The greatest part of the land I think but indifferent,
being light and stoney. Of the thirteen farms ten are unprovided with water;
and at some of them they are obliged to fetch this necessary article
from the distance of a mile and a half. All the settlers complain sadly
of being frequently robbed by the runaway convicts, who plunder them
incessantly.
December 6th. Visited the settlements to the northward of the rivulet.
The nearest of them lies about a mile due north of Mr. Clarke's house.
Here are only the undernamed five settlers.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Men's names. | Trades. | Number of | Number of acres
| | acres in each | in cultivation.
| | allotment. |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Thomas Brown*, wife, and child - - 60 )
William Bradbury* - - 30 ) 3 1/2
William Mold* - - 30 )
Simon Burne, and wife Hosier 50 3
- - Parr, and wife Merchant's clerk 50 3 1/2
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[*These three cultivate in partnership.(Brown, Bradbury, Mold.)]
These settlers are placed on the same footing in every respect
which concerns their tenure and the assistance to be granted to them
as those at Prospect Hill. Near them is water. Parr and Burne are men
of great industry. They have both good houses which they hired people
to build for them. Parr told me that he had expended thirteen guineas
on his land, which nevertheless he does not seem pleased with.
Of the three poor fellows who work in partnership, one (Bradbury) is run away.
This man had been allowed to settle, on a belief, from his own assurance,
that his term of transportation was expired; but it was afterwards discovered
that he had been cast for life. Hereupon he grew desperate, and declared
he would rather perish at once than remain as a convict. He disappeared
a week ago and has never since been heard of. Were I compelled to settle
in New South Wales, I should fix my residence here, both from the appearance
of the soil, and its proximity to Rose Hill. A corporal and two privates
are encamped here to guard this settlement, as at Prospect.
Proceeded to the settlement called the Ponds, a name which I suppose
it derived from several ponds of water which are near the farms.
Here reside the fourteen following settlers.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Men's names. | Trades. | Number of | Number of acres
| | acres in each | in cultivation.
| | allotment. |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Thomas Kelly Servant 30 1 1/2
William Hubbard, and wife Plasterer 50 2 1/4
Curtis Brand, and wife Carpenter 50 3
John Ramsay, and wife Seaman 50 3 1/2
William Field - - 30 2 1/2
John Richards* Stone-cutter 30 ) 4 1/2
John Summers* Husbandman 30 )
- - Varnell - - 30 1
Anthony Rope**, and wife, and
two children Bricklayer 70 1
Joseph Bishop, and wife None 50 1 1/2
Mathew Everingham, and wife Attorney's clerk 50 2
John Anderson, and wife - - 50 2
Edward Elliot*** Husbandman 30 ) 2
Joseph Marshall*** Weaver 30 )
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[*They (Richards and Summers) cultivate in partnership.]
[**A convict who means to settle here; and is permitted to work
in his leisure hours.]
[***They (Elliot and Marshall) cultivate in partnership.]
The Prospect Hill terms of settlement extend to this place.
