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The buildings are of stone, brick, and lath and plaister;
weather-boarded; and the houses are durable. There are two churches;
one, St. Philip's, which possesses a very handsome service of
communion plate, presented by his Majesty, and received by the
Calcutta, on the 8th of October, 1803; and the other, St. John's, at
Parramatta: There are likewise a school and chapel at Hawkesbury,
where divine service is performed. Two jails have also been erected
in the colony. A house has been built for the governor at each of
the principal settlements; which also possess several very
commodious barracks, with many other public buildings, and a great
number of extensive and handsome houses, the property of private
individuals. There are a stone bridge, and several very substantial
wooden ones, which, if not celebrated for beauty, are found
extremely serviceable, and well calculated for all the present
purposes of the colony, which is not yet sufficiently advanced in
prosperity to prefer ornament to use. A new stone citadel is in a
course of building, on which the Royal Standard, for the first time
in these settlements, was hoisted on the 4th of June, 1803; and
several batteries are erected.--For a more particular account of the
buildings at Sydney, I must refer the reader to the following
explanation of the Views of Sydney, the principal seat of
government, which accompany this sketch:-- |
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In the View of Sydney, from the East side of the Cove, No. I. the
house under two birds, as r r , is the Residence of the Governor in
Chief, which is built of brick, plaistered over; has very convenient
stables and outhouses, and is a very pleasant and comfortable
residence; the garden and shrubbery extend to about four acres. The
Flag-staff near the gardenhouse bears the Union on holidays, and
different signal-colours are used there to form a communication
between the shore and the king's vessels in the Cove. The Pine tree
growing in the garden is from Norfolk Island, and runs to an amazing
height and thickness; the knots from this tree are used instead of
flambeaux, and burn remarkably well. The buildings under three
birds, as r r r, extending some distance right and left, and forming
a square, are the Military Barracks, built of brick, the largest of
which was erected by Lieutenant-Governor Foveaux: This is an
extensive well-built place, and was finished in far less time than
any building ever begun upon by government in that settlement,
considering its magnitude. The White House and Warehouses, which
appear immediately under that building, although a considerable
distance on this side, belong to Mr. Simeon Lord; they are built of
stone, and the dwelling-house is by far the most magnificent in the
colony. The road leading through Barrack-square is the high road to
Parramatta. The house at the head of Government-wharf, shewing four
windows on the ground floor, is a Dry Storehouse belonging to the
crown, and is used for depositing articles for barter, &c. in, which
are sent out by government for that purpose. The small yellow house
behind it belongs to government, and is inhabited by Mr. John Gowen,
one of his majesty's store-keepers in that settlement. The yellow
house, on the right of the Barrack-square, and having nine windows
in front on each floor, is an extensive Government Granary, and was
built of brick, plaistered over, under the direction of his
excellency Governor Hunter. Attached to this building, on the right,
is a very useful Military Store; and, on the left, a Store for the
issue of Provisions. The red house, to the right, built of brick,
with two wings, is the Female Orphan-house, which is a very
convenient building, and was purchased from Captain Kent, of the
royal navy, but great additions have been made to it subsequent to
its purchase. The long building above the Orphan-house, of which
only a part of the front is seen, is built of brick, and belongs to
Garnham Blaxcell, Esq. whose zeal for the colony, and whose
industry, have equally entitled him to the esteem and praise of all.
The house a little to the right of the Orphan-house, and appearing
to have a wing, is the Dwelling, and, attached to it, are the
Warehouses of Mr. James Underwood; they are built of brick, and are
extremely commodious and comfortable. The building above is the
Church, as the tower denotes; it is built of stone, and has a peal
of eight bells therein, but they are not very harmonious. On the
right of the one road leading to the church, the building with four
windows and two doors in front, and the erection above it, are two
Government Store-houses, built of brick and plaister; the first is
generally used for bonding of spirits in, for naval stores, &c.; and
the other for the reception of salt provisions, when any arrive from
England. The Windmill on the hill is built of stone, and belongs to
government; and the building on the right, which is continued in
View, No. II. with a wall round it, is built of stone, and forms
part of the County Gaol. In the fore ground, six of the Natives are
in the attitude of throwing the spear; two with spears; one with a
spear and helemon, or shield; and two sitting down.--Of the
dexterity with which they hurl this weapon, some notice has been
taken in a preceding part of this sketch.
