2^4 Curfory Reflections on the Means of Aug, 



introduction of the new hufbandry, emigration has prevailed on 

 a greater fcale. It has not been confined to a few individuals, 

 but extended, in many cafes, to whole clans or bodies of people ; 

 and, under exilting circumftances, probably will not ceafe, till 

 the country is, in a great meafare, (locked with a new race of 

 inhabitants. I know of no particular meafures taken by proprie- 

 tors to obviate or leffen the certain confequences of the new fyf- 

 tem, except thofe attempted by Sir John Sinclair, in Ciiithnefs, 

 M'hich, I believe, have been tolerably fuccefsful •, though it is the 

 bounden duty of fuch as are the immediate caufe of emigration, to 

 take every proper (1 ep to prevent it, and provide for the difplaced 

 inhabitants. I put no blame upon proprietors for introducing the 

 new hufbandry, feeing that their intcreft, and perhaps that of the 

 public itfelf, is fo much benefited by the introduction ; but I an^ 

 not fure whether they are not reprehenfible in neglecting to dc- 

 vife means for the employment of the people removed in confe- 

 quence of the change of hufbandry brought about. The com- 

 lort, welfare, and happinefs of thofe thus thrown upon the wide 

 world, in an unprovided ftate, are not trifling circumltances ; 

 and though I acknowledge the difficulty of forming new habits 

 of life among perfons of mature age, or of rendering a people 

 induftrious whofe natural difpofitions may have a different ten- 

 dency, yet affuredly the bufmefs is of fuch importance as at lealt 

 to merit a trial. To provide accommodation and employment 

 for the Aborigines of the country, who are obliged to fhift their 

 t^uarters by a partial or general introdutlion of fheep hufbandry, 

 is an important object ; and to fuggeft fomething of this nature, 

 is the caufe of my troubling you with this communication. 



As the ground-vv'ork of my reafoning, I fliall afilime a hypo- 

 thetical cafe, though it is in a great meafure founded upon what 

 is going to take place in a diflrift where the old fyftem has 

 hitherto been chiefly prevalent. It is hardly neceffary to (late, 

 that the bafis of the old fyftem is, to keep the land in farms of 

 comparatively fmall fize, which are ufually employed in the 

 breeding of cattle, a fmall part being devoted to tillage for a fup- 

 ply of winter fodder. Under thcfe circumftances, the tenantry, 

 generally fpeaking, are poor, confequently unable to make im- 

 provements \ they are wretchedly accommodated, being, in few 

 inflances, fo well lodged as the ordinary labourers of the fouthem 

 diftricls •, they are unprovided with capital ftock, for taking a 

 part under the new fyftem, which makes their removal a confe- 

 quence of its introdu£lion. Their poverty, numbers, and idle- 

 nefs, prevent rents from being any thing like what can be got 

 with facility from tenants of a different defcription : hence, fo 

 long as {heep hulbandry i§ fugh a profitable concern, it may be 



expelled 



