Nothing Farther Of Public Nature Remaining To Examine, I Next Visited
A Humble Adventurer, Who Is Trying His Fortune Here.
James Ruse, convict,
was cast for seven years at Bodmin assizes, in August 1782.
He lay five years
in prison and on board the 'Dunkirk' hulk at Plymouth, and then was sent
to this country. When his term of punishment expired, in August 1789,
he claimed his freedom, and was permitted by the governor, on promising
to settle in the country, to take in December following, an uncleaned piece
of ground, with an assurance that if he would cultivate it, it should not
be taken from him. Some assistance was given him, to fell the timber,
and he accordingly began. His present account to me was as follows.
I was bred a husbandman, near Launcester in Cornwall.
I cleared my land as well as I could, with the help
afforded me. The exact limit of what ground I am to have,
I do not yet know; but a certain direction has been
pointed out to me, in which I may proceed as fast as I
can cultivate. I have now an acre and a half in bearded
wheat, half an acre in maize, and a small kitchen garden.
On my wheat land I sowed three bushels of seed, the
produce of this country, broad cast. I expect to reap
about twelve or thirteen bushels. I know nothing of
the cultivation of maize, and cannot therefore guess
so well at what I am likely to gather.
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