Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 1]
Port Jackson 14th June 1795
Dear sir
In my last letter dated March which went by the Experiment via India I mentioned my situation here & my anxiety for Govr Hunters arrival. The state of our store makes me still more uneasy tho' we are in no danger of starving from the quantity of grain that is now in the Colony. but the description of people we have to deal with. it is much to be feared depredations will be committed on our live stock.
A ship which was expected from Bombay with cattle arrived here on the 1st Inst. with one hundred and thirty three head of cows, bulls, draught oxen & four ass's also a quantity of Rice & Dholl, this with the cargo of mares brought from the Cape of Good Hope by the Britannia and the sheep & goats we now have, with a little more of assistance from Government this colony in three years would certainly be independant of animal food provided our stores for that time could be supplied with salt Provisions.
I enclose you a return of ground in cultivation and the live stock we now have - but am sorry to say there is some trouble in protecting that promising settlement on the banks of the Hawkesbury. The natives have killed several of the settlers and committed great depredations on their crops. I have been under the neccessity of sending a detachment of two officers & sixty privates to protect them for the present and if probable to take some of the natives prisoners, what effect this will have I cannot as yet judge. If they continue as they have
May 2 - 1796 June 12 96