OMAS MELVILLE.

The Matilda and the Mary-Ann transports returned from their
fishing-cruize on the 10th of November. These vessels had run to
the southward in search of seals, and met with very bad weather,
but saw no fish. The Matilda had put into Jervis-Bay, which,
according to the master's account, is a very fine harbour, the
anchorage very good, and capable of receiving the largest ships.
These two vessels, after refitting, sailed again to try for fish
on this coast.

Our colonists began to reap the barley on the 22d of November,
and the wheat was getting ripe.

The Supply armed tender, after having been under repair from
the time she returned from Norfolk-Island, was found, on a
survey, to be in so bad a state, that the best repair which could
be given her in this country, would only render her serviceable
for six months longer; Governor Phillip, therefore, ordered her
to England, and she sailed on the 26th of November.

From the debilitated state in which many of the convicts were
landed from the last ships, the number of sick were greatly
increased; the surgeon's returns on the 27th, being upwards of
four hundred sick at Parramatta; and the same day medicines were
distributed to one hundred and ninety-two at Sydney. To the
number of sick at Parramatta, upwards of one hundred may be
added, who were so weak that they could not be put to any kind of
labour, not even to that of pulling grass for thatching the huts.
Forty-two convicts died in the month of November, and in these
people nature seemed fairly to be worn out; many of them were so
thoroughly exhausted that they expired without a groan, and
apparently without any kind of pain.

Showers of rain had been more frequent lately than for many
months past, but not in the abundance which the ground required;
and, from the extreme dryness of the weather, and from the ground
not being sufficiently worked before the maize was put into it, a
great number of acres were likely to be destroyed. This was one
of the many inconveniencies the settlement laboured under, from
the want of people to employ in agriculture, who would feel
themselves interested in the labour of those that were under
their direction, and who had some knowledge as farmers.

The following parcels of land were in cultivation at
Parramatta, in November, 1791.

Acres./Roods./Perches.
351 2 5 in Maise.
44 1 8 Wheat.
6 1 30 Barley.
1 0 0 Oats.
2 0 3 Potatoes.
4 2 0 Not cu