with embrafures ; fome guns were placed in a commanding f ix a tion
above the wind-mill on the weft fide; and a work had been
ereded upon Garden-Ifland ; fo that, in point of defence, the fettle-
mcnt at this time wore a refpedable appearance.
The weather had for fome time paft been moderate and temperate.
September.] In the night o f the 6th o f September, the American
Chip Refource arrived, after a paflage of four months from
Rhode Ifland, bound to China. Mr. Magee, who was laft here in
the Grand Turk, was on board the Refource. Having refrelhed
the people, who certainly required fome reft after fuch a voyage,
the failed again on the 14th; but, to the great injury o f fuch
Americans as might vifit thé fettlement after him, the mafter took
away feveral people, among whom were fome feamen belonging
to the King’s fhips on this ftation. To recruit their numbers, as
well as to refrefh thofe he had on board, were probably his motives
for coming in; but fuch conduit was deferving o f a reprefentation
to the American minifter, which the governor accordingly determined
to make.
On the morning o f the 15th, his Majefty’s Chip Buffalo failed
for the Cape of Good Hope, thence to return with cattle for the
colony. It had been wifhed to have fent a cargo o f coals by her to
the Cape ; but the repairs which fhe required had taken up fo much
time, that .to have loaded her with that article would have thrown
her departure too far into the feafon for failing to the Cape, to admit
o f her return within the fummer months, a meafure abfolutely
neceffary for preferving her cattle. T his would otherwife have been
an object too defireable tö have been negleCted.
The Buffalo was commanded and manned by the officers and
fhip’s company o f the Supply. Difpatches were fent to England
by this opportunity, and contained, among others, a requifition for
Tuch materials as were wanting to carry into effed: the endeavour
to manufacture woollens and linens, viz. a large quantity o f reeds
from
S e p t e m b e r . ] OF NEW SOUTH WALES. a6j
from 40b to 1600 ; two complete fets of hackles; one grofs o f tow
and wool cards, with a quantity o f log wood, red wood, copperas
and allum.
Having difpatched this fhip, the governor fet off on a vifit to the
wild cattle. Leaving Parramatta on the 24th, he croffed the Nepean
the following day, but much further to the northward than he
had done before. In this direction he and his party traverfed a
hew traCt o f country, which was not only beautiful to the eye*,
but highly calculated for cultivation and pafturage.
On their arrival at the Cow-pafture Plains, they fell ill with a herd
o f the cattle, about twenty in number, and fo extremely fierce, that
had it not been for the dogs which were with them, they would
probably have been attacked. Some natives, who had accompanied
the governor, were fo alarmed, that they availed themfelves
o f their expertnefs in climbing trees, and left their friends to pro*
vide for théir bwh fafety how they to'uld. Thefe dogs having been
hunted at the cattle, much againft the governor’s wilh, by fome of
the party, who did it, as not thinking their fixation perfectly fafe,
the animals were difmayed at the unufual appearance and went oft';
but a bull calf, about fix months old, was detained by the dogs.
Him the governor directed to be let inftantly loofe ; but here a
ftrange circumftancë occurred. H iv ing three horfes with the partv,
the calf would not quit them ; but, running between their legs,
cried out for the flock, which, from his bellowing, there was rea-
fon to apprehend would return, to the great danger o f the pa rty;
one o f the gentlemen was therefore obliged to flop his cries by
Ihooting him through the head, and the whole regaled upon veal, a
rare dilh in this Country.
On quitting the Cow-pafture Plains, the party crofted the river again
higher up than they had formerly done; and were led for about
four miles over a mountainous country, but adapted either for tillage
* What a contrail and relief müft an excurfion o f this kind afford,, to the living in the .unvarying
repetition of criminal courts, and their attendant crimes and punifliments 1
V O L . J I . M M or