NEW SOUTH WALES. £47 



The Hunter Snow, Fern, coinmander, having 

 found a voyage to New South Wales was no 

 bad speculation, resolved to derive some profit 

 from his returns/as it was understood, *when he 

 sailed on the c 20th, that he was bound for New 

 Zealand, for-tkfi; purpose of cutting spars for 

 the Bengal market*. 



Two men who had been exploring the coun- 

 try to the NorthWest of Richmond Hill and the 

 river Hawkesbury, found the bones of two 

 mares which had been stolen from Paramatta. 



On the 1st of October, the Semi ram is, from 

 Rhode Island, bound to China, arriveij, after a 

 passage of three months and nine days. 



In the evening of the same day, the church 

 on the East side of the Cove was/liscovered to 

 be on fire. Every assistance was given, but in- 

 effectually ; for as the building was covered 

 with thatch, which was exceedingly dry, it was 

 completely consumed in an hour. 



This was a great loss and calculated to impede 

 the progress of morality, as during the week it 

 was used as a school, for 200 children to be edu- 

 cated, under the Rev. Mr. Johnson. As the 

 Church stood alone, and no person was suffered 

 to remain in it after the school hours, there was no 

 doubt that it was the effect of design, in conse- 



* Mr. Robert Campbell, who returned to Port Jackson, 

 said, that Capt. Fern proceeded to the river Thames in New- 

 Zealand, where his crew cut down a quantity of spars, large 

 enough to load his vessel ; and being short of hands, he could 

 not have shipped them, but that the natives with much alacrity 

 assisted in getting them to the water's side. 



4 



