NEW SOUTH W A L E S„ 
of confidence, without abandoning the guards of pru- 
dence. Offence is often given by the men, while the 
officers are mofl: ftudious to preferve harmony, and 
againft tlie tranfports of rage which arife on fuch occa- 
iions, it is ahvays necefTary to be prepared. Perhaps, 
alfo, a degree of awe iliould always be kept up, even to 
preferve their friendlliip. It has been uniformly re- 
marked by our people, that defencelefs flragglers are 
generally ill-treated by the natives of New South Wales, 
while towards parties armed and on their guard, they 
behave in the mofl amicable manner. 
The debarkation was now made at Sydney Cove, and 
the work of clearing the ground for the encampment, 
as well as for the fiorehoufes and other buildings, v/as 
begun without lofs of time. But the labour which 
attended this necelTary operation was greater than can 
eafily be imagined by thofe who were not fpe6tators of 
it. The coaflj as well as the neighbouring country in 
general, is covered with wood ; and though in this fpot 
the trees flood more apart, and were lefs incumbered 
with underwood than in many other places, yet their 
magnitude was fuch as to render not only the felling, 
but the removal of them afterwards, a tafk of no fmall 
difficulty. By the habitual indolence of the convi6ls, and 
the want of proper overfeers to keep them to their duty, 
I their 
