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806 
the British settlements in New South Wales, about 7 miles 
from the mouth of Port Jackson, in a cove to which it gives 
name. It stands principally on two hilly necks of land, 
with a proportion of flat ground intervening. These form 
together Sydney cove, which is one of the finest natural 
basins of water that can be imagined, and for safety and 
convenience rivals the finest works of art. It is perfectly 
secured against any wind, and ships of any dimensions lie 
there, and receive any repairs they may require, with the 
greatest security. The western side of the town extends to 
the water’s edge, and occupies, with the exception of the 
small space reserved around Dawe’s battery, the whole of 
the neck of land which separates Sydney cove from Lane 
cove, and extends a considerable distance back into the 
country besides. This part of the town, it may therefore be 
perceived, forms a little peninsula; and, what is of still 
greater importance, the water is in general of sufficient depth 
in both these coves, to allow the approach of vessels of the 
largest burden to the very sides of the rocks. On the east¬ 
ern neck of land, the extension of the town has been stopped 
by the government-house, and the adjoining domain, which 
occupies the whole of Bennilong’s point, a circumstance the 
more to be regretted, as the water all along this point is of 
still greater depth than on the western side of the cove, and 
consequently affords still greater facilities for the erection of 
warehouses, and the various important purposes of com¬ 
merce. 
The appearance of the town is rude and irregular. Until 
the administration of governor Macquarrie, little or no at¬ 
tention had been paid to the laying out of the streets, and 
each proprietor was left to build on his lease, where and how 
his caprice inclined him. He, however, succeeded in es¬ 
tablishing a perfect regularity in most of the streets, and 
reduced to a degree of uniformity that would have been 
deemed absolutely impracticable, even the most confused 
portion of that chaos of building which is still known by the 
name of “ the rocks,” and which, from the ruggedness of 
its surface, the difficulty of access to it, and the total ab¬ 
sence of order in its houses, was for many years more like 
the abode of a horde of savages than the residence of a civi¬ 
lized community. The town, upon the whole, may be now 
pronounced to be tolerably regular; and, as in all future 
additions that may be made to it, the proprietors of leases 
will not be allowed to deviate from the lines marked out by 
the surveyor-general, the new part will of course be free 
from the faults and inconveniences of the old. This town 
covers a considerable extent of ground, and would at first 
sight induce the belief of a much greater population than it 
actually contains. This may be imputed to two circum¬ 
stances, the largeness of the leases, which in most instances 
possess sufficient space for a garden, and the smallness of 
the houses erected in them, which in general do not exceed 
one story. From these two causes it happens, that this 
town does not contain above seven thousand souls, whereas 
one that covered the same extent of ground in this country, 
would possess a population of at least twenty thousand. But 
although the houses are for the most part small, and of mean 
appearance, there are many public buildings, as well as 
houses of individuals, which would not disgrace the cities of 
more civilized countries. Here is a very good market, al¬ 
though it is of very recent date.. It was established by go¬ 
vernor Macquarrie in the year 1813, and is very well sup¬ 
plied with grain, vegetables, poultry, butter, eggs, and fruit. 
It is, however, only held three times a week; viz., on Mon¬ 
days, Wednesdays, and Fridays. It is a large oblong in¬ 
closure, and there are stores erected in it by the governor, 
for the reception of all such provisions as remain unsold at 
the close of the market, which lasts from six o’clock in the 
morning in summer, and seven o’clock in winter, until three 
o’clock in the evening. 
This town also contains two very good public schools, 
for the education of children of both sexes. One is a day 
school for boys, and is of course only intended to impart 
gratuitous instruction:—The other is designed both for the 
education and support of poor and helpless female orphans. 
S Y E 
This institution was founded by governor King, as long 
back as the year 1800, and contains about sixty children, 
who are taught reading, writing, arithmetic, sewing, and 
the various arts of domestic economy. When their educa¬ 
tion is complete, they are either married to free persons of 
good character, or are assigned as servants to such respect¬ 
able families as may apply for them. At the time of the 
establishment of this school there was a large track of land 
(15,000 acres) attached to it; and a considerable stock of 
horses, cattle, and sheep, were also transferred to it from the 
government herds. The profits of these go towards defray¬ 
ing the expenses of this school, and a certain portion, fifty 
or a hundred acres of this land, with a proportionate number 
of them, are given in dower with each female who marries 
with the consent of the committee intrusted with the manage¬ 
ment of this institution. Besides these two public schools 
in the town of Sydney, which together contained, by the 
last accounts received from the colony, two hundred and 
twenty-four children, there are establishments for the gra¬ 
tuitous diffusion of education in every populous district 
throughout the colony. The masters of these schools are 
allowed stipulated salaries from the orphan fund. Formerly 
particular duties, those on coals and timber, which still go 
by the name of “the orphan dues,” were allotted for the 
support of these schools; but they were found to be insuf¬ 
ficient, and afterwards one-fourth, and more recently one- 
eighth, of the whole revenue of the colony was appropriated 
to this purpose. This latter portion of the colonial revenue 
may be estimated at about 2500/., which, it must be ad¬ 
mitted, could not be devoted to the promotion of any object 
of equal public utility. Independent of these laudable 
institutions thus supported at the expense of the government, 
there are two private ones intended for the dissemination of 
religious knowledge, which are wholly maintained by volun¬ 
tary contribution. There are in this town and other parts 
of the colony, several good private seminaries for the board 
and education of the children of opulent parents. The 
harbour of Port Jackson is perhaps exceeded by none in 
the world. It is navigable for vessels of any burden for 
about seven miles above the town, i. e„ about fifteen from 
the entrance. It possesses the best anchorage the whole 
way, and is perfectly sheltered from every wind that cam 
blow. It is said to have a hundred coves, and is capable 
of containing all the shipping in the world. There can be 
no- doubt, therefore, that in the course of a few years, the 
town of Sydney, from the excellence of its situation alone, 
must become a place of considerable inportance. The 
views from the heights of the town are bold, varied, and 
beautiful. The strange irregular appearance of the town 
itself, the numerous coves and islets both above and below 
it, the towering forests and projecting rocks, combined with 
the infinite diversity of hill and dale on each side of the 
harbour, form altogether a coup d'ccil, of which it may be 
safely asserted that few towns can boast a parallel. The 
value of land in this town is daily increasing, and rents are 
in consequence exorbitantly high. 
SYDNEY, a river in the interior of New Holland, seen 
by Mr. Oxley in his second expedition for the purpose of 
exploring that country. Its course was northward, and the 
part of it seen by Mr. Oxley crossed the 31st degree of south 
lat. Long. 151. 15. E. 
SYDNEY BAY, a bay on the south coast of Norfolk 
Island, in the South Pacific ocean. Lat. 29> 5. N. long. 
168. 2. E. 
SYDONAIA, a village of Syria, situated on the side of 
a hill, at the top of which is a celebrated nunnery, founded 
by Justinian. It has the appearance of a castle,, with high 
walls round it. The nuns are twenty in number, who, with 
the abbess, are employed in hard labour, particularly the 
rearing of silk worms. A great part of the revenue of the 
convent arises from vineyards, which produce an excellent 
strong red wine; 12 miles north-east of Damascus. 
SYENA, in Botany, a genus of the class triandria, order 
monogynia.—Generic Character. Calyx: perianth, thiee- 
leaved; leaflets linear-lanceolate, acute, spreading, perma¬ 
nent.. 
