y informing all the inhabitants of the colony,
whether in a civil or a military capacity, that he expected, as they
valued His Majesty's authority, or the peace and civil government of the
settlement, that they would exert every effort to preserve good order;
and, to that end, that they should aid and assist the civil power when
and wherever it might be necessary, and report all such persons as they
might know to be in any way acting in opposition to this order.

It was hoped by the governor, that this order would convince the people
particularly styled defenders, that, if they continued to be troublesome,
they would not very readily escape from the punishment to which their
turbulent and restless conduct might entitle them.

From the accession of numbers to the public gangs, the different works in
hand at Sydney and Parramatta went rapidly on. At the former of these
places the erection of a granary, 72 feet in length and 22 in breadth,
was begun on the west side of the main street, there not being a building
for the reception of grain yet prepared in that township.

Boats were sent round to the Hawkesbury, for various articles wanted at
Sydney. From that part of the settlement, the timber most useful for boat
and other buildings was occasionally received; shingles also of a good
sort were brought round; and frequently the boats returned loaded with
grain. It has been shown, in the account of this colony already
published, that the farms upon the fertile banks of that river were
superior, in point of soil, to any near the principal settlement; and
that, had they been in the hands of good and industrious characters, they
would have produced abundant crops, and enriched their owners. But every
day's experience evinced, that the people thus fortunately situated were,
unluckily, some of the most profligate wretches in the colony; and their
distance from the immediate seat of government added much to the
inconvenience. Such of these farms as were situated on the low grounds
were often overflowed after very heavy falls of rain; but this
circumstance was in no way injurious to the farmer, unless it happened
when the grain was ripening.

Among other local arrangements which took place, and were extremely
useful, must be reckoned the numbering of the houses of the towns of
Sydney and Parramatta, and dividing them into portions; with a principal
inhabitant at the head of each division, who was charged with the peace
and good o