216 
is considered long enough to enable the 
settler to get a crop (generally of pota- 
toes) off the ground ; but this privilege 
of drawing rations is restricted to the 
first settlers upon lands granted by the 
crown, who are subject, by late regula- 
tions, to the condition of taking into 
their service, for a limited term of 
years, one convict for every one hun- 
dred acres, being twenty convicts for 
two thousand acres, which is the extent 
of land usually granted to each person 
who is possessed of five hundred pounds. 
The settler is, however, bound to pay 
wages to each of these convicts, at the 
rate of three and sixpence per week, 
and to find them in certain necessaries, 
and also in food, after the rations have 
ceased; in return for which, he has the 
benefit of the labour of the convicts 
in clearing, fencing, and cultivating his 
lands; and the grantee of the crown is 
prohibited from selling the land, or any 
part of it, during the period of five 
years next after the date of the grant. 
These conditions are considered by 
many to be too burthensome and incon- 
venient for new settlers of small ca- 
pital, contending with the difficulties of 
emigration, and who, on taking posses- 
sion, may have but a small part of their 
eapitals in ready money; therefore, an 
opinion prevails, that, although it is 
prudent for a settler to go out provided 
with a license for a grant of land from 
the crown, it may be often more 
expedient to purchase from individuals 
land that is part of the earlier grants 
made before those recent conditions 
were established, or that has become 
free by the lapse of years,—of which 
free land there is a sufficiency on sale 
from time to time. The prices of free 
land vary so much, according to situa- 
tion, quality, and degrees of improve- 
ment, that an average price cannot be 
given with any accuracy; but no time 
is given for the payment of the pur- 
chase money by instalments, as is usual 
in the United States of America. 
The Government, having to provide 
rations for new settlers. and also for 
public officers and the garrison, is there- 
fore the best customer of the farmer. 
Merchants, however, do accommedate 
the land proprietors with goods upon 
credit of the growing crops.- Wheat 
and wool, and live stock, at present 
yield the principal part of the surplus 
produce; but it is likely that hemp and 
tobacco, and the vine, may be success- 
fully cultivated. The wheat has been 
sent to Brazil, and met a good market, 
Original Notes on Van Diemen's Land. 
(Oct. 1, 
though the great distance of that coun- 
try enhances the freight, and increases 
the danger of its being damaged on ship 
board. It cannot now be sent to the 
British settlements in India, nor can 
any return cargo be received from 
thence, under the exclusive regulations 
of Indian trade. Wool is so bulky an 
article, that the freight and other ex- 
penses on its conveyance to England, 
leave little chance of profit by sales 
made jn competition with Spanish and 
Saxon wools. 
The import trade is chiefly carried on 
at merchants’ stores; there are, how- 
ever, retail shops for dry goods in Ho- 
bart’s Town, besides those of butchers, 
bakers, &c. In general, the prices of 
British articles are enhanced at least 
fifty per cent., and in some instances 
much more, according to scarcity, in- 
cluding the local.import duties, which 
are very moderate, except the duty on 
spirits, that being ten shillings per gal- 
lon; but home-made spirits are subject 
to a duty of only two and sixpence per 
gallon, and local distilleries may answer 
well. 
In Hobart’s Town there is a suffi- 
ciently large circle of educated persons 
to make residence agreeable ; and there 
are instances of single families there, and 
in some few other places, whose society 
is highly eligible. Still there always ex- 
ists a spirit of exclusion and assump- 
tion among official and military persons 
in foreign dependencies, which is disa- 
greeable to the feelings of a private 
gentleman; and that spirit naturally 
prevails where so large a portion of the 
inhabitants are exceptionable, from 
being under the stigma and interdict of 
past cr pending legal sentences. The 
state of female manners and morals in 
Hobart’s Town is, with few exceptions, 
such as leaves society as yet without a 
sufficient admixture of the best source 
of refinement. 
The most eligible plan for emigrating 
to Van Diemen’s Land, is, for a few 
families, in competent circumstances, to 
join in applying for the usual grants of 
land, which are to be obtained without 
influence, and then to engage fourteen 
or fifteen Scotch or Irish farming labour- 
ers, including a few country mechanics 
with small families, to accompany them. 
These should be engaged to do the 
works of the projected settlement, on 
condition that each individual shall re- 
ceive a certain portion ef good land on 
the expiration of a fixed term of ser- 
vice, with subsistence and clothing for 
himself 
