NEW SOUTH WALES, 209 



the Francis to visit the wreck, and the six 

 men he had left in charge of whatt gaopexty 

 was saved. His Excellency consenting, at the 

 latter end of the month the Francis sailed 

 with Captain Hamilton for that purpose. 



Gn rh East side of Sydney, a fire broke out 

 among the convict's houses, when three of them 

 were destroyed ; and another house, at some 

 distance, was burnt by some wretches who 

 the owner had displeased. 



In December, the public labour was co- 

 vering the new store- house, finishing a tower 

 for a clock which had arrived in the Reliance, 

 building another windmill, and completing the 

 barracks of the assistant-surgeons. 



x\t Paramatta and Toongabbe the wheat was 

 all nearly housed. At the latter place a barn 

 had been built, 90 feet long, with a floor on 

 which 16 or 18 threshers could work. 



In January, 1796, the prisoners who arrived 

 in the last ships from Ireland had become so 

 troublesome, and so dissatisfied, that, without the 

 most rigid treatment it was not possible to make 

 them do any work. Added to the natural vici- 

 ousness of their propensities, they formed a stu- 

 pid opinion that there existed a colony of white 

 people in the country S. W. of the settlement, 

 distant only between 3 and 400 miles, in which 

 they assured themselves of finding every com- 

 fort without labour, which to people of this de- 

 scription seemed to promise every happiness 

 that ignorant indolence could devise. 



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