The cattle arrived, in general, in good condition; and Mr. Bampton had been very successful in his care of them.  He embarked one hundred and thirty at Bombay, out of which he lost but one cow, and that died the morning before his arrival.

On visiting the ship, the sight was truly gratifying; the cattle were ranged on each side of the gun-deck, fore and aft, and not confined in separate stalls; but so conveniently stowed, that they were a support to each other.  They were well provided with mats, and were constantly cleaned; and when the ship tacked, the cattle which were to leeward were regularly laid with their heads to windward, by people (twenty in number) particularly appointed to look after them, independent of any duty in the ship.  The grain which was their food was, together with their water, regularly given to them, and the deck they stood on was well aired, by scuttles in the sides, and by wind sails.*

[* These circumstances are mentioned so particularly, in the hope that they may prove useful hints to any persons intending, or who may be in future employed, to convey cattle from India, or any other part of the world, to New South Wales.]

Of this number of cattle forty were for draught, sixty for breeding, and the remainder calves; but some of them so large, as to be valued and taken at fifteen guineas per head.

On their landing, we were concerned to find that many of the draught cattle were very aged; they were, it was true, in health; but younger animals undoubtedly ought to have been procured; for of little use could toothless, old, and blind beasts be to us.

At the settlement at the Hawkesbury, a woman who had been drinking was found dead in her husband’s arms.  Webb the settler, who was wounded in March last, died; and one settler (Rowe) and his child were killed in this month.

June.] On the 4th of this month, being the anniversary of his Majesty’s birth, the commissary issued to each of the non-commissioned officers and privates of the New South Wales corps, one pound of fresh pork and half a pint of spirits; and to all other people victualled from the store one gill each.  At noon the regiment fired three volleys; and at one o’clock the Britannia and Fancy twenty-one guns each in honour of the day.

Preparatory to the departure of the Britannia, some returns were procured, which were necessary to be transmitted with the dispatches then making up.  Among others it appeared, that the following quantity of ground had been this season sown with wheat:  viz.

Acres
On account of government at and about Parramatta     340
Individuals at and about ditto                  1214
Individuals at the River*                        5481/2
Individuals at and about Sydney                  6183/4
Total                                       27211/4

[* This was the account given by the settlers; but their conduct gave little room to believe they had been so industrious:  they certainly ought to have had a greater quantity.]