This town is built principally on two hills, between which there is a fine stream of excellent water, that issues from the Table Mountain, and falls into Sullivan’s Cove.  On this stream a flour mill has been erected, and there is sufficient fall in it for the erection of two or three more.  There are also within a short distance of the town, several other streams which originate in the same mountain, and are equally well adapted to similar purposes.  This is an advantage not possessed by the inhabitants of Port Jackson; since there is not in any of the cultivated districts to the eastward of the Blue Mountains a single run of water which can be pronounced in every respect eligible for the erection of mills.  Windmills are in consequence almost exclusively used for grinding corn in Sydney; but in the inland towns and districts, the colonists are in a great measure obliged to have recourse to hand mills, as the winds during the greater part of the year, are not of sufficient force to penetrate the forest and set mills in motion.

The elevation of the Table Mountain, which is so called from the great resemblance it bears to the mountain of the same name at the Cape of Good Hope, has not been determined; but it is generally estimated at about six thousand feet above the level of the sea.  During three-fourths of the year it is covered with snow, and the same violent gusts of wind blow from it as from this, its mountain name-sake; but no gathering clouds on its summit give notice of the approaching storm.  The fiery appearance, however, of the heavens, affords a sufficient warning to the inhabitants of the country.  These blasts are happily confined to the precincts of the mountain, and seldom last above three hours; but nothing can exceed their violence for the time.  In the year 1810, I happened to be on board of a vessel which was bound to Hobart Town:  in consequence of the winds proving scanty, we were obliged to anchor during the night in D’Entrecasteaux’s Channel.  The following morning we got under weigh, expecting that the sea breeze would set in by the time the anchor was hove up.  The seamen had no sooner effected this and set all sail, than we were assailed with one of these mountain hurricanes.  In an instant the vessel was on her beam-ends, and in another, had not all the sheets and halyards been let go, she would either have upset or carried away her masts.  The moment the sails were clued up we brought to again; and as we were in a harbour perfectly land-locked and very narrow, the vessel easily rode out this blast.  It only lasted about two hours; but the sea breeze did not succeed it that day.  The next morning, however, it set in as usual.

During the continuance of this mountain tornado, the waters of the harbour were terribly agitated, and taken up in the same manner as dust is collected by what are called whirlwinds in this country.  So great indeed was its fury, that it required us to hold on by the ropes with all our force, in order to enable us to keep our footing.