to
whom they related what had passed and persuaded them to relinquish their
intention. There are at this time not less than thirty-eight convict men
missing, who live in the woods by day, and at night enter the different
farms and plunder for subsistence.

December 3rd, 1791. Began my survey of the cultivated land belonging to the
public. The harvest has commenced. They are reaping both wheat and barley.
The field between the barrack and the governor's house contains wheat and
maize, both very bad, but the former particularly so. In passing through
the main street I was pleased to observe the gardens of the convicts look
better than I had expected to find them. The vegetables in general are but
mean, but the stalks of maize, with which they are interspersed, appear
green and flourishing. The semicircular hill, which sweeps from the
overseer of the cattle's house to the governor's house, is planted with
maize, which, I am told, is the best here. It certainly looks in most
parts very good--stout thick stalks with large spreading leaves--but I am
surprised to find it so backward. It is at least a month later than that
in the gardens at Sydney. Behind the maize is a field of wheat, which looks
tolerably for this part of the world. It will, I reckon, yield about twelve
bushels an acre. Continued my walk and looked at a little patch of wheat
in the governor's garden, which was sown in drills, the ground being first
mixed with a clay which its discoverers pretended was marle. Whatever it
be, this experiment bespeaks not much in favour of its enriching qualities;
for the corn looks miserably, and is far exceeded by some neighbouring
spots on which no such advantage has been bestowed. Went round the
crescent at the bottom of the garden, which certainly in beauty of form and
situation is unrivalled in New South Wales. Here are eight thousand vines
planted, all of which in another season are expected to bear grapes.
Besides the vines are several small fruit trees, which were brought in
the Gorgon from the Cape, and look lively; on one of them are half a dozen
apples as big as nutmegs. Although the soil of the crescent be poor, its
aspect and circular figure, so advantageous for receiving and retaining the
rays of the sun, eminently fit it for a vineyard. Passed the rivulet
and looked at the corn land on its northern side. On the western side of
Clarke's* house the wheat and maize are bad, but on the eastern side is a
field supposed