several farms on the
creeks were under water; and the person who brought the account was
nearly drowned in his way over a plain named the Race-Ground. Paling
could no where stand the force of the storm. Several chimnies and much
plaster fell, and every house was wet. At Parramatta much damage was
done; and at Toongabbie (a circumstance most acutely felt) a very large
barn and threshing-floor were destroyed. The schooner had been loading
with corn at the river, and, though she left the store on the 11th, did
not reach Sydney until the 20th, having met with much bad weather. During
the storm, the column at the South Head fell in. This, however, could be
more readily repaired than the barn and the threshing-floor at Toongabbie,
which were serious losses, and had cost government a much larger sum than
the beacon.

Several of the cattle lately arrived perished in this bad weather.

To eke out the salt meat that was reserved for the military, two Cape
cows, which would not breed, were killed and served out to them during
this month.

September.] After an absence of eleven weeks, the _Fancy_ arrived on the
3rd from Norfolk Island. Her passage thither was made in six days; but on
her return she ran within one hundred and thirty miles of this port in
three or four days; yet afterwards met with contrary and heavy gales of
wind which kept her out a month. On the 28th of last month she was off
the south head of Broken Bay in a heavy gale of wind, and was, by being
close in with the land in thick weather, in extreme danger. Of a large
quantity of stock (the property of Mr. Balmain, who left Norfolk Island
to take upon him the charge of the general hospital here), but a very
small quantity remained alive after the gale.

The most favourable accounts were received from that settlement. Plenty
reigned throughout. Every barn was full. Four thousand pounds of fresh
pork having been cured, the lieutenant-governor had forty tons of salt
provisions to spare, which he offered to this colony. The wharf and crane
at Cascade were rather improved than simply repaired, and an overshot
water-mill had been erected at the trifling expence of three ewe sheep to
the constructor, which ground and dressed eighteen bushels of flour in a
day.

William Hogg, a prisoner well known and approved at this place for his
abilities as a silversmith, and an actor in the walk of low comedy, put
an end to his existence in a very deliberate manner a few days bef