This Happened
Near Broken Bay, Which Harbour Stopped Their Progress To The Northward
And Forced Them To Turn To The Right Hand, By Which Means They Soon After
Found Themselves On The Sea Shore, Where They Wandered About In A Destitute
Condition, Picking Up Shellfish To Allay Hunger.
Deeming the farther
prosecution of their scheme impracticable, several of them agreed to return
to Rose Hill, which with difficulty they accomplished, arriving
almost famished.
On their road back they met six fresh adventurers
sallying forth to join them, to whom they related what had passed
and persuaded them to relinquish their intention. There are at this time
not less than thirty-eight convict men missing, who live in the woods by day,
and at night enter the different farms and plunder for subsistence.
December 3rd, 1791. Began my survey of the cultivated land belonging to
the public. The harvest has commenced. They are reaping both wheat
and barley. The field between the barrack and the governor's house
contains wheat and maize, both very bad, but the former particularly so.
In passing through the main street I was pleased to observe the gardens
of the convicts look better than I had expected to find them.
The vegetables in general are but mean, but the stalks of maize,
with which they are interspersed, appear green and flourishing.
The semicircular hill, which sweeps from the overseer of the cattle's house
to the governor's house, is planted with maize, which, I am told,
is the best here. It certainly looks in most parts very good -
stout thick stalks with large spreading leaves - but I am surprised
to find it so backward. It is at least a month later than that in the gardens
at Sydney. Behind the maize is a field of wheat, which looks tolerably
for this part of the world. It will, I reckon, yield about twelve bushels
an acre. Continued my walk and looked at a little patch of wheat
in the governor's garden, which was sown in drills, the ground
being first mixed with a clay which its discoverers pretended was marle.
Whatever it be, this experiment bespeaks not much in favour of
its enriching qualities; for the corn looks miserably, and is far exceeded
by some neighbouring spots on which no such advantage has been bestowed.
Went round the crescent at the bottom of the garden, which certainly
in beauty of form and situation is unrivalled in New South Wales.
Here are eight thousand vines planted, all of which in another season
are expected to bear grapes. Besides the vines are several small fruit trees,
which were brought in the Gorgon from the Cape, and look lively;
on one of them are half a dozen apples as big as nutmegs. Although the soil
of the crescent be poor, its aspect and circular figure, so advantageous
for receiving and retaining the rays of the sun, eminently fit it
for a vineyard. Passed the rivulet and looked at the corn land
on its northern side.
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