1797.] OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 433 



lefs than 300 young people already in the town of Sydney, very few 

 of whom had been born in England, 



The commander of the wrecked fhip Sydney-Cove, having foli- 

 cited the Governor to fpare him the Colonial fchooner for the pur- 

 pofe of vifiting the wreck of his fhip, and the fix men whom he had 

 left upon the ifland in charge of what had been landed ; though he 

 could very ill part with the fervices of the v'eflel, yet, in confide ration 

 of the melancholy ftate of the people, and the chance that there might 

 be of faving fomething for the benefit of the underwriters, his Ex- 

 cellency confented, and (he failed the latter end of December, with 

 Captain Hamilton, to the fouthward. 



The weather was now becoming exceedingly hot ; and as, at that 

 feafon of the year, the heat of the fun was fo intenfe that every fub- 

 ftance became a combuftible, and a {ingle fpark, if expofed to the air, 

 in a moment became a flame, much evil was to be dreaded from fire. 

 On the eaft fide of the town of Sydney, a fire, the efFedt of intoxi- 

 cation or careleflhefs, broke out among the convicts' houfes, when 

 three of them were quickly deftroyed ; and three miles from the 

 town another houfe was burnt by fome runaway wretches, who, being 

 difpleafed with the owner, took this diabolical method of {hewing their 

 ill-will. 



The public labour of the month at Sydney comprifed the covering 

 of the new (lore -houfe ; finifhing the church-tower ; conftrudting 

 another wind- mill ; completing the barracks of the affiftant-furgeons, 

 with neceftary offices ; digging the foundation of a houfe for the m af- 

 ter boat-builder ; and taking down one of the old marine barracks, 

 on the fcite of which the Governor propofed to erect a granary. 



At Parramatta and Toongabbe, the wheat was nearly all got in and 

 fecured. At the latter of thefe places, a capital barn had been ere&ed 

 for its reception, 90 feet in length, with a complete floor, on which 

 eight or nine pairs of thrafhers could be employed without incon- 

 venience. 



3 K In 



