[* Notwithstanding all her imperfections, she was valued at and sold for two hundred and fifty pounds.]

The situation of the people still remaining at Dusky Bay was not, we understood, the most enviable; their dependence for provisions being chiefly on the seals and birds which they might kill.  They had all belonged to this colony, and one or two happened to be persons of good character.

On the 10th the American sailed for the north-west coast of America.  In her went Mr. James Fitzpatrick Knaresbro’, a gentleman whose hard lot it was to be doomed to banishment for life from his native country, Ireland, and the enjoyment of a comfortable fortune which he there possessed.  He arrived here in the Sugar Cane transport, in the year 1793, and had lived constantly at Parramatta with the most rigid economy and severe self-denial even of the common comforts of life.

It was seen with concern that the crops of this season proved in general bad, the wheat being almost every where mixed with a weed named by the farmers Drake.  Every care was taken to prevent this circumstance from happening in the ensuing season, by cleaning with the greatest nicety not only such wheat as was intended for seed, but such as was received into the public store from settlers.  It was occasioned by the ground being overwrought, from a greediness to make it produce golden harvests every season, without allowing it time to recruit itself from crop to crop, or being able to afford it manure.  Had this not happened, the crops would most likely have been immense.

At the Hawkesbury, where alone any promise of agricultural advantages was to be found, the settlers were immersed in intoxication.  Riot and madness marked their conduct; and this was to be attributed to the spirits that, in defiance of every precaution, found their way thither.

Early in the month a store-room belonging to Captain Paterson was broken into, and articles to a large amount stolen thereout.  A sentinel was stationed in the front of the house; notwithstanding which, the thieves had time to remove, through a small hole that they made in a brick wall, all the property they stole.

In the course of the month Captain Townson, another officer of the corps, was also robbed.  He had that morning received in trust sixty pounds in dollars; these, together with his watch, were stolen from him in the following night.  His servants were suspected, as were also Captain Paterson’s; but nothing could be fixed upon them that bore the resemblance of proof.

Robberies were more frequent now than they had been for some time past, scarcely a night passing without at least an attempt being made.  On the 17th, the festival of St. Patrick, the night-watch were assaulted by two fellows, Matthew Farrel and Richard Sutton, (better known by the title of the Newgate Bully,) while the latter was pursued by them from a house which he was endeavouring to break into, to the house of Farrel, who tried to secrete him, and afford him protection.