250 HISTORY Of 



trated, from the knowledge of which, thd 

 Governor was completely kept ; on one occasion 

 the store at the Hawkesbury opened to receive 

 1,500 bushels of wheat, and the whole was 

 engrossed by two or three rich traders, to the 

 exclusion of the farmers, settlers, and others* 

 But -the Governor directed, that half the quan- 

 tity thus partially put in, should betaken away, 

 and room made for the accommodation of those 

 so grossly injured. 



A report now prevailed^ particularly among 

 the Irish, that an old woman prophesied the 

 arrival of several French frigates, or larger ships 

 of war, who, after destroying the settlement^ 

 would liberate and take away all the convicts* 

 This ridiculous tale was circulated with incre- 

 dible rapidity. In consequence of this, one 

 fellow at work in a gang at Toongabbe, threw 

 down his hoe, and advancing foremost, gave 

 three cheers for liberty. This was well received 

 by his fellow convicts, but a magistrate being at 

 hand, it was put an< end to, by securing this? 

 wild Irish advocate, who was tied up, and 

 rewarded by a severe flogging. ". 



In a few days after this circumstance, the 

 Governor visited Toongabbe, and returning 

 to Paramatta, met the prophetess, an old Scotch 

 ■woman, who, when she saw the Governor, held 

 up her hands, and begged he would for a few 

 minutes listen to her, and she would endeavour 

 to confute the reports propagated in her name. 

 She said, she had heard he was offended with her ,' 

 and she wished to convince him, that it was 



