Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), Sunday 30 September 1804, page 2


SYDNEY.

An Entertainment was on Friday given by Hɪꜱ Exᴄᴇʟʟᴇɴᴄʏ, at which were present His Honor the Lɪᴇᴜᴛᴇɴᴀɴᴛ Gᴏᴠᴇʀɴᴏʀ and Captain Kᴇɴᴛ, with their Lᴀᴅɪᴇꜱ, and many other Officers, Civil, Military, and Naval, many of whom were accompanied by their Ladies also. At half past four the com-pany, fifty‐four in number, sat down to dinner ; and in the evening a splendid Ball commenced, which was supported with spirit and vivacity until an early hour.

The new road cutting from Perroquet to the Brickfield Hill promises an essential ad-

dition to the many useful improvements that have been rapidly made. No underta-king lays stricter claim to public attention

and exertion, than that which promises to be conducive to its welfare and accommodation, which is the avowed object in this as well as in every other instance whereupon their as-sistance has been found requisite. Twenty are called to the above work every day, and altho’ many of that number generally at-tend, yet others are found remiss ; but as a

return is regularly kept, none that evade the order can possibly escape the censure due to so reprehensible a conduct.

The violent southerly wind of Friday last was particularly felt at Parramatta ; one of the windows at the west end of the new church was blown in by a gust, and several

other trivial accidents occurred.

A boat was yesterday disposed of at the wharf, and the following 𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑠 deposited on delivery : 1 stuffed squirrel, 1 ditto koolah, 3 parrots, 𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑑 to talk in six weeks, 1 bandycoot, 2 native cats, and 1 tame kangaroo.

The prisoners who were last week men-tioned to have been brought in by the Edwin, after innumerable vicissitudes in consequence of their absconding from the Settlement of King’s Town, were on Tues-day put on board the Integrity to be re-turned thither.— That their deplorable con-dition might have lain claim to compassion is but natural to suppose ; and altho’ their attempt was no less criminal than unfortu-nate, yet every attention was ordered them, together with such indulgencies as might promote their recovery. In the event it turned out, however, that they were no less capable of abusing humane indulgence than they had been of exposing themselves to an almost inevitable destruction, by their first act of rashness and absurdity, in flying from a state of safety, under the weak presump-tion of regaining these Settlements through the trackless woods, in momentary danger of falling beneath the hostile hands of the

barbarous inhabitants. They were con-fined within the limits of the Town Gaol, but owing to their apparent weakness, were unsuspected of any design or even inclina-tion to attempt an escape. On Monday morning however, 𝑀𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑦 and 𝐶𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑛, the latter of whom it was that had been speared in the temple, were surprised in an effort to ascend the wall, and on examina-

tion it appeared that Hughes had actually got away. As it was not possible from the length of time elapsed since he had been seen, that he could have proceeded to any great distance, a hue and cry was immedi-

ately set up, and diligent search com-

menced. The offender was afterwards found by his pursuers concealed behind a ledge of Rocks in Cockle Bay, where he had with fragments of stone erected a kind of parapet in front of him. Whither they could intend to fly was a mystery neither could explain ; but means for their better security were necessarily had recourse to, and the latter attempt must considerably

aggravate their first desertion.

Four women of troublesome character were likewise sent by that vessel, and five others were taken on board the Bee and Wm.

and Mary yesterday se’nnight. This measure promises to be highly beneficial to the cause of morality, as it may tend to re-claim the abandoned objects of its rigours by a removal from the scene to them of dissipation, while to those that remain it furnishes a wholesome argument against the impropriety of infracting too openly the observance of decency and decorum.

Two labouring servants of the Crown were last week corporally punished on a charge of embezzling Iron, the property of

Government.

On Saturday last 𝐹𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑢𝑠 𝐺𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑔ℎ𝑎𝑛 was received in the County Gaol at Sydney,

under a commitment from the Magistrates of Parramatta, charged with uttering a Promissory Note there which proved to be a forgery. The Bill had been accepted

at the house of an eminent trader for the full value expressed ; but was traced to the utterer ; who being unable to give a satis-

factory account of its falling into his pos-session, was in consequence committed.

Several acres of barley were cut in the course of the last week at Hawkesbury ; in

which district one settler has already reaped three acres, and immediately prepared the ground for a second crop.

A ludicrous contest some days since took place, the parties engaged in which were a sein attendant and a 𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑟𝑎𝑒‐𝑓𝑖𝑠ℎ. The former perceiving that it had disengaged itself from the net, hardily ventured to oppose its escape, and forcibly to drive it in towards the shore : but received so warm a reception upon the onset, that he no longer considered glory as a counterpoise to personal safety.

To the enormous bulk of his antagonist was superadded an irresistible 𝑎𝑑𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 ; and the first 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠 lodged the point in his left side ; a second 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑢𝑠𝑡 he received in the leg ; and the ferocious sea brute would in all probabi-lity have conferred the 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑝‐𝑑𝑒‐𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑒, had not an indignant boat‐hook interposed, to vanquish him in turn. The poor fellow suffered unabating agony for many hours after, nor could the 𝑔𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑦 of the achieve-ment at all alleviate the consequences of a 𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑒 worthy the prowess of 𝐿𝑎 𝑀𝑎𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑎’𝑠 knight, whose 𝑟𝑢𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 remains his only spoil.