Buildings.
The buildings are of stone, brick, and lath and plaister; weather-boarded; and the houses are durable. There are two churches; one, St. Philip's, which possesses a very handsome service of communion plate, presented by his Majesty, and received by the Calcutta, on the 8th of October, 1803; and the other, St. John's, at Parramatta: There are likewise a school and chapel at Hawkesbury, where divine service is performed. Two jails have also been erected in the colony. A house has been built for the governor at each of the principal settlements; which also possess several very commodious barracks, with many other public buildings, and a great number of extensive and handsome houses, the property of private individuals. There are a stone bridge, and several very substantial wooden ones, which, if not celebrated for beauty, are found extremely serviceable, and well calculated for all the present purposes of the colony, which is not yet sufficiently advanced in prosperity to prefer ornament to use. A new stone citadel is in a course of building, on which the Royal Standard, for the first time in these settlements, was hoisted on the 4th of June, 1803; and several batteries are erected.--For a more particular account of the buildings at Sydney, I must refer the reader to the following explanation of the Views of Sydney, the principal seat of government, which accompany this sketch:--
In the View of Sydney, from the East side of the Cove, No. I. the house under two birds, as r r , is the Residence of the Governor in Chief, which is built of brick, plaistered over; has very convenient stables and outhouses, and is a very pleasant and comfortable residence; the garden and shrubbery extend to about four acres. The Flag-staff near the gardenhouse bears the Union on holidays, and different signal-colours are used there to form a communication between the shore and the king's vessels in the Cove. The Pine tree growing in the garden is from Norfolk Island, and runs to an amazing height and thickness; the knots from this tree are used instead of flambeaux, and burn remarkably well. The buildings under three birds, as r r r, extending some distance right and left, and forming a square, are the Military Barracks, built of brick, the largest of which was erected by Lieutenant-Governor Foveaux: This is an extensive well-built place, and was finished in far less time than any building ever begun upon by government in that settlement, considering its magnitude. The White House and Warehouses, which appear immediately under that building, although a considerable distance on this side, belong to Mr. Simeon Lord; they are built of stone, and the dwelling-house is by far the most magnificent in the colony. The road leading through Barrack-square is the high road to Parramatta. The house at the head of Government-wharf, shewing four windows on the ground floor, is a Dry Storehouse belonging to the crown, and is used for depositing articles for barter, &c. in, which are sent out by government for that purpose. The small yellow house behind it belongs to government, and is inhabited by Mr. John Gowen, one of his majesty's store-keepers in that settlement. The yellow house, on the right of the Barrack-square, and having nine windows in front on each floor, is an extensive Government Granary, and was built of brick, plaistered over, under the direction of his excellency Governor Hunter. Attached to this building, on the right, is a very useful Military Store; and, on the left, a Store for the issue of Provisions. The red house, to the right, built of brick, with two wings, is the Female Orphan-house, which is a very convenient building, and was purchased from Captain Kent, of the royal navy, but great additions have been made to it subsequent to its purchase. The long building above the Orphan-house, of which only a part of the front is seen, is built of brick, and belongs to Garnham Blaxcell, Esq. whose zeal for the colony, and whose industry, have equally entitled him to the esteem and praise of all. The house a little to the right of the Orphan-house, and appearing to have a wing, is the Dwelling, and, attached to it, are the Warehouses of Mr. James Underwood; they are built of brick, and are extremely commodious and comfortable. The building above is the Church, as the tower denotes; it is built of stone, and has a peal of eight bells therein, but they are not very harmonious. On the right of the one road leading to the church, the building with four windows and two doors in front, and the erection above it, are two Government Store-houses, built of brick and plaister; the first is generally used for bonding of spirits in, for naval stores, &c.; and the other for the reception of salt provisions, when any arrive from England. The Windmill on the hill is built of stone, and belongs to government; and the building on the right, which is continued in View, No. II. with a wall round it, is built of stone, and forms part of the County Gaol. In the fore ground, six of the Natives are in the attitude of throwing the spear; two with spears; one with a spear and helemon, or shield; and two sitting down.--Of the dexterity with which they hurl this weapon, some notice has been taken in a preceding part of this sketch.
