were but few among them who would
have been found with principle enough to have returned it of themselves.

While they were here, the governor and his party went up the river, and
ascended Richmond-hill, on the summit of which a large smoke was made at
noon, at which time a similar smoke was made on Prospect-hill, that was
very distinctly seen, and its bearings taken, to ascertain the relative
situation of the two hills. This bearing, which was S 35 degrees 00
minutes E by compass, gave, with the latitude observed on each, the
distance between the two hills about eighteen miles in a direct line.

By this bearing, should there be occasion hereafter, a road through the
woods, from the head of the Hawkesbury, might be cut in the shortest and
most direct way to Parramatta.

At the head of this river, and upon the banks of that named the Nepean,
there was known to be a tract of excellent land, as rich as any on the
banks of the Hawkesbury which was then under cultivation, and where, at
some future period, a settlement might be advantageously established.

The governor, on his return from this excursion, had the mortification of
seeing a stack, containing about eight hundred bushels of wheat, burnt to
the ground. This happened at Toongabbie, near which place the country was
every where in flames, and where, unfortunately, much wheat belonging to
government was stacked. The fire broke out about eight o'clock in the
evening; the wind was high, the night extremely dark, and the flames had
mounted to the very tops of the lofty woods which surrounded a field
called the ninety acres, in which were several stacks of wheat. The
appearance was alarming, and the noise occasioned by the high wind, and
the crackling of the flames among the trees, contributed to render the
scene truly awful.

It became necessary to make every effort to save this field and its
contents. The gaol-gang, who worked in irons, were called out, and told,
that if the wheat was saved by their exertion, their chains should be
knocked off. By providing every man with a large bush, to beat off the
fire as it approached the grain over the stubble, keeping up this
attention during the night, and the wind becoming moderate towards
morning, the fire was fortunately kept off, and the promise to the
gaol-gang was not forfeited.*

[* In the month of December 1792, two days after the wheat
had been reaped and got off the ground at Toongabbie, the whole of the
stubble w