Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), Sunday 10 February 1805, page 2


SYDNEY.

A draft was made on Friday to Parramatta from the gaol gang, in which were included the persons convicted before a Bench of Ma-

gistrates of receiving spirits by permits frau-dulently obtained ; together with the pri-soners who had absconded from the settle-

ment at King’s Town, to remain in the gaol

gang at Parramatta till further orders.

The Æolus, during her stay in the Cove, took in many specimens of natural produc-tion, animal and vegetable. Among the former were several of the largest 𝑓𝑙𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 π‘“π‘œπ‘₯𝑒𝑠 remembered to have been seen. The ligne-ous specimen consists chiefly of a beautiful sample of oak, pear tree, &c. the feathered tribe chiefly confined to the rich and varie-gated plumage of the parrot.

The effects of the late very heavy and incessant rains have left their usual traces among the cottage habitations, few of which

have totally escaped visible injury. The

unabating shower that fell on Wednesday night without a moment’s interval from dark till several hours after daylight, few plaistered pannels could resist ; and had the violence of the weather not somewhat abated, many

slight buildings must certainly have been washed totally away, and “like the baseless fabric of a vision, left not a wreck behind.” The mode of building, however, receives the improvement it so much stood in need of, as permanency is now more generally con-sulted than it had hitherto been. Some months since a ludicrous, tho’ indeed distress-ing circumstance occurred in the purchase of one of these airy buildings that perhaps in point of π‘ π‘’π‘›π‘–π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘–π‘‘π‘¦ came short of few. The bargain concluded, the vender removed his π‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘π‘‘π‘’π‘™π‘  and 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑑𝑠 to make room for his suc-cessor ; who being by the intervention of a couple of days very bad weather prevented from immediate occupancy, upon the third proceeded to possession by entry ; but had the unspeakable mortification to find that he had too long suspended his design, as the β„Žπ‘œπ‘’π‘ π‘’ had taken leave of the π‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘šπ‘–π‘ π‘’π‘ , and

left scarce a handful of rubbish in its

place.

By the latest accounts from Hawkesbury we are happy to learn that the settlement has not suffered by the heavy rains, which set in on Friday se’nnight, and continued nearly without intermission until Sunday night, at which time a rise of the water had become visible, to the height of the banks. On Wednesday night last, before which the fresh had much subsided, the very heavy fall occa-sioned appearances which seemed to indicate a general flood ; but happily with the rain every apprehension also disappeared. We understand, however, that some of the low grounds about the banks were flooded, and some few patches of growing corn destroyed ; but the damage sustained whereby is very

inconsiderable.

The damage occasioned to the streets by the rains is also inconsiderable ; but if neg-lected must inevitably return to their origi-nal state, which a very trifling portion of labour would effectually prevent. We do not conceive a hint for this purpose necessary, as every inhabitant who consults not only appearences, but the very safety of himself and family, as well as the public accomoda-tion will need no spur to the performance of so necessary a duty as that of keeping his own portion of the causeway at least in a pro-per condition of repair. The bridge at the lower end of Pitt’s Row has on the present occasion withstood the rapid torrents that ran beneath it without bearing any unpleasant trace whatever ; and, as is already observed, the little that is necessary to restore the foot‐ path may easily, and no doubt will readily be accomplished.

βΈΊβΈΊ

We have not heard as yet of any unfavo-rable occurrence from the lightning that accompanied the late stormy weather. The only circumstance of an extraordinary nature that has yet come to hand is that of a large and lofty tree being struck at Hawkesbury with such violence as to be rent piecemeal, and the branches dispersed in different direc-tions to the immense distance of several hun-

dred yards ; one of which falling directly on a barn belonging to T. Burgess, in which a thresher was employed at the instant, de-molished the roof, but happily without the slightest injury to the man.

βΈΊβΈΊ

In various quarters of the town complaints are still sanctioned by the license given to swine : to the path‐way they are said to be more pernicious than a fortnight’s incessant shower, and to the garden more destructive

than a swarm of locusts. βΈΊβΈΊ

Some very fine salt has been made at Newcastle in the pan sent down by the In-tegrity, two of which were sent out by Government in the Coromandel. ⸺⸺

π‘‡β„Žπ‘œπ‘ . π·π‘’π‘ π‘šπ‘œπ‘›π‘‘, a prisoner who has a third time effected a temporary escape from the settlement at King’s Town, was last week apprehended at Broken Bay by the people belonging to the Hawkesbury, and sent in ustody to Parramatta ; and from thence

committed to the county gaol, to be returned to Newcastle by the Resource. βΈΊβΈΊ

The owner of the sloop Speedwell, sup-posed to have been lost seven months since

on her way to King’s Town, has received some accounts tending to confirm the suppo-sition ; stating, that the hull of a vessel answering the description lay high on a shoally beach about forty miles to the north-ward of Broken Bay ; her deck blown up, and hull almost totally to pieces. It may be remembered that the Speedwell and Raven sailed in company, and separated in a tremen-dous gale, during which the latter drove as far as Port Stephen’s, and narrowly esacped being wrecked there. And from the length of time that has elapsed since that melancholy event, no hope can possibly be entertained of either of the four persons on board being

saved. βΈΊβΈΊ

A boatman being interrogated by a novice in the branch, “why it was sometimes customary to dash a π‘π‘œπ‘œπ‘™π‘’π‘Ÿ into a freight of wheat,” with sang‐froid returned “that it was only to keep the cargo from β„Žπ‘’π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘›π‘”.” Were the grain actually on fire, the π‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘π‘Žπ‘’-π‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘› might be commended ; but 𝑖𝑓 the custom be not defensible on the principle of ne-cessity, it can scarcely be imagined, that however it may benefit a freight in point of π‘žπ‘’π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘π‘–π‘‘π‘¦, that the π‘žπ‘’π‘Žπ‘™π‘–π‘‘π‘¦ can be much im-proved by the device.