NEW SOUTH WALES. 251 



sumed ; and the flames nearly reached the boat- 

 yard. 



On the 20th of October, the Ann and Hope, 

 an American ship, anchored in Botany Bay, 

 contrary winds having prevented her reaching 

 Port Jackson. The master wanted wood and 

 water, and as three days proved time enough 

 to procure them, at their .expiration he sailed 

 for China. 



At the end of this month the Governor made 

 an excursion among the settlers at Hawkes- 

 bury ; and while there, made several regula- 

 tions for the sawyers, who fixed their own 

 portion of the public labour. His Excellency 

 informed them that a session was to be held 

 every three months for settling all civil con- 

 cerns in future. The farms he found in general 

 promising thfe greatest plently, but the houses 

 and persons of the settlers wore the appearance 

 of poverty and beggary, as they still continued 

 converting the produce of their farms to the 

 purpose of obtaining pernicious spirits which 

 must ever keep them poor and wretched. 



On the 27th, the Marquis Cornwallis arrived 

 from the Cape of Good Hope, M'ith cattle on 

 Government account, amounting to 158 cows 

 and 20 bulls, and a few on private account. 

 When landed, some appeared weakly ; but gene- 

 rally speaking, they were in good health, and 

 proved a vast acquisition to the colony ; some of 

 the cows being a mixed breed between the Cape 

 and English cattle, and the whole seemed to be 

 under the age of three years. 



