1792.] OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 181 



that of taking ground for the purpofe of raifing by the fale of the 

 produce a fum fufficient to enable them to pay for their paffages to 

 England. The fettler to benefit that colony, the bona Jide fettler, 

 who fhould be a man of fome property, muft go thither from Eng- 

 land ; he is not to be looked for among difcharged foldlers, fhip- 

 wrecked feamen, or quondam convicts. Till fuch have arrived in 

 New South Wales, the hiftorian will have little to detail of plentiful 

 harvefts or well- cultivated lands; nor muft he prefume to decide on 

 the capabilities of the country in queftion. 



Governor King, finding, after trying every procefs that came 

 within his knowledge for preparing and dreffing the flax-plant, that 

 unlefs fome other means were devifed, it never would be brought to 

 the perfection neceflary to make the canvas produced from it an ob- 

 ject of importance, either as an article of clothing for the convicts or 

 for maritime purpofes, propofed to the mafter of the William and; 

 Ann, who intended touching at Dulky Bay in New Zealand, to pro- 

 cure him two natives of that country, if they could be prevailed on 

 to embark with him, and promifed him one hundred pounds if he 

 fucceeded ; hoping, from their perfect knowledge of the flax-plant, 

 and the fuccefs necefTary to manufacture it into cloth, that he 

 might one day render it a valuable and beneficial article to his 

 colony ; but the mafter of the fhip never returned to Norfolk 

 Ifland. 



On the 3d of October the Britannia, which had quitted the cove 

 on the laft day of September, preparatory to her departure on a fifh- 

 ing voyage (a licence for which had been granted by the Eaft-India 

 Company for the fpace of three years), returned to the cove for the 

 purpoie of fitting for the Cape of Good Hope : the officers of the 

 New South Wales corps having engaged the mafter to proceed thither^ 

 and return on their account with a freight of cattle, and fuch articles 

 as were not to be found in the public ftore, but which would greatly 

 tend to the comfort of themfelves and their foldiers. The mafter was 

 to receive 2000I. for the ufe of his fliip ; and eleven fliares of 200I, 



each 



