uing, however, its original character
of a penal settlement--a place of punishment for the convicted felons of
New South Wales. Cattle and live stock rapidly increased, land became
more and more cultivated, houses were built, farms enclosed, free
emigrants began to arrive, Hobart Town became a place of some trade and
importance, and at last, in 1821, or thereabouts, _only seventeen years_
after the first establishment of the colony, St. David's Church, at
Hobart Town, was, we read, "completed and opened."[116] What attention
was paid to the spiritual welfare of the poor creatures in this new
penal colony during the long interval that elapsed before the occurrence
of that great event, it seems hard to say; but, judging from what we
have already seen, we may be quite certain of this, that _no less care_
was taken of them, than had formerly been bestowed upon those of a
similar character in Norfolk Island.

[116] See Montgomery Martin's New South Wales and Van Diemen's
Land, p. 257.

While Captain King held the government of New South Wales, a subject
began to attract the notice of the colonial authorities, which
afterwards proved to be one of the highest importance, both to the
settlement and likewise to the mother country, namely, the introduction
and increase of free settlers. According to Dr. Lang, the first free
settlers who emigrated to New South Wales arrived there during Governor
Hunter's administration, which began in August, 1795; but by other
writers it is stated that five settlers and their families arrived by
the _Bellona_, in January 1798, so that these may justly be considered
the first free emigrants that removed from Europe to Australia.[117] The
conditions under which they engaged to settle were, that their passage
out should be provided by government, that an assortment of tools and
implements should be furnished them, that they should be supplied for
two years with provisions, that their lands should be granted free of
expense, and that convicts should be assigned for their service, and
provided with provisions for two years, and clothing for one. Besides
these few emigrants, many of the soldiers and officers, and some of the
released convicts, had grants of land given to them; but, generally
speaking, their agricultural efforts were not very successful, and
_military men_ seemed as little capable of becoming good farmers as
_pickpockets_ were. Yet, as if to show what _might_ have been done
by pru