Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), Tuesday 21 July 1829, page 2


TRISTAN D' ACUNHA.

A letter appeared in our number of Thurs-day last, containing sundry extracts from the London Weekly Review on the state of this interesting island. We are informed, however, that the writer quoted by our Correspondent is not correct in his state-ments, and having been favoured by an intelligent gentleman, who touch-ed there on his passage by the Pyra-mus, with several particulars of the actual condition of the island, we have pleasure in subjoining them for general information especially as they may be useful to the commanders of vessels trading between England and these Colonies or India.

Glass, who is now the head man in their little community, was originally sent to Tristan d'Acunha about fourteen years ago, with a company of Artillery, in which he was Corporal, under Captain Clouts, who was ordered to take possession of the island during Napoleon's residence at St. Helena ; and when, on the ex-Emperor's death, the party was withdrawn, Glass was permitted, in compliance with his own request, to remain behind, and to take charge of the cattle and stores. Being a man of great energy and perseverance, he has made surprising im-provements. When the Pyramus touched

there, in January last, the population con- sisted of 7 men, 6 women, and 14 children, of whom 8 or 9 were the offspring of Glass. They had 300 acres capable of cultivation— the finest pasturage — and most excellent water. Their stock consisted of 7o head of horned cattle, of the best breed, and the cows superior milkers; 100 sheep, the wool of which had sold at the Cape for 2s. 6d. a pound ; pigs in abundance ; and thousands of wild goats roaming on the hills. They had fields of wheat and barley growing in luxuriance, and a crop of potatoes which, though several ships had been supplied out of it, would, it was calculated, yield about twelve tons for each man's share. The most remarkable proof of their industry is, that they have fenced in their cultivated land with a wall of soil & stone three miles in circumference, on which Glass was em- ployed nearly ten years. He has also built himself a very comfortable house.

When the Pyramus approached the island, she fired a gun, and was immediately visited by a fine whale-boat with four men, com- manded by Glass, who had brought with him a keg of milk, butter, potatoes, and sundry other acceptable supplies. The potatoes, we are assured, were equal to any in the world. The island had lately been visited by H. M. S. Jas- sour, Captain Lyons, by the Resource, and by a brig, which had been supplied with poultry, water, &c.— Glass requested that

their circumstances might be made as pub-lic as possible, that vessels might be indu-ced to touch for provisions; and he stated that he should at all times be prepared to supply them with beef, mutton, poultry, fish, potatoes, vegetables, milk, butter,

water, &c. &c. He is a kind, open-hearted

man, and is proud to shew every civility to strangers ; and the gentlemen who have

visited his dominions, speak of him and

the island in the warmest terms of commen-

dation.

It was stated, a week or two ago, by one of the other papers, that Mr. George In-nis (one of the subscribers to the Address) was in possession of considerable grants of land, and had been appointed to the situa-tion lately held by Mr. John Stephen. The inuendo of this was, that Mr. Innis had signed the document from sinister

motives. Now the fact is, Mr. Innis did

certainly, in the ordinary straight-forward way, formerly receive a grant of land, which, not answering his purpose, he after-wards sold ; and of the three grants he now holds, he purchased every one. His name was put to the Address three weeks before

Mr. Stephen's situation became vacant. Where, then, is the ground on which he can be charged with sinister motive ?

A contemporary of Saturday last, has

strangely distorted our late review of the conduct of the Sydney Magistrate, and has in various ways put an unwarrantable co- louring both upon the review and upon the transactions themselves. If, on further consideration, we shall deem it necessary to reply, we may probably advance a few ob-

servations in our next.

A valuable opportunity is now presented to a few steady persons, of either sex, who may be willing to join the choir of St. James's Church; Mr. Pearson having offered to instruct, in the beautiful science of music, any who will lend their services on the Sunday, and attend the weekly practices.

We omitted to state in our last, that fif-teen cows of a very superior breed, belong-ing to Hannibal M'Arthur, Esq. were shewn at the Meeting of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society, on Thursday last.

A settler named Kenyon, living at Woodlands, near Parramatta, exhibited a quantity of turnips of an enormous size, at the Agricultural Meeting on Thursday. Some of them were nearly as large as a

small bucket.

Bergami, a beautiful Naples boar, the property of Edward Riley, Esq. of Raby, is the sire of the pigs that obtained the prizes at the last Agricultural Meeting. They were bred by Mr. Riley, and taken from the dam when about two months old by the present owner, Mr. Cowper, since which time they were reared solely upon milk till about three weeks ago, when from five to six cobs of maize were given them daily. Very large sums have been offered and refused for the sire, and the owner of tho prize animals declined the offer of 15 guineas for them.

The unfortunate female at present under sentence of death in the Sydney gaol, has been removed to the ward appropriated to female confines, owing to the ill state of health she was reported to be in by the visiting surgeon. The man who was convicted with her still remains in the con-demned cell.

A report was in town on Saturday, that the Lord Liverpool packet had been pirati-cally seized by same prisoners, but we are glad to find it had no foundation.