Swan Rh:er. 
261 
easy enougli. Last season was one merely of experiment, and almost 
every one got in their crops too late; two years have, however, made 
us acquainted with the climate and soil, and the crops which were 
rightly dnied, were remarkably fine.—Wheat, Barley, Oats, and Rye, 
liave yielded well on half-cultivated land; Potatoes, Mangel-Wurzel, 
Turnips, and almost every A'ariety of European vegetables, have been 
raised in perfection. Cucumbers, yield larger crops than I ever saw 
in England; and we have the most delicious Melons, I ever tasted. 
JFlax, Hemp, and Tobacco, grow wild; so that when we have raised 
our own supplies of food, these will be abundant articles of export. 
There is also much land well adapted for Opium. The most desponding 
of the settlers, are now in good spirits, and even the stock-holders, of 
Van Dieman’s Land, acknowledge that they cannot raise hay so good 
as the natural grasses here afford. 
The great drawbacks to the settlers, arise from the lazy and turbu¬ 
lent conduct of the labouring classes; and the want of means to import 
a sufficient quantity of Stock.—The former, will bring its own remedy, 
as they cannot live without work; and we have applied to government 
for assistance, in the latter. We have, ourselves, lost a great deal of 
time by the misconduct of some of our labourers, but we have got rid 
of the troublesome hands, and find that we can get on as fast, and cer¬ 
tainly more comfortably, with half the number. Provisions have been 
enormously high, until the last few weeks, but from the Governor’s 
arrangements, they are not likely to rise again above a reasonable 
j)rice.—Flour has fallen from 9d. per lb. to 2id.; Salted Beef and 
Pork, from Is. to 6d. per lb. Fresh meat still brings great prices 
Beef, Is., Mutton, ls.3d., and Lamb, Is.Sd. per lb. 
“The land lately discovered beyond the hills, is spoken of more 
highly by each succeeding party which has visited it; we have taken up 
a location there,—a great j)ortion of our grant, is covered with fine 
grass; the trees are more thinly scattered than near the coast, and 
consist principally of Sandal-Wood. Some fine specimens of Maho¬ 
gany, have been sent to England, and to the Isle of France, but I 
fear some bad lots have also been shipped, which may create a preju¬ 
dice against it, that will require a long time to overcome. Our horses 
are as fat and sleek as any nobleman’s in England, although they 
had have nothing to eat but the native grasses, for the last twelve 
months.” 
Note. —The Mahogany mentioned above, was shipped in the Edward Lombe, 
which ship has not yet arrived in England, but is expected daily.—It is not 
yet ascertained, whether it is the same species as that in general use, but all 
accounts speak highly of its quality. 
J. T. 
