ipo intelligence f ram !^ew South tVa/es. -^'ug- Sf 



FARTHER INTELLIGENCE FROM NEW SOUTH WALES, 

 Continued from vol. ix. p. 8o. 

 Sydney^ New South Wales, Oct. 29. I 791. 



J- HE governor continues to direct his views chiefly to 

 Norfolk island, and the settlement at Ro9e\iiU, (now call- 

 ed Parramatta from the native name.) The town there 

 continues to enlarge, according to the first plan, and 200 

 additional acres of land arc cleared of the timber. But 

 the intense drought which has prevailed for upwards of 

 twelve months past, has almost deprived us of water to 

 drink, and marred our hopes of reaping any considerable 

 increase from the harvest. 



Indian corn is likely to be the most profitable grain 

 that can be raised in this country j and our views are 

 chiefly directed to the cultivation of that article ; but 

 how we can succeed in raising a sufficient quantity, I 

 know not, without a more speedy method of preparing, 

 the ground is hit upon, than that by the spade and hoe. 



To labour with a plough is impracticable, as the stumpS' 

 of the trees and their roots still remain in the ground, and- 

 cannot now be removed without an immensity of labour. 

 Such of the convicts whose times are out, and choose to 

 become settlers, have small grants of land given to them,, 

 and men to cut down the trees, with eighteen months 

 provisions from the public store. But the clearing and 

 cultivation of the land depends wholly upon themselves. 

 The governor has endeavoured to place them as contigu- 

 ous to frelh water as pofsible j but that article is so scarce 

 that there is a danger of their being withoHt it, even with 

 the best management. They are allowed grain alsouto 

 sow their first crop, and a good many lately have made 

 trial of the busii|efs ^ but some of them are already re- 

 penting of their bargains, and it is highly probable they 

 will have greater cause ere long. 