In View, No. II. taken from the East side of the Cove, the long building, with a flight of steps, is the County Gaol, of which a part is seen in No. I. The White Building, to the right of the Prison, of which only three windows in front, and the warehouses around it, are discovered, belongs to Mr. Henry Kable, who, with Messrs. Lord and Underwood, have been very industrious and enterprising men in the oil and sealskin trade, &c. and possess a number of vessels and considerable estates in the colony. The two small Houses, rather to the right, below the Gaol, built of brick, are used for the boats' crews. The Warehouses which hide part of these huts, and the House above, belong to Mr. Isaac Nichols; they are very extensive and commodious, and are built of stone. The House, still further to the right, with a door, four windows, and two side-lights, in front, and kitchen detached, belongs to Mr. Thomas Moore, the principal shipwright, a man of unshaken integrity and large property. The wharf near this part, is called the Hospital Wharf, where all merchandize, &c. is directed to be landed. The Road leading on the hill, takes different directions to the houses and streets on the rocks. The three long buildings, on the right of the road, are the General Hospitals; and in the front of them is the Government Dock-yard. Next, to the right of the Hospitals, one building with eight windows and two doors in front, and the other with four windows and a door, with side-lights, in front, are the Barracks occupied by the Medical Staff. The two next buildings are not tenanted by their late possessors. The large buildings to the right, at the water's edge, are the House and extensive Warehouses of Robert Campbell, Esq. a merchant, where a ship of large dimensions can load or unload, with any tide, alongside his wharf. Near this place a vessel belonging to that gentleman some time ago caught fire, and after a great deal of trouble she was sunk, by which means the fire was extinguished; she was afterwards got up, and underwent such repairs as soon enabled her to proceed on her voyage. Where the yellow flag is seen flying, on Dawes's Point, there is a Battery, and Lookout-house, to communicate with the signals for ships in the offing at South Head. The River round the point leads to several agricultural and farming districts, and to Parramatta. On the hill is the Citadel, with the union flag flying, and two Government Wind-mills, one built of wood and the other of stone, the latter of which is unserviceable. The other buildings belong to individuals indiscriminately. The Canoes, with fires in them, belong to the natives.
In View, No. I. taken from the West side of the Cove, on one side of the land which is farthest seen, is the Harbour; and on the other, is an amazing expanse of sea. There is a carriage-road made from Sydney to the extreme point, which is South Head, and a great many carriages and horsemen frequently go down there to spend the day, or to see any vessels which may appear off the land. On South Head are, a Flag-staff, a Lookout-house, and an Obelisk; and betwixt it and the North Head, is a narrow entrance, by which vessels enter the port, about seven miles from Sydney. The small island in the centre is called Pinch-gut, which name originated from some persons being placed there on an allowance of provisions for some offence, where they built an oven, the remains of which are yet to be seen: At this time there is a man named Brown, before spoken of, hung in chains on this spot, for committing several murders. The other islands, between these and the heads, are called Garden, Shark's, and Clark's Islands. On the land to the right of Pinch-gut, called Be-ne-long's Point, the native of that name, who was once in England, had a hut built by government; but he soon left it, and it was destroyed: There are also the remains of a battery there. Under two birds, as r r, are two Houses on a point of land leading from Farm Cove, the next cove to the eastward of Sydney. Under a large flight of birds, are three Wind-mills, and an extensive Bakehouse; two of which, and the bake-house, belong to John Palmer, Esq. and the other to Mr. Henry Kable. Beneath them is Government House, and part of the offices, and grounds. To the right of the Government wharf are the Dry Stores spoken of in No. I. from the east side. The building above that, of brick, is the Main Guard-house, and is a very convenient place for that purpose. The Stone-house, and offices, to the right of the Dry Stores, with five windows on a floor, belong to Mr. Thomas Reiby; the brick House, nearly adjoining, to Mr. Andrew Thompson; and the large Stone-house and Warehouses, to Mr. Simeon Lord, spoken of in No. I. of the other Views; in the front of which buildings is the principal road leading to Government House, where are houses and offices for the Judge Advocate, Commissary, Clergyman, and Surveyor-General; but they are mostly hidden in this View by the trees and large buildings before them. The stone building at the stern of the Sloop, comprises the Warehouse and part of the House belonging to Mr. Isaac Nichols, spoken of in No. II. of the other Views, and continued in the next of this. The buildings concealed by part of the long shed near, but on this side Mr. Nichols's, is the back part of the Assistant-Surgeon's Barracks. The house behind the trees is the back of the Barracks of the principal Surgeon. The house near the Natives, who are fighting, is not occupied by any person of particular consequence; and the one, partly hidden by the rocks, was occupied by Mr. Moore, but is going to decay.
