378 ■> HISTORY OF 



owners an account of what was produced on 

 each farm. 



The building the public gaol at Sydney 

 was not yet completed, although a meeting 

 of the officers had been held to consider of the 

 means best to be devised for defraying the 

 expense. 



The Britannia whaler being now ready for 

 sea, on the 2d of December sailed for England, 

 by which opportunity Mr. Raven, who came with 

 the Buffalo, and five of his officers took their 

 passage; an agreement being made with the 

 master, to furnish them w T ith a passage for 2501. 

 The Walker on the same day sailed on her 

 fishing voyage. 



The dissatisfaction manifested by the settlers, 

 respecting the reduction of the price of grain 

 which had been ordered by the Governor to take 

 place, induced them to complain to his Excellen- 

 cy by petitions, in which they dated many hard- 

 ships they laboured under, in the hope that he 

 would receive the crops of this season at the 

 higher price. Having considered the propriety of 

 their petitions, he wished them to recollect, that 

 four years since he had given notice, that 

 the high price of grain jcould not be continued 

 longer than that season : and though he had 

 no doubt of their having had the losses they 

 represented, and they must know he had used 

 every means he could to remove or relieve 

 them ; yet his duty forced him to adhere to the 

 reduction of which he had given notice, and 

 at the same time observed, some of the misfor- 



