Killing several
of our sheep, led us to draw presages of an unpleasant nature. Happily,
however, for many months we have escaped any similar visitations.
CHAPTER XVI.
The Progress made in the Settlement; and the Situation of Affairs
at the Time of the Ship, which conveys this Account, sailing for England.
For the purpose of expediting the public work, the male convicts have been
divided into gangs, over each of which a person, selected from among
themselves, is placed. It is to be regretted that Government did not take
this matter into consideration before we left England, and appoint proper
persons with reasonable salaries to execute the office of overseers;
as the consequence of our present imperfect plan is such, as to defeat
in a great measure the purposes for which the prisoners were sent out.
The female convicts have hitherto lived in a state of total idleness;
except a few who are kept at work in making pegs for tiles, and picking up
shells for burning into lime. For the last time I repeat, that the behaviour
of all classes of these people since our arrival in the settlement
has been better than could, I think, have been expected from them.
Temporary wooden storehouses covered with thatch or shingles, in which
the cargoes of all the ships have been lodged, are completed; and an hospital
is erected. Barracks for the military are considerably advanced;
and little huts to serve, until something more permanent can be finished,
have been raised on all sides. Notwithstanding this the encampments
of the marines and convicts are still kept up; and to secure their owners
from the coldness of the nights, are covered in with bushes, and thatched over.
The plan of a town I have already said is marked out. And as freestone
of an excellent quality abounds, one requisite towards the completion
of it is attained. Only two houses of stone are yet begun, which are intended
for the Governor and Lieutenant Governor. One of the greatest impediments
we meet with is a want of limestone, of which no signs appear.
Clay for making bricks is in plenty, and a considerable quantity of them
burned and ready for use.
In enumerating the public buildings I find I have been so remiss as to omit
an observatory, which is erected at a small distance from the encampments.
It is nearly completed, and when fitted up with the telescopes and other
astronomical instruments sent out by the Board of Longitude, will afford
a desirable retreat from the listlessness of a camp evening at Port Jackson.
One of the principal reasons which induced the Board to grant this apparatus
was, for the purpose of enabling Lieutenant Dawes, of the marines,
(to whose care it is intrusted) to make observations on a comet which is
shortly expected to appear in the southern hemisphere.
