hin
those; very narrow, and having fibres only on one side of the stem. Many
other feathers of the same length lay within those again, which were of a
pale greyish colour, and of the most delicate texture, resembling more
the skeleton of a feather than a perfect one. The annexed engraving,
from the pencil of a capital artist, will give a better idea of this
beautiful bird than can be formed from any description.

A general muster took place on the 14th in every district of the colony,
at which every labouring man, whether free or convict, was obliged to
appear. On the following morning the settlers were called over, previous
to which, the governor, who was present, informed them, that he had heard
of much discontent prevailing among them in consequence of certain heavy
grievances which they said they laboured under. For these, as he was
unacquainted with the nature of them, he was unable to suggest any
remedy; he therefore desired that they might be represented to him in
writing; and, to spare them as much trouble as possible, he would direct
two gentlemen on whom he had much dependance to visit the different
districts, and collect from the respective settlers such of their
distresses and grievances as they were desirous of making known. Before
they were dismissed, he gave them much good advice; and assured them,
that he had already, from his own ideas, offered a plan to the secretary
of state for their benefit, which he hoped would in due time be attended
to.

After these, the women and children were mustered, and were found to
compose a very considerable part of the settlement.

With the ripening of the maize fields, the depredations of the natives
returned. On the 19th the governor received a dispatch from Parramatta,
containing an account, that a man had been murdered by them near
Toongabbie, and three others severely wounded; and a few days after two
others were killed in the same manner. It became, from these
circumstances, absolutely necessary to send out numerous well-armed
parties, and attack them wherever they should be met with; for lenity or
forbearance had only been followed by repeated acts of cruelty.

Toward the latter end of the month, Mr. Bass, the surgeon of the
_Reliance_, returned from an excursion in an open boat to the
southward, after an absence of twelve weeks. This gentleman, who had
little to occupy him while his ship was refitting, disliking an idle
life, possessing with a good constituti