[* Some of this iron ore, which has been smelted in England, has been reported to be equal, if not superior, to Swedish iron.]

In addition to other public works already in hand, the governor directed a piece of ground, consisting of about seventy acres, and three-miles distant from Sydney, to be inclosed for the use of the stock in that district.

The foundation of the walls of a government house at Parramatta was laid, and the sowing the public wheat grounds begun; but, through want of labouring people, less was sown this than in the last year.

The weather had been in general moderate and seasonable.

CHAPTER XVIII

The Buffalo arrives from England, and brings cattle from the Cape
A marine settler killed
Natives
A criminal court held
Taylor executed
Lowe punished
A highway robbery
Provisions in store
Ration altered
June, two whalers come in from sea
Ideas of a whale-fishery
Tempestuous weather
Effects
The Albion whaler arrives from England
Her passage
July, a missionary murdered
The murderers tried and executed
Orders published
State of the farms
The Hillsborough arrives from England
Mortality on board
Public works

May.] On the third day of this month his Majesty’s ship Buffalo arrived from England, but last from the Cape of Good Hope, whence she brought sixty-six head of cattle, which, considering the length of the voyage, were landed in good condition.  She had also on board some tools and articles of hardware for the use of the colony; but, unfortunately, no bedding or clothing of any kind.

This ship arrived under the command of Mr. William Raven, whose services to the colony in the private ship Britannia cannot easily be forgotten; and was sent out to replace the Supply, which had been condemned as unserviceable, and whose commander, Lieutenant William Kent, was with her officers and crew to be removed into the Buffalo; the governor being directed to furnish Mr. Raven with a passage to England.

Although this ship was named the Buffalo, yet her head was the carved figure of a kangaroo, which very much amused the natives, who could have had no idea of seeing the animals of their country represented in wood.

Some of these people, ever hostile to the settlers, had lately speared one of them, a marine settler (as those were styled who had formerly belonged to the marine detachment) at George’s river, so effectually, that he died of his wounds.  The natives belonged to the tribe of which Pe-mul-wy was the leader.

Savage as these beings certainly were toward our people, and to each other, yet they could unbend, and divert themselves with the softer amusements of singing and dancing.  The annexed engraving represents a party thus occupied, and gives a correct view of their persons and manners.  The figure leaning upon his shield, the attitude of the women dancing, and the whole group, are accurate delineations of a party assembled by the light of a fire at the mouth of one of their excavated rocks.