The Present Picture of New South Wales (1811) by David Dickinson Mann

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The death of Mr. George Barrington, who, for a long time, was
in the situation of chief constable at Parramatta, ought to have
been previously adverted to, as his decease took place some time
before this period. During his residence in the colony, he had
conducted himself with singular propriety of conduct; and, by his
industry, had saved some money; but, for a considerable time
previous to his death, he was in a state of insanity, and was
constantly attended by a trusty person. The general opinion of
those around him was, that he brought on this malady, so
destructive to the majesty of man, by his serious and sorrowful
reflexions on his former career of iniquity. His death, however,
was that of a good man, and a sincere christian. He expressed a
very considerable degree of displeasure, when he was in a state
of sanity, at his name being affixed to a narrative, which he
knew only by report, as being about to be published, and which
subsequently did appear, under a deceptious mask.

The Blue Mountains have never yet been passed, so that beyond
those tremendous barriers, the country yet remains unexplored and
unknown. Various attempts have, at different periods, been made
to exceed this boundary of the settlement; but none of them have
been attended with the wished-for effect. M. Barrallier, a French
gentleman, late an engsign in the New South Wales corps, has been
further across than any other individual; but he was compelled to
return unsatisfied, before he had obtained any knowledge of the
trans-mountaneous territory which he longed to behold. I myself
made an excursion to these mountains, in the year 1807,
accompanied by an European and three natives; but after mounting
the steep acclivities for four days, until I found my stock of
provisions sensibly diminishing, I thought it most prudent to
re-trace my way to the habitable part of the settlement, and to
leave the task of exploring them to some person more qualified,
mentally as well as physically, for the arduous undertaking. In
fine, from the specimen I had acquired during this journey, of
the difficulties which surround this task, I think that, after
travelling a few miles over them, their appearance (although so
amazingly grand) is sufficiently terrific to deter any man of
common perseverance from proceeding in his design.

In the progress of my undulating, I ascended about four or
five stupendous acclivities, whose perpendicular sides scarcely
permitted me to gain the ascent. No sooner had I attained to the
summit of one of these cliffs, flattering myself that I should
there find the termination of my toil, than my eye was appalled
with the sight of another, and so on to the end of my journey;
when, after mounting with the utmost difficulty a fifth of these
mountainous heights, I beheld myself, apparently, as remote from
my ultimate object, as at the first hour of my quitting the level
country beneath. Some of these ridges presented to the eye a
brilliant verdure of the most imposing nature, while others had
the appearance of unchanging sterility, relieved by the
interposition of pools of stagnant water and running streams;
there shrubs and trees enlivened the scene, and here barrenness
spread its dreary arms, and encircled the space as far as the eye
could reach. On my return, in sliding down the steep declivities,
I so completely lacerated my clothes, that they scarcely
contained sufficient power to cover me. I saw no other animals or
reptiles, during this excursion, than those which are common
throughout the country.

Were it not for the existence of such insurmountable
obstacles, is it to be supposed that persons who have resided
above twenty years within sight of this Alpine chain of hills,
would have so long suppressed a a curiosity, of the existence of
which every day gives some evidence, and have remained so totally
uninformed as to the nature of a country, from which the most
distant part of the settlement is far from being remote? Or is it
probable that the settlers, who reside at the very base of the
mountains, would so long have remained ignorant of the space on
the other side, if such impassable impediments did not
intervene.

In the commencement of the year 1808, a new market was
established on a part called the Old Parade, near to the Orphan
House, and every exertion was made to expedite the building of
the shops. The marketdays are Wednesdays and Saturdays, when a
considerable number of farmers, from the districts between Sydney
and Parramatta, as well as from other quarters, attend with the
produce of their lands: they also bring poultry, vegetables,
fruit, etc.; and to prevent, as much as possible, the too
frequent impositions practised, a clerk of the market has been
appointed, to weigh all things that may be required.

