On One
Of The Boundaries Of His Land Is Plenty Of Water.
A very good brick house
is nearly completed for his use, by the governor; and in the meantime
he
Lives in a very decent one, which was built for him on his settling here.
He is to be supplied with provisions from the public store, and with
medical assistance for eighteen months, reckoning from last May.
At the expiration of this period he is bound to support himself
and the four convicts are to be withdrawn. But if he shall then,
or at any future period, declare himself able to maintain a moderate number
of these people for their labour, they will be assigned to him.
Mr. Scheffer is a man of industry and respectable character. He came out
to this country as superintendant of convicts, at a salary of forty pounds
per annum, and brought with him a daughter of twelve years old. He is
by birth a Hessian, and served in America, in a corps of Yaghers,
with the rank of lieutenant. He never was professionally, in any part of life,
a farmer, but he told me, that his father owned a small estate on the banks
of the Rhine, on which he resided, and that he had always been fond
of looking at and assisting in his labours, particularly in the vineyard.
In walking along, he more than once shook his head and made some
mortifying observations on the soil of his present domain, compared with
the banks of his native stream. He assured me that (exclusive of the sacrifice
of his salary) he has expended more than forty pounds in advancing his ground
to the state in which I saw it. Of the probability of success
in his undertaking, he spoke with moderation and good sense. Sometimes
he said he had almost despaired, and had often balanced about relinquishing it;
but had as often been checked by recollecting that hardly any difficulty
can arise which vigour and perseverance will not overcome. I asked him
what was the tenure on which he held his estate. He offered to show
the written document, saying that it was exactly the same as Ruse's.
I therefore declined to trouble him, and took my leave with wishes
for his success and prosperity.
Near Mr. Scheffer's farm is a small patch of land cleared by Lieutenant Townson
of the New South Wales corps, about two acres of which are in maize and wheat,
both looking very bad.
Proceeded to the farm of Mr. Arndell, one of the assistant surgeons.
This gentleman has six acres in cultivation as follows: rather more than four
in maize, one in wheat, and the remainder in oats and barley. The wheat
looks tolerably good, rather thin but of a good height, and the ears
well filled. His farming servant guesses the produce will be twelve bushels,*
and I do not think he over-rates it. The maize he guesses at thirty bushels,
which from appearances it may yield, but not more.
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