3*8 ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [Juke, 



foil was found to be good, and the ground eligible for cultivation. 

 The fides of Mount Hunter, though very fteep, were clothed with 

 timber to the fummit, and the ground filled with the orchis root. 



The knowledge derived from this excursion was, that the cattle had 

 not been didurbed, and .that they had increafed : ninety-four were 

 at this time counted. 



About the fame time the people of a fidiing-boat returned from a 

 bay near Port Stephens, and brought with them feveral large pieces 

 of coal, which they faid they found at fome little diftance from the 

 beach, lying in confiderable quantity on the furface of the ground* 

 Thefe people having conducted themfelves improperly while on more, 

 two of them were feverely wounded by the natives, one of whom died 

 foon after he reached the hofpital. 



Toward the latter end of the month two men from each officer 

 were ordered to join the public gangs, it being found wholly imprac- 

 ticable to erecl:,without more affiftance, any of the buildings which had 

 become indifpenfably neceffary ; as dore-houfes, barracks, and houfes 

 for the affidant-furgeons. A church too, of more fubftantial mate- 

 rials than lath and platter, was wanted both at Sydney and Parra- 

 matta ; as well as court-houfes, or places where the courts of civil and 

 criminal judicature might be .held* and where the magiftrates might 

 meet to do the public bufinefs. 



The timber-carriages were now, in-dead of men, drawn by fix or 

 eight doutoxen; and all the timber which was ufed for building or 

 other purpofes was brought to the pits by them. This was fome 

 laving of men ; but eight people were dill employed with each car- 

 riage. 



Among the many evils that were daily feen flowing from that date 

 of diffipation which had found its way into the different fettlements, 

 it was much to be regretted that two men lod their lives by the hand 

 of violence. On Tuefday the 9th of July, a feaman belonging to the 

 Indifpenfable was (hot at Sydney, in the houfe of the mader boat- 

 builder, by a convict fervant of his $ and on the fame day, at the 



Hawkefbury, 