Of late years, a number of vessels have been seized and
carried away by the convicts, amongst whom there must ever be
numbers who will eagerly grasp at any project of emancipating
themselves which occurs to their minds. Lately, the Venus, a brig
belonging to Messrs. Robert Campbell and Co. laden with a
quantity of provisions and stores to supply the settlements to
the southward, and a very handsome brig, called the Harrington,
from Madras, were seized and taken off. The former, when she had
reached her place of destination, after coming to an anchor, and
landing the master with dispatches for the Lieutenant-Governor,
was seized by some convicts who had been placed on board, under
confinement, aided by part of the crew, and was carried beyond
the reach of re-capture. She has since been heard of, but without
a probability of her recovery. The latter was cut out of Farm
Cove, and was carried out to sea, before any information was
received on the subject. This transaction was planned in a very
secret manner, so that all the convicts boarded her about twelve
o'clock at night; and, although the vessel lay in sight of some
part of the town, and within the fire of two batteries, yet
nothing was discovered of the circumstance until the following
morning. Upon the representation being made to Colonel Johnston,
that officer ordered several boats to be manned immediately, and
a party of the New South Wales corps, with a number of
inhabitants who had volunteered their services, to use every
means to re-take the vessel, put out to sea; but, after rowing
and sailing for several hours, they were at length obliged to
return, without ever coming in sight of the Harrington. Other
means were subsequently tried for the recovery of the vessel, but
all to no effect; the convicts had managed their matters with
such secrecy, promptitude, and skill, as totally prevented every
endeavour to counteract their intention.

The natives and our countrymen are now somewhat sociable, and
there are not many outrages committed by either party. I believe
that some of the white men would frequently be more severe with
the Aborigines, when caught in the very act of committing
depredations, but the circumstance of several settlers being
capitally convicted of the murder of a native boy, in January,
1800, acts as a check on their violent dispositions, and prevents
the recurrence of such sanguinary proceedings. Some years
previous to this period, the Europeans at the Hawkesbury suffered
considerably from the marauding inclinations of the natives,
several of their huts being burned, and themselves severely
wounded; their corn-fields were also frequently despoiled, and
their future promise blasted. On these as well as subsequent
occasions, the settlers, in defence of their persons and
property, were compelled to have recourse to arms, the natural
and necessary consequence of which was the destruction of some of
the plundering tribes; but, in these instances, the circumstances
justified the deed, and the governor sent assistance to them,
rather than the contrary. In fact, so many atrocious deeds were
committed by one of their leaders at Hawkesbury, who had long
been a determined enemy to the Europeans, that Governor King
found it necessary to issue an order, offering a reward to any
person who should kill him and bring in his head. This was soon
accomplished by artifice, the man received the reward, and the
head was sent to England in spirits by the Speedy. Those
practices, however, had now, in a great measure, been done away
with, and it was seldom heard that any steps of violence were
pursued on either side. But when thus speaking of the general
good understanding which exists between the Europeans and
natives, I must be understood to confine my meaning to the
vicinity of the principal settlements; for about the remoter
coasts they are still savages, as may be gathered from the
following narrative of an occurrence in April, 1808:--The Fly,
colonial vessel, being driven into Bateman's Bay by bad weather,
had occasion to send three of her crew on shore to search for
water; and it was agreed, previous to their departure, that in
case of any appearance of danger, a musket should be fired from
the vessel, as a signal for the immediate return of those who had
landed. Shortly after the boat had reached the shore, a
considerable body of natives assembled round the boat, and a
musket was accordingly discharged. The men returned to the boat
with the utmost precipitation, and without any obstruction; but
they had no sooner put off from the shore, than a flight of
spears pursued them, and was succeeded by others, until the whole
of the three unfortunate men fell from their oars, and expired
beneath the attacks of their enemies. The savages immediately
seized and manned the boat; and, with a number of canoes,
prepared for an attack upon the vessel itself, which narrowly
escaped their unprovoked fury, by cutting the cable, with all
possible expedition, and standing out to sea. The names of the
unhappy men who were thus murdered, were Charles Freeman, Thomas
Bligh, and Robert Goodlet. This melancholy circumstance affords a
sufficient illustration of the dispositions of those natives
which are remote from the settlements; and as no such occurrences
have taken place amongst the neighbouring inhabitants of the
country, it is but a fair presumption to conclude, that an
association with Europeans has in some degree polished their
native rudeness, has softened the cruelty and natural violence of
their dispositions, and inculcated into their breasts some
principles of humanity. By observing the conduct of the new
settlers, the savages have learned to imitate their actions, and
to discard a portion of that barbarity of manners, which allied
them to the material creation.