In View, No. II. taken from the East side of the Cove, the long
building, with a flight of steps, is the County Gaol, of which a
part is seen in No. I. The White Building, to the right of the
Prison, of which only three windows in front, and the warehouses
around it, are discovered, belongs to Mr. Henry Kable, who, with
Messrs. Lord and Underwood, have been very industrious and
enterprising men in the oil and sealskin trade, &c. and possess a
number of vessels and considerable estates in the colony. The two
small Houses, rather to the right, below the Gaol, built of brick,
are used for the boats' crews. The Warehouses which hide part of
these huts, and the House above, belong to Mr. Isaac Nichols; they
are very extensive and commodious, and are built of stone. The
House, still further to the right, with a door, four windows, and
two side-lights, in front, and kitchen detached, belongs to Mr.
Thomas Moore, the principal shipwright, a man of unshaken integrity
and large property. The wharf near this part, is called the Hospital
Wharf, where all merchandize, &c. is directed to be landed. The Road
leading on the hill, takes different directions to the houses and
streets on the rocks. The three long buildings, on the right of the
road, are the General Hospitals; and in the front of them is the
Government Dock-yard. Next, to the right of the Hospitals, one
building with eight windows and two doors in front, and the other
with four windows and a door, with side-lights, in front, are the
Barracks occupied by the Medical Staff. The two next buildings are
not tenanted by their late possessors. The large buildings to the
right, at the water's edge, are the House and extensive Warehouses
of Robert Campbell, Esq. a merchant, where a ship of large
dimensions can load or unload, with any tide, alongside his wharf.
Near this place a vessel belonging to that gentleman some time ago
caught fire, and after a great deal of trouble she was sunk, by
which means the fire was extinguished; she was afterwards got up,
and underwent such repairs as soon enabled her to proceed on her
voyage. Where the yellow flag is seen flying, on Dawes's Point,
there is a Battery, and Lookout-house, to communicate with the
signals for ships in the offing at South Head. The River round the
point leads to several agricultural and farming districts, and to
Parramatta. On the hill is the Citadel, with the union flag flying,
and two Government Wind-mills, one built of wood and the other of
stone, the latter of which is unserviceable. The other buildings
belong to individuals indiscriminately. The Canoes, with fires in
them, belong to the natives. |
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In View, No. I. taken from the West side of the Cove, on one side of
the land which is farthest seen, is the Harbour; and on the other,
is an amazing expanse of sea. There is a carriage-road made from
Sydney to the extreme point, which is South Head, and a great many
carriages and horsemen frequently go down there to spend the day, or
to see any vessels which may appear off the land. On South Head are,
a Flag-staff, a Lookout-house, and an Obelisk; and betwixt it and
the North Head, is a narrow entrance, by which vessels enter the
port, about seven miles from Sydney. The small island in the centre
is called Pinch-gut, which name originated from some persons being
placed there on an allowance of provisions for some offence, where
they built an oven, the remains of which are yet to be seen: At this
time there is a man named Brown, before spoken of, hung in chains on
this spot, for committing several murders. The other islands,
between these and the heads, are called Garden, Shark's, and Clark's
Islands. On the land to the right of Pinch-gut, called Be-ne-long's
Point, the native of that name, who was once in England, had a hut
built by government; but he soon left it, and it was destroyed:
There are also the remains of a battery there. Under two birds, as r
r, are two Houses on a point of land leading from Farm Cove, the
next cove to the eastward of Sydney. Under a large flight of birds,
are three Wind-mills, and an extensive Bakehouse; two of which, and
the bake-house, belong to John Palmer, Esq. and the other to Mr.
Henry Kable. Beneath them is Government House, and part of the
offices, and grounds. To the right of the Government wharf are the
Dry Stores spoken of in No. I. from the east side. The building
above that, of brick, is the Main Guard-house, and is a very
convenient place for that purpose. The Stone-house, and offices, to
the right of the Dry Stores, with five windows on a floor, belong to
Mr. Thomas Reiby; the brick House, nearly adjoining, to Mr. Andrew
Thompson; and the large Stone-house and Warehouses, to Mr. Simeon
Lord, spoken of in No. I. of the other Views; in the front of which
buildings is the principal road leading to Government House, where
are houses and offices for the Judge Advocate, Commissary,
Clergyman, and Surveyor-General; but they are mostly hidden in this
View by the trees and large buildings before them. The stone
building at the stern of the Sloop, comprises the Warehouse and part
of the House belonging to Mr. Isaac Nichols, spoken of in No. II. of
the other Views, and continued in the next of this. The buildings
concealed by part of the long shed near, but on this side Mr.
