r bushel. Much of that grain was found to have been blighted
this season. The ground about Toongabbie was pronounced to be worn out,
the produce of the last harvest not averaging more than six or seven
bushels an acre, though at first it was computed at seventeen. The
Northern farms had also failed through a blight.

Our loss by death in the year 1794 was, two settlers; four soldiers; one
soldier's wife; thirty-two male convicts; ten female convicts; and ten
children; making a total of fifty-nine persons.

CHAPTER XXVIII

Gangs sent to till the public grounds
The _Francis_ sails
Regulations for the Hawkesbury
Natives
Works
Weather
Deaths
Produce at the river
Transactions there
Natives
The _Francis_ arrives from the Cape
The _Fancy_ from New Zealand
Information
The _Experiment_ sails for India
A native killed
Weather
Wheat
Criminal Court
Ration reduced
The _Britannia_ hired to procure provisions
Natives at the Hawkesbury
The _Endeavour_ arrives with cattle from Bombay
Deaths
Returns of ground sown with wheat
The _Britannia_ sails for India
The _Fancy_ for Norfolk Island
Convicts
Casualties

1795.]

January.] From the great numbers of labouring convicts who were
employed in the town of Sydney, and at the grounds about Petersham; of
others employed with officers and settlers; of those who, their terms of
transportation having expired, were allowed to provide for themselves;
and of others who had been permitted to leave the colony, public
field-labour was entirely at a stand. The present commanding officer
wishing to cultivate the grounds belonging to government, collecting as
many labourers as could be got together, sent a large gang, formed of
bricklayers, brickmakers, timber-carriage men, etc. etc. to Parramatta
and Toongabbie, there to prepare the ground for wheat for the ensuing
season. At the muster which had been lately taken fifty people were found
without any employment, whose services still belonged to the public;
most of these were laid hold of, and sent to hard labour; and it appeared
at the same time that some few were at large in the woods, runaways, and
vagabonds. These people began labouring in the grounds immediately after
New Year's day, which as usual was observed as a holiday.

On the 22nd, the convict women who had children attended at the store,
when they received for each child three yards of flannel, one shirt, and
two pounds of soap.

On the day following, the