Just before I quitted the colony, two persons arrived; one as
master of the female Orphan school, and the other to superintend
the boys; but as the school for the latter was not yet erected,
an advertisement was immediately given out by government, to
ascertain the numbers of the youth of that description, in order
that some correct idea might be formed of the extent of the
projected building. The female school was established and
occupied by the children, who were considered as proper objects
of the charity, in the early months of the year 1801, soon after
Governor King took the command of the settlement, and is a fine
institution; and the late committee have so acted, as to reflect
honour on the task which they have so feelingly undertaken. Nor
can the children of that institution ever be sufficiently
grateful to Mrs. Paterson, and Major Abbott, as well as to some
few others of the several committees, whose judicious measures
and well-adapted plans, have not only contributed to their
present comfort, but laid a foundation for their being brought up
in a life of virtue and industry, instead of becoming the objects
of prostitution and infamy. It is supported by different duties
levied on merchandize--by fines, fees, etc. (as may be seen by
a reference to my abridgment of the General Orders), and is of no
expense to the crown. The establishment of these benevolent
asylums for the offspring of misery, confers a high degree of
credit on their originators, as well as on the people amongst
whom they flourish, and afford a powerful argument to combat
those weak and obstinate prejudices which have been raised
against this colony, by persons of little information and less
liberality, who, reasoning on narrow principles, and with obscure
views of the subject, are incredulous of the good which exceeds
the horizon of their own bounded perspective, and are ever
amongst the foremost to exclaim, "Can any good come out of
Nazareth?"

About the same period, a complete range of storehouses was
completed on the banks of the Parramatta river, and another had
been commenced close by the wharf at Sydney. The necessity for
some new buildings of this description had been evident for some
time, as the chief part of the King's storehouses, which had been
previously erected, were unfortunately so remote from the
water-side, as to occasion much superfluous labour, as well as to
render the unloading of ships extremely burdensome and expensive.
These inconveniences have, however, been considerably lessened by
the new arrangements; and the pursuance of a similar system will
speedily render the port infinitely more commodious, and
effectually remove those grievances which were calculated to
restrict the influx, _and increase the estimated_ value of
merchandize.

Some short time also before I left the settlement, two murders
were committed, by men named Brown and Kenny; the former of whom
had killed several men at the southward, and was brought from
thence to Port Jackson for trial, where he was convicted,
executed, and subsequently hung in chains on Pinch-gut, a small
island in the centre of the harbour leading to Sydney Cove. The
latter was arraigned for the murder of a woman named Smith, who,
after he had perpetrated the deed, endeavoured to consume the
body of his victim, by thrusting it in the fire. He was executed,
and hung in chains at Parramatta.--Several other murders have
been committed; but as it is my intention to touch only on the
most particular occurrences, I have forborne to name more than
those I conceived to be the most atrocious.

* * * * *

Such is as accurate a sketch of the progress of the colony as
it comes within the compass of my limits or intention at present
to depict. I have omitted numerous occurrences of a trivial
nature, considering their detail altogether superfluous, as the
interesting narratives of Governor Hunter and Lieutenant-Governor
Collins, are sufficient to give the minute inquirers into the
rise of the colony a perfect acquaintance with the nature of the
general occurrences therein; a continuation of which details
would, in fact, be little more than their repetition. I believe I
have touched upon the most interesting points in the history of
this yet unmatured settlement, subsequent to the valuable
relations of these esteemed officers, except such as relate to
politics, and other topics, which may hereafter be subjects of
contemplation; and my principal object has been, to carry to the
mind of the reader an idea of the progressive maturation of the
colony, without fatiguing his eye with _minutioe_ which
might render the work tedious, and induce him to regret the hour
which he has devoted to its perusal. It now remains for me to
depict the state of the colony, at the close of the autumn of
1809 (March), when I sailed for England; and, in the execution of
this part of my task, I shall endeavour so to arrange my subject
as to preserve an interest, unbroken and unfailing, throughout
the whole. By a rigid adherence to facts, I shall enable the
reader, by a comparison of my various statements with the
previous details of the luminous narrators above mentioned, to
form just and indisputable estimates of the increase of the
settlement; of its growth in population and extent, as well as in
the means of supporting its increased members. This division of
my subject will also afford the political philosopher new
materials for calculation, on a subject so interesting, so
important to the civilized world, as the colonization and
cultivation of those remote parts of the universe, which may, at
some future period, be made the seats of new empires, by draining
off from the old world that superfluity of population which, like
an insupportable burden of fruit on a tree, unless removed, would
tend to depress and destroy the trunk which produced and
supported it.