Nichols's, is the back part of the Assistant-Surgeon's Barracks. The
house behind the trees is the back of the Barracks of the principal
Surgeon. The house near the Natives, who are fighting, is not
occupied by any person of particular consequence; and the one,
partly hidden by the rocks, was occupied by Mr. Moore, but is going
to decay.
In View, No. II. taken from the West side of the Cove, the lofty
House of which a part is seen, and which was spoken of in No. II. of
the other Views, and I. of this, belongs to Mr. Isaac Nichols; and
the buildings on this side are the back of the General Hospital. The
Bridge, the only one built of stone in the whole colony, is a very
bad structure; the walls on each side of the arch inclose the
grounds belonging to the Orphan-house and Mr. Simeon Lord. The road
seen on the other side of the bridge is called Spring-row; it leads
to several streets, and joins the main road to Parramatta, &c.;
below the paling of which there are very large Tanks, cut in rocks,
to supply the town and shipping with water; but there is another
watering-place for ships on the north side of the Cove, very
commodious, and the permission to use which produces a small annual
income to the Orphan fund. The rows, commencing above the foot of
the Bridge, on the east side, are called Chapel, Pitt's, and
Serjeant-Major's rows, the latter of which, under the two birds,
runs to the Brick-fields, towards Parramatta. The House on the
right, at this end of the longest street, seen in this View, with
three windows and a door visible, belongs to Garnham Blaxcell, Esq.
spoken of in No. I. of the other Views. The building, the eastern
end of which is partly covered by a tree, is the most southern
Military Barrack. The two lofty red houses at the west foot of the
Bridge, in the rise, are side-views of the Orphan-house and Mr.
James Underwood's, spoken of in No. I. of the other Views. The
houses on the right, a spot called the Rocks, belong to different
individuals, and some of them are very comfortable habitations.
Over the south creek at Hawkesbury a floating-bridge has been
erected, which has proved greatly beneficial to the public; since,
previous to its completion, every person who had occasion to go to
that settlement, and in many cases from one farm to another, was
obliged to pass to and fro in a boat. As this bridge was constructed
by an individual (Mr. Andrew Thompson, a settler) at his own
expense, the following tolls are allowed to be demanded:--For every
foot-passenger, four-pence, or ten shillings per annum; for each
horse, single or in draught, two shillings and sixpence, or two
pounds ten shillings per annum; for waggons, or other four-wheel
carriages, with not more than half a ton lading, one shilling and
sixpence, or one pound ten shillings per annum; for carts, or
carriages with two wheels, laden or not, each one shilling and
sixpence, or one pound ten shillings per annum; for sheep, under a
score, two-pence each, and by the score two shillings and sixpence,
or two pounds ten shillings per annum; swine and goats, the same as
sheep. Passengers, horses, carts, and carriages, are allowed to pass
and re-pass, during the same day, with one ticket; and a
considerable income is derived from this toll.
The children born in this colony from European parents, are very
robust, comely, and well made; nor do I recollect a solitary
instance of one being naturally deformed. They are remarkably quick
of apprehension; learn any thing with uncommon rapidity; and greatly
improve in good manners, promising to become a fine race of people.
The Duke of Northumberland has sent over some Teeswater sheep, and
one stallion, very recently, to Colonel Johnston, which have greatly
improved the breed of both. Mr. Mac Arthur took over some Merino
sheep, from the King's flock, which are thriving, and the wool of
which is extremely fine; several samples have been produced in
England. The deer in this colony (originally, I believe, from India)
thrive very well, but are of the Rein species, and rather inclined
to be small: I have seen some very good venison, and of a superior
flavour to any I ever eat in England, though not so fat; the breed
might be much improved by a few being sent of a larger quality. Some
time ago several made their escape from a park belonging to Mr.
Harris, who has for many years been surgeon of the regiment there,
and before I left the colony, they were breeding and running wild in
the woods.
Several foreign vessels have within these few years arrived here on
discovery; but nothing material has resulted from their
observations, with which the reader has not been made acquainted.
The Present Picture Of New South Wales, 1811 |
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