« from the nature o f the difficulties o f which the fettlers upon
Norfolk-Ifland have complained, difficulties which have not until
very lately been known to have an exiftence, the governor is led
to fufped, that the fame rage for traffic, and an intemperate indulgence
in feme o f thofe deftrudtive gratifications which have fo ef-
fedually ruined many o f the moft forward and promifing fettlers in
,New South Wales, have reached Norfolk-Ifland.
His Excellency, from an earneft defire to promote the profpe-
rity o f the ifland, and the true happinefs of its inhabitants, has,
fince his arrival in this country, availed himfelf o f every opportunity
o f forwarding for their accommodation a fhare o f fuch
little comforts, as accidental fhips may have brought hither. But
he is ferry to obferve, that, inftead o f thofe attentions being felt as
an advantage, they appear only to operate as an incitement to more
extenfive dealings; a circumftance which he forefees muft end in
■ the ruin o f many o f the fettlers, for whofe welfare he is extremely
anxious. He therefore urges them not to be led away from their
real intereft, by fpeculative ideas, or a defire o f indulging in dangerous
gratifications, fquandering the whole produce o f their hard labour
in trifles, or in feenes o f diffipation which mull eventually end
in their complete ruin. He defires that they will perfevere with patience
in the management o f their farms, and the rearing o f flock ;
and affiires them, that he has taken fuch fteps as he hopes wiJI incline
the government to confider the inconveniencies which are fuf-
tained in this diftant part o f the world, and induce them to adopt
fuch meafures as will procure the colonifts, before long, every European
article that they may have occafion for at a very moderate
.expence; and by that means put an effedual flop to the im-
pofitions under which the induftrious fettlere have too long laboured.”
Toward the latter end o f the month, the fettlers at the northern
farms were much annoyed by the natives, who came down in a
body, and burnt feveral o f their houfes. This, was the more unfornate,
tunate, as thofe farms appeared to have had fome, induftry bellowed
upon them; and it had not been thrown away ; for the land was o f
a fuperior quality, and the furrounding country exceedingly pic-
turefque and well-adapted for cultivation.
The bricklayers were not idle during this month at the new granary
at Sydney, and were alfo employed in erecting a houfe for
the mafter boat-builder. The timber carriages drawn by oxen were
employed in bringing in the beams and joifts for the new granary;
and a gang was fent up the harbour to cut crooked timber for the
boat-builder. The maize granary at Parramatta was alfo in a ftate-
o f forwardnefs.
On the 14th there was a fquall o f wind from the fouthward, attended
with a fhower o f liail-ftones of an uncommon fize, many o f
them meafuring fix inches in circumference, and appearing to be
ah accumulation o f fmaller hail ftones, which had adhered together
b y the intenfity o f the cold in the higher region o f the air, until
they became o f the above fi’ze. Much rain fell in this month.
June.] His Majefty’s birth-day was obferved on the 4th, with
all the refpeft and attention which were fo peculiarly its due.
On the 6th, the governor went up to Parramatta, in order to travel
into the northern diftridt in fearch of a proper place for fettling as
farmers fuch o f the miffionaries, lately arrived from Qtaheite, as were
difpofed to continue in the fettlement. He alfo propofed to fix there
fome free fettlers * who had been lately fent out by the government,
i f he Ihould find a fufficiency of good ground. On a minute examination
o f the country, he had every reafon to pronounce it fuperior to
any that had been yet feen, and in quantity equal to the eftablifhment
o f feveral families. The land was not only good and well watered,
but every where eafily cleared, and at the convenient diftance of
five or fix miles from Parramatta. Being fatisfied with the eligibility
o f the fituation, he recommended it to the mifiionaries; but
* O f this defeription o f people four had arrived, with their families, in the Barweli.
0_a feme