Monitor (Sydney, NSW : 1826 - 1828), Friday 8 December 1826, page 2


DOMECTIC INTELLENCE It is our painful task to record melancholy instance of the mutability of human affairs. There dwelt upon the North Shore a reputable family named Melsham, the heads of whom had long held confidential posts in the households of Governors Macquarie and Brisbane; ha-ving acquired an easy competency, they had retired to this sequestered spot to enjoy the fruits of their labour, a comfortable neatly furnished dwelling; a garden, cattle and a well known resort of Sunday-goers, known as "The Milk House," which produced a considerable weekly ren-tal, constituted their possessions. Melsham was absent, and his wife and daughter saw with fearful soli-itude the distant smoke rising o'er the hill; towards the set of sun the blazing heath presented to their view an appalling prospect--two male domestics then on the premises made active endeavours to cut off the commu-nication of the flames, by clearing a space as ample as time would admit of, to check its destructive progress; but the attempt was vainly made. The impelling breeze wafted ignited masses through the air, and the only re-source now left, was to remove the most valuable and necessary portables the house contained. Apparel, beds, &c. were hastily conveyed to a distance, but the unfortu-nate owners were compelled to witness the demolition of their peaceful habitation--the small remaining hope of saving the residue of their property was not left them long. The destructive element made rapid pro-gress towards the depository of their moveables, and quickly was the wreck complete--of a watch, the wheels alone remained--an old Kangaroo dog, guarding, it is supposed, the last relics of his master's worldly goods, had the hair literally singed off him, and his legs left in a pitiable state. The fate of their Cattle is not yet known, whether destroyed in the conflagration or driven into the bush. By this unforeseen visitation of Provi-dence, these unfortunate people are once more thrown upon the world, their hopes destroyed, and in the decline of life chilling Poverty appears to be their only prospect. SCOTUS in Saturday sen'night's Gazette in order to en-,courage the production of good Colonial grog and to-. bacco, recommends the present enormous duty on foreign spirits, and the present equitable and rational duty on foreign tobacco to be increased. It is astonishing to ade the ignorance of men, who will not only give their opinions, but even print them in the face of expe rience and of such men as Adam 'Smith. To raise the 'duties on foreign spirits and tobacco, would be to encou 'rage smuggling and all its perjuries and immoralities, 'as - well .s to create a set of searcheis; revenue officers, and 'otlier retainers of Government to consume our revenue to n, purpose. Would' to common sense men would begin at the right end first! . Reduce the duty on spirits distilled in the Colony from grain, and grant a small bounty (if you must do. any thing for Tobacco) on the exportation of this commodity in the leaf. . rf. CLERICAL. COMPLAISANCE. - In the Church Service of the Thanksgiving of women after child-birth, the Curate of ------- afrid of offending his. patroness, who was a lady of quality, introduced the words "elect lady," instead of woman, and accordingly said "Save the elect lady thy servant," when the Clerk, with equal respect and zeal, responded " Who putteth her Ladyship's trust in thee." By the return of Writs, the names of one hundred and thirty new members appear, to serve in the present Parliament. No business was likely to take place until after the Christmas vacation. A CORRESPONDENT says-" There was a widow and her daughter in law, and a man and his son, the widow married the son, and the daughter the man, the widow was therefore mother to her husband's father, and con sequently grandmother to her: own husband-they had a son to whom she was great-grandmother-now as the son of a great-grandmother must be either'a grandfather or great uncle, this boy was therefore his own grand father ?" IT appears by the late arrivals from the Cape, that the labours of His Majesty's Commissioners of Equiry were drawing to a close. Major Colebrook and Mr. Blair, had proceeded to the Isle of France in H. M. S. Sparrowhawk, but Mr. Bigge and Mr. Gregory, were to remain some time longer at their present quarters. The ship Leda, from the Cape of Good Hope to the Derwent, brought the following improbable remarks that Captain Ostler, of the Marquis of Hastings, had taken some contraband goods on board his vessel and in order to prevent detection had attempted to burn his sbip, but