1 794*1 OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 245 



It was not, however, felt at Sydney, nor, fortunately, at Toongabbe ; 

 and was of fhort duration ; but the rain was reprefented as having 

 been very heavy. The climate was well known to be fubjecT: to 

 fudden gufts of wind and changes of weather ; but nothing of this 

 violence had been before experienced. 



It was found that the fettlers, notwithftanding the plentiful crops 

 which in general they might be faid to have gathered, gave no affift- 

 ance to Government by fending any into ftore. They appeared to 

 be raoft feduloully endeavouring to get rid of their grain in any way 

 that they could ; fome by brewing and diftilling it ; fome by baking 

 it into bread, and indulging their own propensities in eating ; others 

 by paying debts contracted by gaming. Even the farms themfelves 

 were pledged and loll in this way ; thofe very farms which un- 

 doubtedly were capable of furnifhing them with an honeft comfort- 

 able maintenance for life. 



It was pretty well afcertained, that their crops had yielded at the 

 leafl feven thoufand burners of wheat. Of the different diftri&s, that 

 of ProfpecT: Hill proved to be the moft productive ; fome grounds 

 there returned thirty bufhels of wheat for one. Next to the diftricT: 

 of ProfpecT: Hill, the Northern Boundary farms were the beft ; but 

 many of the fettlers at the other diftri&s afcribed their mifcarriage 

 more to the late periods at which their grounds were fown, than to 

 any poverty of the foil. 



The grounds in cultivation on account of Government, which had 

 been fown with wheat, (three hundred and fixty acres,) was found to 

 have produced about the fame quantity as that raifed by the fettlers. 

 Through the want of flour, the confumption of this article was very 

 great ; and toward the latter end of the month half of the whole pro- 

 duce of the laft feafon (referving twelve hundred bufhels for feed) had 

 been iffued. This afforded but a gloomy profpecT: ; for it was much 

 feared r that unlefs fupplies arrived in time, the Indian corn would not 

 be ripe foon enough to fave the feed wheat. 



On 



