opportunity of purchafing every European article that they might
•want at fuch a reafonable and moderate price as they, by their
induftry, would be very well able to afford from the produce o f their
labour.
'The ifland upon which Captain Hamilton had run his fhip, and
thereby prevented her finking with them at fea, was thenceforward
to be diftinguilhed by the name o f Prefervation Ifland. From
thence the Colonial fchooner had arrived with what -remained o f the
property. As foon as {he was unloaded, the property was put up
to fale for the benefit o f the underwriters j when the little effeCt
o f the governor’s recommendation o f patience was feen, by the
moft enormous prices being paid for every article. The money
that Ihould have been expended in the cultivation and improvement
o f their farms was thus lavilhly thrown away ; and it happened,
fortunately enough for the underwriters, that the wheat o f
this laft feafon had been received into the public granary, and immediately
paid for. Twenty-two {hillings were paid at this fate for
one common cup and faucer.
Wilhing to obtain fome further information refpe&ing the falt-
hil! feen by Wilfon and his companions in their late excurfion, the
governor had fent Henry Hacking thither. At his return he produced
fome fpecimens o f various veins o f fait which he fell in with
in different places, o f 10 and 12 feet in depth. He reported, that
he found the country every where interfered with narrow, but
.deep and rapid branches of frelh water rivers, over fome o f which
he was obliged to fwim ; others he was able to ford.
Having been directed to feek for the wild cattle while in their
neighbourhood, he reported, that about five or fix miles from the
place where we ufually found them,: he fuddenly fell in with the
moft numerous herd that he had yet feen ; in which he counted
170 very diftinCtly, and afterwards faw a few ftragglers. It was
fome fatisfaCtion to know that they were perfectly fafe.
By
B y thé Francis, the governor received one o f the animals on
which the people had chiefly lived during their abode on Prefervation
Ifland. It was brought to him alive, but thin and 'faint for
want-of food, which, owing to its ftate o f confinement on board
the veffel, it would never take. It, however, appeared to recover
on (Lore ; and, although during the ftiort time it lived, it was not
obferved to eat during the day, yet there was reafon to think it
was not fo abftemious in the night. It was offered flcfh; but this
It would not touch, although it was fuppofed to vifit the nefts of
the puffin which burrowed on the ifland.
This animal had been found to the fouthward and fouth-weft-
ward, by Wilfon and his companions, who {hot one, and, in their
want o f provifions, might be faid to feaft upon it. They obferved,
that it refembled pork in flavour,, though not in colour, being red
and coarfe. It was very fat, as were thé kangooroos which they
found in the interior'; differing in that point very widely from any
kangooroos which had been before feen; not a particle of fat having
ever been found on one o f them.
The mountain natives named this new animal Wom-bat, and faid
it was good eating; but it was wholly unknown to thofe who were
admitted into the fettlement.
The men who, in the beginning of January laft, had boarded
and carried off the boat belonging to Owen Cavenagb, were heard
o f again. About the latter end of this month, a report was brought
in, that a piratical boat was infefting the harbour of Broken Bay,
and the Hawkelbury. The day following, the governor received
a letter figned by thefe men, in which they profeffed to repent of
their former conduft, and implored forgivenefs. They faid, they
had been wrecked about 400 miles to the northward, when they
with difficulty got on fhore, faving as much of the remains o f Ca-
venagh’ s boat as enabled them to build a fmafler, in which they
had returned, and furrendered themfelves to juftice ; pretending to
have had their eyes opened to the danger with which attempts at
o 2 defer