Among other crimes which had been committed in this colony,
that o f forgery was by no means negleXed. To this, the currency o f
the fettlement, confifting almoft entirely o f paper, had opened a
door. On the aoth one man was found guilty o f uttering a bill,
knowing it to be forged, and condemned to fuffer death. The pri-
foner, whofe name was Lawrence Davoren, had been fent from Ireland,
with other conviXs from that kingdom, where he hadpraXifed
as an attorney, and had, it vfas faid (unfortunately for them, i f true)
refpeXable'connexions by marriage. He was very far from being
a good character. The governor, however, after ordering the
execution to take place on a certain day, fpared his life, on condition
o f his being tranfported to Norfolk-Ifland during the remainder o f
his wretched exiftence.
After celebrating the day on which her majefty’s birth was ob-
ferved with every demonftration o f attachment and refpeX in his
power, the governor fet off on an excurfion to Botany-Bay, in order
to explore George’s river as far up as was praXicable, and to examine
the foil upon its banks, which he found to be: o f good quality,
and confiderabte extent. This river, which was obferved to run in
a wefterly direXion about twenty-five miles up from Botany-Bay,
was, in many parts o f its branches, exceedingly piXurefque; and
navigable, for fmall craft, for at leaft twenty miles up. Some o f its;
creeks or branches reached within a fmall diftandb o f ProfpeX Hill.
Between this river and Parramatta, the governor, on his return
travelled through a thick bufhy wood, covering an excellent foil.
EreXing the granary, completing the windmill, and" repairing the
public roads, formed the principal works in hand during this month
in which the weather had been moft uncomfortably hot, accompanied
with fome fevere thunder ftorms ; in one o f which both the fl ag-ftaff
at the South Head, and that at the entrance o f the Cove, on Point
Mafkelyne, were Ihivered to pieces by the lightning. The -vaft
blazes of fire which were feen in every direXion, and which were
frefhened by every blaft of wind, added much to the fuffocatinv
^jJjeatnhat prevailed. . °
CHAP.
C H A P . III.
TH E W IN D M IL L T R IE D .— A C IV IL COURT AS SEM B LED .— D IF F ICU L T Y
R E S P E C T IN G TH E CO N V IC T S , FROM IR E L A N D .----TH E N A T IV E S .— SOME
BU ILD IN G S B EG U N .— W EA TH E R ,----M A R CH .----NUMBER OF MEN NOT V IC T
U A L L ED B Y THE COMMISSARY, WHO HAD BEEN CONVICTS-----AN E X T
R A O R D IN A R Y T H E F T .— CO URT OF C R IM IN A L JU D IC A T U R E TWICE
H E LD .— ONE MAN SU FFERS DEATH.----P R IC E OF LABOUR F IX E D .----THE
N A T IV E S A T T A C K TH E S E T T L E R S .— PU BL IC WORKS.— WEATHER.
T h e wind-mill being nearly finilhed at the commencement of
this month, it was tried with only two o f its fails ; when it ground,
with one pair of ftones, a bulhel of wheat in ten minutes, and, con-
fidering the immenfe weight o f the wood-work, its motion was
found to be eafy and convenient.
It might not have been expeXed, that occafions for convening
the court o f civil judicature could frequently have occurred in an
infant fettlement fuch as th is; or that, when afiembled, it could
have had bufinefs to occupy it above'a day ; yet one o f thefe courts
alfembled on the firft, and continued fitting by adjournments until
the fourteenth, for the decifion o f many civil concerns. Among
thefe was the recovery o f debts, feveral of which had been contraXed
very improperly, and which were likely to involve many in ruin..
It appeared, that, to obtain fpirituous liquors, thefe people, the
fettlers, had incurred debts to fo great an amount, as to preclude the
moft diftant hope o f liquidating them, except by felling their farms.
Thus all their former induftry muft be facrificed to difcharge debts
which were contraXed for the temporary gratification of being
fteeped