136 ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [June, 



BaMoo-der-ry's was followed by the Governor's ftri&ly forbidding him 

 to appear again at any of the fettlements ; the other natives, his 

 friends, fyeing alarmed, Parramatta was feldom vifited by any of them, 

 and all commerce with them was at an end. How much greater claim 

 to the appellation of favages had the wretches who were the caufe of 

 this, than the natives who were termed fo ! 



During the month of June fome rain had fallen, which had en- 

 couraged the culture of public grounds, and one hundred and fixteen 

 bufhels of wheat were fown at Parramatta. Until thefe rains fell, the 

 ground was fo dry, hard, and literally burnt up, that it was almoft 

 impoffible to break it with a hoe ; and until this time there had been 

 no hope or probability of the grain vegetating. 



In the courfe of this month the ftone-mafon, with the people under 

 his direction, had begun their operations at the Weft point of the 

 Cove, where the Governor purpofed conftru&ing, out of the rock, a 

 fpot whereon to place the guns belonging to the fettlement, which was 

 to wear the appearance of a work. The flag-ftaff was to be placed in 

 the fame iituation. The houfe for the principal furgeon was got up 

 and covered. 



To guard againft a recurrence of the accident which happened to 

 the cattle foon after they had arrived, the Governor had for fome time 

 employed a certain number of convicts at Parramatta in forming in- 

 clofures ; and at the commencement of July not lefs than one hundred 

 and forty acres were thinned of the timber, furrounded by a ditch, 

 and guarded by a proper fence. 



In addition to the quantity of ground fown with wheat, a large pro- 

 portion was cleared to be fown with Indian corn ; and the country 

 about Parramatta, as well as the town itfelf, where eight huts were now 

 built* wore a very promifmg appearance. At Sydney, the little ground 

 that was in cultivation belonged to individuals ; the whole labour of 

 the convicts employed in clearing ground having been exerted at Par- 

 ramatta, where the foil, though not the beft for the purpofes of agri- 

 culture (according to the opinion of every man who profeffed any 



knowledge 



