he inhabitants occasionally--to take their share in
the labours and the reward of those who toil. Amongst these there
are five in particular, to whom our countrymen have given the
names of Bull Dog, Bidgy Bidgy, Bundell, Bloody Jack, and another
whose name I cannot call to recollection, but who had a farm of
four acres and upwards, planted with maize, at Hawkesbury, which
he held by permission of Governor King; and the other four made
themselves extremely useful on board colonial vessels employed in
the fishing and sealing trade, for which they are in the regular
receipt of wages. They strive, by every means in their power, to
make themselves appear like the sailors with whom they associate,
by copying their customs, and imitating their manners; such as
swearing, using a great quantity of tobacco, drinking grog, and
other similar habits. These natives are the only ones, I believe,
who are inclined to industrious behaviour, and they have most
certainly rendered more essential services to the colony than any
others of their countrymen, who, in general, content themselves
with assisting to draw nets for fish, for the purpose of coming
in for a share of the produce of others toil.

The general pursuits of the natives, their manners and
customs, have been so accurately described by preceding writers
on the subject, that I shall forbear from entering into more
minute particulars, which would swell my sketch far beyond its
intended limits, and could add nothing to the knowledge of which
the well-informed reader is already possessed. It will be
sufficient to remark, that such as the inhabitants of the
interior of New Holland were represented ten years since, they
still remain, as the antecedent remarks must sufficiently
illustrate: The jealousy of the new settlers, which originally
existed, has indeed entirely vanished; but the proximity of a
civilized colony has not tended in the least to polish the native
rudeness and barbarism, which mark the behaviour of the original
inhabitants of this remote spot of the universe.

Climate.

Although the climate is variable, yet it is very healthy, and
uncommonly fine for vegetation. Most of the disorders which exist
in the settlement are the fruits of intemperance and debauchery,
the necessary result of that fatal addiction to drunkenness,
which produces mental imbecility and bodily decay. Frost is known
but little; at least, ice is very seldom seen; and, I believe,
snow has never y