An Historical Journal of the Transactions at Port Jackson and Norfolk Island Part 39

It has already been observed, that on some particular days, the winds were heated to such a degree as to be almost insupportable, which had always been imputed to the country round the settlement being fired by the natives. Early in the morning of the 31st of August, the wind was northerly, and heated as though it came from the mouth of an oven, though no fires could then be seen; however, as the day advanced, smoke appeared over the hills, and in the evening, a considerable tract of country was seen to be on fire; some natives were likewise burning the ground on the north side of the harbour, opposite the settlement: this firing of the country, which the natives constantly do when the weather is dry, renders any observation made by the thermometer very uncertain. But if the 31st of August was an unpleasant day, the evening made ample amends, for it began to rain, and continued raining until the next day at noon.

Although few of the convicts were sick when they were first landed from the transports, yet many of them were extremely weak from long confinement, and a few days carried numbers of them to the hospital. The surgeon's returns, on the first of September, were two hundred and eighty-five convicts under medical treatment: several soldiers and seamen were likewise in the hospital with a fever of a bad sort, which was supposed to be brought on board by the convicts.

On the 4th of September, the Salamander sailed for Norfolk-Island, with one hundred and sixty male convicts, some stores, and provisions: two non-commissioned officers, and eleven privates of the New South Wales corps went as a guard.

The Mary-Ann transport returned from Norfolk-Island on the 8th, having landed all the stores, provisions, and convicts safe; but they had lost a boat in going off from the island: the sailors, however, were all saved.

A number of emu's had been seen lately, and this appears to be the season in which they breed, as a nest was found near some fresh water, at the head of the harbour, containing fourteen eggs. The nest was composed of fern, but it had more the appearance of a quant.i.ty of fern collected for a person to sit on, than a nest. Soon after taking these eggs, an old emu was seen near Prospect-Hill with some young ones; several of the settlers chased them, and the young birds were taken: they did not appear to be more than a week old, and great pains were taken to rear them, but they died, after being in Governor Phillip's possession near five weeks. Thirteen of these old birds were seen together in the course of this month, but it was a considerable time since an emu had been shot.

The pattagorong and baggaray frequently supplied our colonists with fresh meals, and Governor Phillip had three young ones, which were likely to live: he has not the least doubt but these animals are formed in the false belly, having frequently seen them in that situation, when they were so small, that it did not appear possible for them to be placed there by the female for the purpose of gaining strength, which is the general opinion, and for which purpose it is supposed nature has given them the false belly; indeed, the idea of their being formed in the false belly, and not in the womb, seems to be confirmed from the following particulars, communicated to Governor Phillip by a person who had a male and a female opossum in his possession near two years.

"On the 10th of May, I discovered the young one in the belly of the female opossum, apparently not larger than the end of my little finger. I do not exactly recollect when I had examined before, but I am sure it could not have been long, as I made a constant practice of searching for what I then found, but always had much difficulty in introducing my finger, the female contracting the orifice so extremely close. The belly of the female had for some days been observed to be increasing in size, and on the 15th of August, I saw a young one, for the first time, the mouth, or opening of the false belly, being very much dilated. In the first week of September, it was compleatly haired, and it ventured out, getting on the mother's back, but on the least alarm, it instantly returned to the false belly. On the 18th of September, I observed the young one eating sow-thistle, and it continued on the mother's back, but at night it got into the false belly. From the day I first saw the young one until now, I have generally seen the mother licking it with her tongue, and it is to be remarked, that she has driven the male away from her since the 15th of August."

Notice has already been taken of those persons who became settlers, and of the quant.i.ty of land allotted them; however, as the subjoined table shows every particular respecting them in one point of view, it may not, perhaps, be unacceptable.

THE FIRST SETTLERS

Names. When became Quant.i.ty of Place where.

Settlers. land granted.

Philip Schaffer. Superintendant. One hundred and On the north side 30th March, 1791. forty acres. of the creek leading to Parramatta.

The following were all marines or sailors.

Robert Webb. Ditto Sixty acres.

William Reid. Ditto Sixty acres.

Robert Watson. 5th April. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

John Drummond. 5th April. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

James Proctor. 5th April. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

Peter Hibbs. 5th April. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

Owen Cavenaugh. 5th April. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

James Painter. 5th April. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

William Mitch.e.l.l.5th April. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

William Hambly. 5th April. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

Charles Heritage.5th April. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

Samuel King. 5th April. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

William Mitch.e.l.l. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

Thomas Bramwell. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

Thomas Bishop. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

John M'Carthey. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

Lawrence Richards. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

John Munday. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

Thomas Chipp. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

William Strong. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

James M'Ma.n.u.s. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

Thomas...o...b..yen. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

Richard Knight. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

Abraham Hand. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

William Dempsey. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

Thomas Sculley. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

John Barrisford. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

James Redmond. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

William Tonks. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

Thomas Halfpenny. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

William Standley. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

John Gowen. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

Thomas Dukes. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

James Williams. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

Daniel Standfield. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

John Roberts. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

William Simms. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

John Foley. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

Patrick Connell. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

John Redman. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

Thomas Spencer. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

John Scott. Sixty acres. Norfolk Island.

THE CONVICT SETTLERS.

Names. When became Quant.i.ty of Place where.

Settlers. land granted.

James Ruse. 30th March, 1791. Thirty acres. Parramatta.

Charles Williams.18th July. Thirty acres. South side of the creek leading to Parramatta.

James Stuart. 18th July. Twenty acres. South side of the creek leading to Parramatta.

George Lisk. 18th July. Thirty acres. Four miles to the westward of Parramatta.

William Kilby. 18th July. Fifty acres. Four miles to the westward of Parramatta.

William Butler. 18th July. Fifty acres. Ditto.

John Nicholls. 18th July. Thirty acres. Ditto.

John Ramsay. 18th July. Fifty acres. At the ponds, two miles to the north-east of Parramatta.

Mathew Everingham.18th July. Fifty acres. Ditto.

John Summers. 18th July. Thirty acres. Ditto.

John Richards. 18th July. Thirty acres. Ditto.

William Field. 18th July. Fifty acres. Ditto.

Joseph Bishop. 18th July. Fifty acres. Ditto.

Curtis Brand. 18th July. Thirty acres. Ditto.

John Silverthorn.18th July. Thirty acres. Four miles to the westward of Parramatta.

Thomas Martin. 18th July. Thirty acres. Ditto.

Samuel Griffiths.18th July. Thirty acres. Ditto.

James Castles. 18th July. Thirty acres. Ditto.

Joseph Morley. 18th July. Fifty acres. Ditto.

William Hubbard. 18th July. Fifty acres. At the ponds, two miles to the north-east of Parramatta.

John Anderson. 18th July. Fifty acres. Ditto.

William Elliott. 18th July. Thirty acres. Ditto.

Joseph Marshall. 18th July. Thirty acres. Ditto.

Edward Varndell. 18th July. Thirty acres. Ditto.

Simon Burn. 17th August. Fifty acres. At the northern boundary farms, two miles from Parramatta.

John Brown. 17th August. Sixty acres. Ditto.

William Moulds. 17th August. Thirty acres. Ditto.

John Baffen. 17th August. Fifty acres. Ditto.