ftate, thé head and hands being cut off. Some words having paffed
between him and a foldier, who had been alfo heard to threaten
him, he was fufpedted of having committed the -murder, and on the
30th was put on his trial'for the fame.. Nothing, however, appeared
before the court that could fubftantiate, the charge o f murder
againft him ; neither was.it clearly afcertained that violent hands
had been laid on the deceafed. As it had been forefeen that dired.
proof would be wanting, it was deemed expedient to obtain what
might be, though not pofitive, yet of a nature to be nearly as fa-
tisfadory. With this view, the fufpeded perfon was directed to
handle and bury the body, which he did without any apparent
emotion; nor did the body bleed at ihis touch, or exhibit any
fign that fuperflition or ignorance could turn into an accufation
againft him ; he obferving at the fame time, that, as he had never
had any quarrel with the deceafed, he could have no objedion to
perform this lad friendly office for him.
At this court a fettler was fined in the fum o f 40 (hillings, and
ordered to labour for fix weeks, being convided o f difobeying the
public orders of the colony.
The commander o f the wrecked fhip, Sydney-cove, 1 having fo-
licited the governor to fpare him the Colonial fchooner for the pur-
pofe o f vifiting the wreck of his fhip, and the fix ■ men whom he
had left upon the ifland in charge of what had been landed ; though
he could very ill part with the fervices of the veffel at this time,
yet, in confideration of the melancholy fituation of the people, and
the chance that there might be of laving fomething for the benefit
of the underwriters, he confehted; and about the latter end o f
the month the Francis failed with Captain Hamilton to the fouth-
ward.
The weather was now becoming exceedingly hot; and as, at
this feafon of the year, the heat o f the fun was fo intenfe that
every fubftance became a combuftible, and a fingle fpark, i f ex-
pqfed to the air, in a moment became a feme, much evil was to
3 be
be dreaded from fire. On the eaft fide o f the town of Sydney, a fire,
the effedt o f iatoxication or careleffnefs, broke out among the contacts’
houfes, when three' o f them were quickly deftroyed; and
three, miles from the town another houfe was burnt by fome runaway
wretches,- who, being difpleafed with the owner, took this
diabolical method o f fhewing it.
• The public labour o f the month at Sydney comprifed the covering
o f the new ffore-houfe ; finifhing the church tower; con-
flru&ing another wind-mill, o f which the beams o f the fecond floor
were laid; completing the barracks o f the affiftant furgeons, with
neceffary offices; digging the foundation o f a houfe for the matter
boat-builder; and taking down one o f the old marine barracks, on
the fcite o f which the governor propofed to eredt a granary.
At Parramatta and Toongabbe the wheat was nearly all got in
and fecured. At the latter o f thefe places, a capital barn had been
erected for its reception, 90 feet in length, with a complete floor,
on which eight or nine pairs o f thralhers could be employed without
any inconvenience,
In order to mark the annual * increafe, it may be proper to in-
fert in this place an account o f the live-ftock and land in cultivation
at the clofe o f the year, belonging to government, the civil and
military officers, the fettlers, and others.
* Vide Vol. 1» p. 495.