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nefs o f his firft fenfations, and rendered him thoughtlefs as to the
event, yet how would that acutenefs be aggravated, Ihould, unhappily
for him, the fentence be at laft confirmed by the royal approbation
! *
The body of the fettlers having again reprefented their total inability
to bear any reduction in the price o f the wheat of this fea-
fon, on account, not only o f their former heavy Ioffes, but o f the
exorbitant price o f all thofe neceffaries o f life which they required
for paying their labourers, the governor at length confented to receive
the wheat only at the former price o f ten (hillings per
buihel, and they were at the fame time told to prepare for the reduction
that would certainly take place in the next feafon. He alfo
permitted a, certain quantity o f wine and fpirits from the prize to
be landed, for the immediate accommodation of thofe who had
their crops to fecure, and to prevent the impofitions to which
they were fubjedt in being obliged to procure them from a fecond
or third hand.
On the 24th the Reliance and Francis fchooner returned-from
Norfolk-Ifland, with the relief o f the military, having been abfent on
that fervice between feven and eight weeks.
About ten o’clock o f the night o f the fame day, the log gaol at
Parramatta was wilfully and malicioufly fet on fire, and totally con-
fumed. The prifoners who were confined were with difficulty
fnatched from the flames, but fo miferably fcorched, that one of.
them died in a few days. This building was a hundred feet ia
length, remarkably ftrong, and had been conftru&ed with much
labour and expence.
The rewards which had' been formerly held out upon fimilar
occafions were now offered to any man or woman who. would
come forward with evidence fufficient to convict fuch diabolical incendiaries
before the court o f criminal judicature j and the inha•
It may be pleafing to the reader to learn, that both Ifaac Nichols (See Page 20 1.)
and this man, have recently received his Majefty’ s pardon.
3 bitants
bitants were called upon by that duty which every man owed to
fociety, as well as to his own individual intereft, to ufe every
means in their power to difcover the perpetrators o f fuch horrid
mifchief, which in its extent, involved the lives of their fellow-
creatures.
This was the fecond time fuch a circumftance had happened in
the fettlement, a circumftance that even flaggers credulity. What
intereft, what motive could drive thefe wretches to fuch an action ?
The deftruftion o f the building, they mull know, would be inftantly
followed by the ereftion o f another, at which they themfelves
muft labour ! Could it be for the purpofe of throwing obftacles in
the way of government : that government, which had ever been
mild and not coercive, which had ever flood forward to alleviate
their miferies, and often extended the - arm of mercy, when their
crimes cried aloud for that o f punilhment ?. and yet on no other
principle can it be accounted for.*
The harveft was now begun, and conffiables were fent to the
Hawkeibury with direâïons to fecure every vagrant they could
meet, and bring them to Sydney, unlefs they chofe to work for the
fettlers, who were willing to pay them a dollar each day and their
provifions ; for at this time, there were a great number of perfons
in that diftrift, ftiling themfelves free people, who refufed to labour
unlefs they were paid the moft exorbitant wages.
* May the annalift whofe bufinefs it may be to record in future the tranfaâions o f the
colony find a pleafanter field to travel in, where his fteps will, not be every moment bcfet with
murderers, robbers, and incendiaries.
The