not succeeding immediatdely drowned himself. It appears however that she sailed out of Table Bay on the 26th, of Sept. under the command of Mr. G. Martin, for London. By the Isabella, Capt. Barlow returns from the command of Melville Island, in which he has been succeeded by Major Campbell. Lieuteinant Everard, and a detachment of the 3rd Regiment and Dr. Turner, have also reached Head Quarters. The settleinent is represented to have been in a sickly state, insomuch that five and six men only have been in a condition for labour, consequently little progress has been made in cultivation. The timber on a spacious tract of land has been felled some time but has not yet been cleared off. A considerable quantity of surplus stores have been returned. We do not however hear any intimation of the probable departure of the Success to break up this establishment. THE Sons of Caledon delebrated the Anniversary of their Patron Saint by an elegant Entertainment at

Cummin's Hotel, on Thursday Evening. Fifty-three gentlemen, among whom we noticed most of the Naval, Military, and Civil Officers in Sydney, sat down to dinner at tables judiciously arranged in an open area at the back of the hotel " He gave them of his Highland cheer," and all parties appeared, to pass the evening with that r conviviality which ever distinguishes Britons, whether from the. Northern or Southern points of Albion's Isle, more especially when they meet like pilgrims on a dis tant shore-the band of the Buffs renovated the ears ot the guests with soul-inspiring melody-the worthy Chairman, of the feast (Captain Piper) diffused such ge neral hilarity, that " The early Village Cock " Had thrice done salutatioa to the Morn," ere the jovial party had dispersed. THE first Circulating Library established in Australia, and which, though on a circumscribed scale, tended to pass in rational amusement many otherwise idle hours, was disorganized on Saturday. by the magical, influence of the Auctioneer's hammer-among these first fruits there were very *few select works-the taste for literature even of this description has not yet made that progress among our Austral neighbours which might have been expected. , SAs an instance of the increasing value of land in the town of Sydney, a plot of ground in a very eligible Ssituation, the scite of a newly-erected pile of buildings in George-street, was some few months ago purchased for three' niunurei -pouil < cn ti^ aVt a.llo.t.mreit .ccres ponding in every particular sold still more recently for five hundred pounds. A. well-known Pugilist, whose prowess, under the cognomina of West Country Dick, has long been acknow ledged among our Sporting Circle, has at. length chosen these shores as the scene of future exploits, having reached them in the Speke, but,,under sentence of trans portation. THE HULK or Floating Prison is undergoing some . extensive 1 alterations with a view to the accommodation of nearly double its present number of inmates, which do not on an average fall far short of two hundred. What is technically termed the Orlop deck is fitting up with apartments to contain six 'men each'. The Prisoners, who with the exception of mechanics have been hitherto unemployed, will commence operations on Goat Island in constructing a dock-yard-with its concomitancies. Quarries, &c. are' immediately to be formed. The Hulk will then change her moorings, and the system to be adopted will be similar to the Prison Hulks in England. THE scarcity of imported spirits is at this time so great that 'ai advance of two shillings per gallon has ,taken place during the last fortnight-should no arrivals take place, a farther, rise in this commodity may be I anticipated. We are not. rry for this rise in favour of our Colonial Distillers. " THE late dullnes of the Markets may be expected to continue some weeks longer. The stock of old Wheat is nearly exhausted, and all. hands are busily employed in 1 the joyous labour of the harvest. The weather has been r pretty favourable if we except the gales which have been t sofrequent during the month. 1 PRISONERS employed in Road Parties not having been i sent thither 'by a Magisterial sentence, are in future, f after serving an -unblemished probation therein for six t months to be returned to Head Quarters for assignment. s SAnovU nine months since, one or we believe two c vessels sailed from this port, denominated "The Pearl Company's Ships,'- to pursue the ostensible object of their t voyage-it was expected that they would return to this f port very shortly, the ground not being very distant-no l tidings have reached Port Jackson yet and some specu lation is afloat respecting them. SC