In View, No. II. taken from the West side of the Cove, the lofty House of which a part is seen, and which was spoken of in No. II. of the other Views, and I. of this, belongs to Mr. Isaac Nichols; and the buildings on this side are the back of the General Hospital. The Bridge, the only one built of stone in the whole colony, is a very bad structure; the walls on each side of the arch inclose the grounds belonging to the Orphan-house and Mr. Simeon Lord. The road seen on the other side of the bridge is called Spring-row; it leads to several streets, and joins the main road to Parramatta, &c.; below the paling of which there are very large Tanks, cut in rocks, to supply the town and shipping with water; but there is another watering-place for ships on the north side of the Cove, very commodious, and the permission to use which produces a small annual income to the Orphan fund. The rows, commencing above the foot of the Bridge, on the east side, are called Chapel, Pitt's, and Serjeant-Major's rows, the latter of which, under the two birds, runs to the Brick-fields, towards Parramatta. The House on the right, at this end of the longest street, seen in this View, with three windows and a door visible, belongs to Garnham Blaxcell, Esq. spoken of in No. I. of the other Views. The building, the eastern end of which is partly covered by a tree, is the most southern Military Barrack. The two lofty red houses at the west foot of the Bridge, in the rise, are side-views of the Orphan-house and Mr. James Underwood's, spoken of in No. I. of the other Views. The houses on the right, a spot called the Rocks, belong to different individuals, and some of them are very comfortable habitations.
Over the south creek at Hawkesbury a floating-bridge has been erected, which has proved greatly beneficial to the public; since, previous to its completion, every person who had occasion to go to that settlement, and in many cases from one farm to another, was obliged to pass to and fro in a boat. As this bridge was constructed by an individual (Mr. Andrew Thompson, a settler) at his own expense, the following tolls are allowed to be demanded:--For every foot-passenger, four-pence, or ten shillings per annum; for each horse, single or in draught, two shillings and sixpence, or two pounds ten shillings per annum; for waggons, or other four-wheel carriages, with not more than half a ton lading, one shilling and sixpence, or one pound ten shillings per annum; for carts, or carriages with two wheels, laden or not, each one shilling and sixpence, or one pound ten shillings per annum; for sheep, under a score, two-pence each, and by the score two shillings and sixpence, or two pounds ten shillings per annum; swine and goats, the same as sheep. Passengers, horses, carts, and carriages, are allowed to pass and re-pass, during the same day, with one ticket; and a considerable income is derived from this toll.
The children born in this colony from European parents, are very robust, comely, and well made; nor do I recollect a solitary instance of one being naturally deformed. They are remarkably quick of apprehension; learn any thing with uncommon rapidity; and greatly improve in good manners, promising to become a fine race of people.
The Duke of Northumberland has sent over some Teeswater sheep, and one stallion, very recently, to Colonel Johnston, which have greatly improved the breed of both. Mr. Mac Arthur took over some Merino sheep, from the King's flock, which are thriving, and the wool of which is extremely fine; several samples have been produced in England. The deer in this colony (originally, I believe, from India) thrive very well, but are of the Rein species, and rather inclined to be small: I have seen some very good venison, and of a superior flavour to any I ever eat in England, though not so fat; the breed might be much improved by a few being sent of a larger quality. Some time ago several made their escape from a park belonging to Mr. Harris, who has for many years been surgeon of the regiment there, and before I left the colony, they were breeding and running wild in the woods.
Several foreign vessels have within these few years arrived here on discovery; but nothing material has resulted from their observations, with which the reader has not been made acquainted.