliffiment
of the colony been obferved to be fo fevere. The fettlement had
indeed, between the fires o f the fummer, and the floods and gales of
the winter, fuffered very confiderably. Added to thefts, at this
time, were the inconveniences arifing from an unprodudive harveft,
from an exhaufted ftore in the very efiential articles o f clothing and
bedding, from the hoftile difpofition of many o f the natives, and
from the annihilation of morality, honefty, and induftry in the
major part of the colonifts.
As this pidure is not exaggerated, the fituation and feelings of the
rational part o f the fettlement were certainly not to be envied.
Every exertion was immediately made to remedy the misfortunes'
occafioned by the late tempeftuous weather, and it was hoped that
moft o f them would be furmounted by the end o f the prefent year.
The ereding of the ftone prifon at Sydney being found to create
much expence, as well as require much time, the governor called a
meeting of the officers, principal inhabitants, and landholders, and
propofed an afleffmentto be furniffied by each, as well of money, as
o f labour; which was readily agreed to on their part ; and that ne-
ceffary building was thenceforth carried on at their expence, the
public ftores only furniffiing fuch iron as might be requifite.
1 1 On
*>5
On the evening of the 29th, the ffiip Albion arrived from England,
having made the quickeft palfage 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 fait pork, fome difpatches,
and a few letters, by which the governor was taught to exped the
arrival o f two tranfports with convids, and of a king’s ffiip, the
Potpoife, which was to replace the Reliance.
The extraordinary paflage made by this ffiip drew the attention
o f thofe who were judges, to her conftrudion. This was her
firft voyage, having been launched on the 2 jth of Odober 1798,
from the yard o f Meffrs. Barnard and Roberts at Deptford, where
ffie was built.
The length of her keel for tonnage, was 86 feet.
Her extreme breadth, 27 feet 6 inches.
Her depth in hold, - , - - ia feet.
Her height between decks, - - 6 feet, and
'Her admeafured burthen, - - 362 tons.
She was remarkably clean in her run; and, although extremely
deep in the water when ffie failed from Spithead, gave early proof
o f her capacity in failing.
Mr. Ebor Bunker, who had been at Port Jackfon before in the
William and Ann tranfport, commanded the Albion, and was now
feleded by her owners, MeflTrs. Champions, to give the whale
fiffiing upon the coaft a complete and fair trial. For this purpofe
the ffiip was fitted out with the accuftomed liberality of thofe gentlemen
in the ampleft manner, with every ftore that could be neceflary
for her own ufe, and every comfort for her people.
Fortunate it would have proved for the fettlement in general, had
thefe and fuch refpe&able gentlemen been among the firft o f thofe
whofe fpeculative views had induced them to embark their property
in thefe undertakings : it would then havé efcaped the extortions
which had been but too fuccefsfullyprattifed by many others.
The