as burnt, the country being then, as at this time, every where
on fire. See Vol I. Ch. XIX, viz: 'At Parramatta and Toongabbie also the
heat was extreme; the country there too was every where in flames. Mr.
Arndell was a great sufferer by it. The fire had spread to his farm; but
by the efforts of his own people and the neighbouring settlers it was got
under, and its progress supposed to be effectually checked, when an
unlucky spark from a tree, which had been on fire to the topmost branch,
flying upon the thatch of the hut where his people lived, it blazed out;
the hut with all the out-buildings, and thirty bushels of wheat just got
into a stack, were in a few minutes destroyed. The erecting of the hut
and out-houses had cost L15 a short time before.']

Although at this season of the year there were days when, from the
extreme heat of the atmosphere, the leaves of many culinary plants
growing in the gardens have been reduced to a powder, yet there was some
ground for supposing that this accident did not arise from either the
heat of the weather, or the fire in the woods. The grain that was burnt
was the property of government, and the destruction of eight hundred
bushels of wheat made room for that quantity to be received into the
stores from the settlers who had wheat to sell to the commissary; there
were, moreover, at this time, some ill-designing people in the country,
who were known not to have much regard for the concerns of the public. An
enquiry was set on foot to discover, if possible, the perpetrators of
this mischief, but nothing could be made of it.

Several people who had been hired to saw timber on the public account
having been detected in giving a false statement, and receiving payment
for what they had not cut, were examined before two justices of the
peace; when, the fraud being proved, they were sentenced to make up the
deficiency, and to work for government, without being paid, for six
months. One, the man who measured the work, and who of course had a
confidence reposed in him, received the additional punishment of 200
lashes, which he amply merited.

Some representations having been made to the governor from the settlers
in different parts of the colony, purporting that the wages demanded by
the free labouring people, whom they had occasion to hire, was so
exorbitant as to run away with the greatest part of the profit of their
farms, it was recommended to them to appoint quarterly meetings among
t