116 HISTORY OF * 



in February, it was marked out, and they took 

 possession, giving their farms collectively the 

 name of " Liberty Plains" as they were all 

 free settlers but one, which was Walter Rouse, 

 a very good man, by trade a bricklayer. 



Government having given its assent, the- 

 officers made choice of some land at Para- 

 matta, and some in parts of the harbour, 

 for their own cultivation; each officer was 

 allowed the use of 10 convicts, and as they 

 entered vigorously into cultivation, and being 

 allowed to pay the convicts in spirits, for work- 

 ing, in that time which belonged to themselves, 

 they got on prodigiously fast. The Bellona 

 sailed on the 19th for Canton, previous to 

 which, the master was suffered to take on board, 

 two convicts whose terms had expired, and to 

 prevent any getting off without leave of the 

 Government, the master permitted the ship to 

 be smoked, which produced four convicts who 

 had found means to get secreted on board. 

 At length room was found wanting for the 

 stores, an event which had never occurred be- 

 fore, so that it was an object of novelty and 

 wonder. On the 25th of February, 1793, the 

 Shah Hormuzear, Bampton, from Calcutta, with 

 a cargo on speculation to this country, it con- 

 sisted of live-stock, wine, iron, copper, canvas, 

 of the best qualities, and offered at such 

 prices as rendered them acceptable On the 

 13th of March two Spanish ships anchored in 

 the harbour. These two ships were on a voyage 

 of discovery from Spain, and were expected to 

 gut in here, as Government sent out orders so 