Chapter III. Present State of the Colony.

Agriculture, etc.

The account of land in cultivation, as it appeared at the last
muster taken by me, according to direction which I received from
his Honour Lieutenant-Governor Foveaux, and making a part of the
several tracts granted by the crown to settlers, etc. as
described in the survey, stood as follows:--

Belonging to the Crown--100 acres in wheat.

Belonging to Officers--326 1/2 acres of wheat, 178 acres
of maize, 22 1/2 acres of barley, 13 acres of oats, 13/4
acres of pease and beans, 191/4 acres of potatoes, 65 acres of
orchard, and 6 acres of flax and hemp.

Belonging to Settlers--6460 1/2 acres of wheat, 32111/4
acres of maize, 512 acres of barley, 79 1/2 acres of oats,
983/4 acres of pease and beans, 2813/4 acres of potatoes, 13
acres of turnips, 4811/4 acres of garden and orchard, and
28 1/2 acres of flax, hemp, and hops.

Total.--6887 acres of wheat, 33891/4 acres of maize,
534 1/2 acres of barley, 92 1/2 acres of oats,
100 1/2 acres of pease and beans, 301 acres of potatoes, 13
acres of turnips, 5461/4 acres of orchard and garden, 34 1/2
acres of flax, hemp, and hops.

The following is the general course of cultivation adopted,
and justified by experience:--

_January_.--The ground intended for wheat and barley to
be sown in, ought to be now broken up; carrots should also be
sown, and potatoes planted in this month are most productive for
the winter consumption.

_February_.--A general crop of turnips for sheep, etc.
should be sown this month, the land having been previously
manured, cleared, ploughed, etc. This is also the proper month
for putting Cape barley in the ground, for green food for horses,
cattle, etc.

_March_.--Strawberries should be planted this month, and
onions for immediate use should be sown. All forest land should
be now sown with wheat; and turnips, for a general crop, in the
proportion of one pound of seed to an acre of land.

_April_.--From the middle of this month, until the end of
May, is the best season for sowing wheat in the districts of
Richmond Hill, Phillip, Nelson, and Evan, as it is not so subject
to the caterpillar, smut, rust, and blight. Oats may also be sown
now for a general crop. Asparagus haulm should also be cut and
carried off the ground, and the beds dunged.

_May_.--Pease and beans for a field crop should be sown
in this month; but, in gardens, at pleasure, as you may be
supplied with them, as well as most other vegetable productions,
sallads, etc. nearly at all times of the year.

_June_.--This is the best season for transplanting all
kinds of fruit-trees, except evergreens; layers may also be now
made, and cuttings planted from hardy trees. Spring barley should
be sown this month upon all rich land, three bushels to an
acre.

_July_.--Potatoes which were planted in January are now
fit for digging. Stocks to bud and plant upon should now be
transplanted; cabbage and carrots may be sown; and strawberries
should be cleaned, and have their spring dressing.

_August_.--Potatoes must now be planted for general
summer use; the ground prepared for clover at this season is
best. Cucumbers and melons of all kinds should now be sown, and
evergreens transplanted. Vines ought to be cut and trimmed early
in this month. Ground may this month also be ploughed for the
reception of maize, and turnip land prepared for grass.

_September_.--This is the best season for grafting
fruit-trees, and the ground should be entirely prepared for
planting with maize. Grass-seed or clover should be sown in the
beginning of this month, if the weather is favourable, and there
is a prospect of rains.

_October_.--All fruit-trees now in bearing should be
examined, and where the fruit is set too thick, it must be
reduced to a moderate quantity. The farmer should plant as much
of his maize this month as possible, and clean ground for
potatoes.

_November_.--In this month the harvest becomes general
throughout the colony, and no wheat ought to be stacked upon the
ground, as the moisture which arises from the earth ascends
through the stack, and tends much, in this warm climate, to
increase the weevils, which prove very destructive to the wheat.
Evergreens may now be propagated by layers, and cabbage, lettuce,
and turnips sown.

