A ot ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [January* 



river ; but finding her progrefs too flow, they quitted her for fome 

 boats which had accompanied them; and by the end of the month 

 had reached as high up as fome farms which had lately been evacuated 

 in confequence of the depredations that the owners of them had been 

 expofed to from the numerous parties of natives. The ground 

 hereabout was carefully examined, to fee if it would admit fuch a 

 number of fettlers as might be fufEcient for the purpofe of mutual 

 protection ; but it was found inadequate to that end, the limits of it 

 on the banks of the river, where the foil was good-, being much too 

 narrow. 



On the firft of January 1797, the Governor had reached the prin* 

 cipal fettlement, having occafionally landed to examine into the flats 

 of the different farms, as well as- to fettle difputes relative to property, 

 and adjuft differences between the fettlers and their hired fervants. 



Having had previous notice, a general mufter of thefe people took 

 place; when many impositions were found to be ft ill practi fed : after 

 rectifying which, the Governor reminded feveral of the farmers that 

 they were confiderably indebted to the public (lore for the feed from 

 which their prefent abundant crops had been produced, and directed 

 that a quantity equal to that which they had borrowed mould forth- 

 with be repaid. This it was abfolucely necelTary to infift upon, as 

 there were but very few among them who would have been found 

 with principle fufBcient to have done it of their own accord. 



Before the party returned, they afcended Richmond-hill, on the 

 fummit of which a large fmoke was made at noon ; at the fame time 

 a fimilar fmoke was made on Profpect-hill, which was very diftinctl y 

 feen, and its bearings taken, to afcertain the relative fituation of the 

 two hills. This bearing, which was S. 35 0 oo' E. by compafs, gave, 

 with the latitude obferved on each, the diftance between the two hills 

 about eighteen miles in a direct line* 



By this bearing, mould there be occafion hereafter, a road through 

 the woods, from the Head of the Hawkefbury, might be cut in the 

 fhorteft and.moft direct way to Parramatta. 



