The seamen belonging to the Supply completed their half-moon battery in this month, and part of that ship’s guns were mounted in it.

In addition to other public works, some people were employed in white-washing the houses in the town of Sydney, and repairing such of the buildings as required it; an attention highly necessary at least once in every year, for the preservation of works, the re-construction of which, when suffered to fall to decay, was attended with a great expense.

The live stock and the ground in cultivation had been considerably increased in this year, as will be seen by comparing the following account of each with the return of the preceding year.

LIVE STOCK

Horses 44
Mares 73
Horned Cattle
   Bulls and Oxen 163
   Cows 258
Hogs 2867
Sheep
   Male 1459
   Female 2443
Goats
   Male 787
   Female 1880

LAND IN CULTIVATION

Acres in Wheat 4659
Acres in Maize 1453
Acres in Barley 571/2

It will appear from this account, which is brought down to the month of August, and taken up from that month in the preceding year, that the goats had not increased so much as the sheep.  Many had of course been slaughtered; but they were found to be afflicted with diseases which carried them off in numbers, while the sheep were seen to thrive better.

CHAPTER XIV

Certificates granted to convicts
Reasons for so doing
Unruly behaviour of the Irish
Agricultural concerns look ill
The Norfolk sloop returns from Van Dieman’s Land
Particulars
Twofold Bay described
The natives there
Kent’s Group
Furneaux’s Islands
Preservation Island
Curious petrifaction there
Cape Barren Island
The wombat described

1799.] January.] On the second of this month, certificates were granted to such convicts as had completed their several terms of transportation.

That none might have it in their power to make a plea of any injustice being exercised upon them with respect to that critical point their servitude, it had been made a rule, three or four times in the year, to issue discharge certificates to such as were found, on consulting the proper documents, to be entitled to them; and, if desirous of being at their own disposal, to strike them off from the victualling books.  Many convicts having been sent out, who had not more than two years to serve after their arrival, proved, by claiming their discharge, a considerable drawback on field-labour, as well in Norfolk Island as in New South Wales.  But this was not the only evil.  In this way there were let loose upon the public a number of idle and