_December_.--The stubble-ground is frequently planted
with maize in this month, so that it produces a crop of wheat and
another of maize in the same year; but the policy of thus forcing
the ground is much questioned by many experienced agriculturists,
and is supposed to have led to the ruin of some of these
avaricious farmers. Cauliflower and brocoli seeds may now be
sown.

The prices paid for planting, clearing ground, etc. is as
follows, according to the regulations specified in the general
orders:--For felling forest timber, 10s. per acre; for
burning off ditto, 25s. per acre; for breaking up new
ground, 24s. per acre; for breaking up stubble or corn
land, 13s. 4d. per acre; for chipping in wheat,
6s. 8d. per acre; for reaping ditto, 8s. per
acre; for threshing ditto, 7d. per bushel; for planting
maize, 6s. 8d. per acre; for hilling ditto,
6s. 8d. per acre; and for pulling and husking
ditto, 5d. per bushel.--The hours of public labour are
from sunrise to eight o'clock, and (Sundays excepted) from nine
to three. On Saturdays, on account of the stores being open for
the issue of provisions, the hours are from sunrise to nine
o'clock.

Yearly wages for servants, with board, 10L.; weekly
ditto, with provisions, 6s.; daily wages, with board,
1s.; and daily wages, without board, 2s.
6d.

The following is an accurate account of Live Stock, taken at
the same time as the preceding statement of land in
cultivation:--

Belonging to the Crown--28 male horses, 19 female ditto; 21
bulls, 1791 cows; 1800 oxen; 395 male sheep, and 604 female
ditto.

Belonging to Officers--81 male horses, 146 female ditto; 38
bulls, 1111 cows; 696 oxen; 2638 male sheep, 5298 female ditto;
40 male goats, 73 female ditto; 486 male pigs, and 537 female
ditto.

Belonging to Settlers--258 male horses, 329 female ditto; 40
bulls, 1906 cows; 1172 oxen; 7449 male sheep, 15,327 female
ditto; 799 male goats, 1670 female ditto; 7693 male pigs, and
7435 female ditto.

Belonging to Persons not holding Land--44 male horses, 35
female ditto; 19 bulls, 307 cows; 103 oxen; 325 male sheep, 1222
female ditto; 97 male goats, 296 female ditto; 1641 male pigs,
and 1576 female ditto.

Total of Stock--411 male horses, 529 female ditto; 118 bulls,
5115 cows; 3771 oxen; 10807 male sheep, 22,451 female ditto; 936
male goats, 2039 female ditto; 9820 male pigs, and 9548 female
ditto.

The common lands to the various districts, which were located
in perpetuity in 1804, are now felt very serviceable, and were
just granted at a period that prevented any of the settlers from
being thoroughly enclosed, so that every grazier has now an
opportunity of feeding his stock thereon, without confining
himself to the quantity of land he chooses to cultivate on his
own farm.

From the above statements it will most certainly appear, that
the colony is in a very flourishing state, and, no doubt, will
soon become independent of the mother country, if those methods
are pursued which are best calculated to promote this end. No one
step has latterly been taken to facilitate this desirable object
more than the measures adopted by Colonel Johnstone and
Lieutenant-Governor Foveaux, who distributed the breeding cattle
amongst the industrious and deserving settlers; a step which has
produced benefits of a two-fold nature--laying the foundation for
the more rapid increase of stock, and affording a stimulus to
meritorious exertion. In the districts about Hawkesbury, the
grain yields abundantly; but at the other settlements it is less
productive: The reason of this distinction must be chiefly
obvious to the reader of the preceding sketch, in the liability
of the soil at the former settlement to frequent inundations,
which serve every purpose of manure, and uniformly keep the
ground in a mellow state. It has been erroneously stated, that
the average produce of the land in New South Wales is sixty
bushels of wheat per acre; but I can take upon myself to say,
that twenty-five bushels an acre will be found the full extent of
the average produce. When a comparison is made between the
present state of the country and its former condition, the
improvements will appear considerable in agriculture, and almost
incredible in every other respect. The season for the gathering
in of the wheat has been gradually accelerated, ever since the
commencement of the colony; and the harvest of the last year
previous to my departure from the settlement, commenced nearly a
month sooner than it did at the first: The fruit seemed also
later.

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