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es　on　which　the　trees　are　cut　down　but　not　burnt　off　the　land。　He　resigned　his　appointment　and　began　his　farm　last　May；　and　had　at　first　five　convicts　to　assist　him；　he　has　now　four。　　All　his　maize；　except　three　acres；　is　mean。　　This　he　thinks　may　be　attributed　to　three　causes：　a　middling　soil；　too　dry　a　spring；　and　from　the　ground　not　being　sufficiently　pulverized　before　the　seed　was　put　into　it。　　The　wheat　is　thin　and　poor：　　he　does　not　reckon　its　produce　at　more　than　eight　or　nine　bushels。　His　vines；　900　in　number；　are　flourishing；　and　will；　he　supposes；　bear　fruit　next　year。　　His　tobacco　plants　are　not　very　luxuriant：　　to　these　two　last　articles　he　means　principally　to　direct　his　exertions。　　He　says　（and　truly）　that　they　will　always　be　saleable　and　profitable。　　On　one　of　the　boundaries　of　his　land　is　plenty　of　water。　　A　very　good　brick　house　is　nearly　completed　for　his　use；　by　the　governor；　and　in　the　meantime　he　lives　in　a　very　decent　one；　which　was　built　for　him　on　his　settling　here。　He　is　to　be　supplied　with　provisions　from　the　public　store；　and　with　medical　assistance　for　eighteen　months；　reckoning　from　last　May。　At　the　expiration　of　this　period　he　is　bound　to　support　himself　and　the　four　convicts　are　to　be　withdrawn。　　But　if　he　shall　then；　or　at　any　future　period；　declare　himself　able　to　maintain　a　moderate　number　of　these　people　for　their　labour；　they　will　be　assigned　to　him。

Mr。　Scheffer　is　a　man　of　industry　and　respectable　character。　　He　came　out　to　this　country　as　superintendant　of　convicts；　at　a　salary　of　forty　pounds　per　annum；　and　brought　with　him　a　daughter　of　twelve　years　old。　　He　is　by　birth　a　Hessian；　and　served　in　America；　in　a　corps　of　Yaghers；　with　the　rank　of　lieutenant。　　He　never　was　professionally；　in　any　part　of　life；　a　farmer；　but　he　told　me；　that　his　father　owned　a　small　estate　on　the　banks　of　the　Rhine；　on　which　he　resided；　and　that　he　had　always　been　fond　of　looking　at　and　assisting　in　his　labours；　particularly　in　the　vineyard。　In　walking　along；　he　more　than　once　shook　his　head　and　made　some　mortifying　observations　on　the　soil　of　his　present　domain；　compared　with　the　banks　of　his　native　stream。　　He　assured　me　that　（exclusive　of　the　sacrifice　of　his　salary）　he　has　expended　more　than　forty　pounds　in　advancing　his　ground　to　the　state　in　which　I　saw　it。　　Of　the　probability　of　success　in　his　undertaking；　he　spoke　with　moderation　and　good　sense。　　Sometimes　he　said　he　had　almost　despaired；　and　had　often　balanced　about　relinquishing　it；　but　had　as　often　been　checked　by　recollecting　that　hardly　any　difficulty　can　arise　which　vigour　and　perseverance　will　not　overcome。　　I　asked　him　what　was　the　tenure　on　which　he　held　his　estate。　　He　offered　to　show　the　written　document；　saying　that　it　was　exactly　the　same　as　Ruse's。　I　therefore　declined　to　trouble　him；　and　took　my　leave　with　wishes　for　his　success　and　prosperity。

Near　Mr。　Scheffer's　farm　is　a　small　patch　of　land　cleared　by　Lieutenant　Townson　of　the　New　South　Wales　corps；　about　two　acres　of　which　are　in　maize　and　wheat；　both　looking　very　bad。

Proceeded　to　the　farm　of　Mr。　Arndell；　one　of　the　assistant　surgeons。　This　gentleman　has　six　acres　in　cultivation　as　follows：　　rather　more　than　four　in　maize；　one　in　wheat；　and　the　remainder　in　oats　and　barley。　　The　wheat　looks　tolerably　good；　rather　thin　but　of　a　good　height；　and　the　ears　well　filled。　　His　farming　servant　guesses　the　produce　will　be　twelve　bushels；*　and　I　do　not　think　he　over…rates　it。　　The　maize　he　guesses　at　thirty　bushels；　which　from　appearances　it　may　yield；　but　not　more。　　The　oats　and　barley　are　not　contemptible。　　This　ground　has　been　turned　up　but　once　　The　aspect　of　it　is　nearly　south；　on　a　declivity　of　the　river；　or　arm　of　the　sea；　on　which　Rose　Hill　stands。　　It　was　cleared　of　wood　about　nine　months　ago；　and　sown　this　year　for　the　first　time。

＇*I　have　received　a　letter　from　Port　Jackson；　dated　in　April　1792；　which　states　that　the　crop　of　wheat　turned　out　fifteen　bushels；　and　the　maize　rather　more　than　forty　bushels。＇

December　8th。　　Went　this　morning　to　the　farm　of　Christopher　Magee；　a　convict　settler；　nearly　opposite　to　that　of　Mr。　Scheffen。　　The　situation　of　this　farm　is　very　eligible；　provided　the　river　in　floods　does　not　inundate　it；　which　I　think　doubtful。　　This　man　was　bred　to　husbandry；　and　lived　eight　years　in　America；　he　has　no　less　than　eight　acres　in　cultivation；　five　and　a　half　in　maize；　one　in　wheat；　and　one　and　a　half　in　tobacco。　　From　the　wheat　he　does　not　expect　more　than　ten　bushels；　but　he　is　extravagant　enough　to　rate　the　produce　of　maize　at　100　bushels　（perhaps　he　may　get　fifty）；　on　tobacco　he　means　to　go　largely　hereafter。　He　began　to　clear　this　ground　in　April；　but　did　not　settle　until　last　July。　I　asked　by　what　means　he　had　been　able　to　accomplish　so　much？　　He　answered；　〃By　industry；　and　by　hiring　all　the　convicts　I　could　get　to　work　in　their　leisure　hours；　besides　some　little　assistance　which　the　governor　has　occasionally　thrown　in。〃　　His　greatest　impediment　is　want　of　water；　being　obliged　to　fetch　all　he　uses　more　than　half　a　mile。　　He　sunk　a　well；　and　found　water；　but　it　was　brackish　and　not　fit　to　drink。　　If　this　man　shall　continue　in　habits　of　industry　and　sobriety；　I　think　him　sure　of　succeeding。

Reached　Ruse's　farm；*　and　begged　to　look　at　his　grant；　the　material　part　of　which　runs　thus：　　〃A　lot　of　thirty　acres；　to　be　called　Experiment　Farm；　the　said　lot　to　be　holden；　free　of　all　taxes；　quit…rents；　&c。　　for　ten　years；　provided　that　the　occupier；　his　heirs　or　assigns；　shall　reside　within　the　same；　and　proceed　to　the　improvement　thereof；　reserving；　however；　for　the　use　of　the　crown；　all　timber　now　growing；　or　which　hereafter　shall　grow；　fit　for　naval　purposes。　　At　the　expiration　of　ten　years；　an　annual　quit…rent　of　one　shilling　shall　be　paid　by　the　occupier　in　acknowledgment。〃

＇*See　the　state　of　this　farm　in　my　former　Rose　Hill　journal　of　November　1790；　thirteen　months　before。＇

Ruse　now　lives　in　a　comfortable　brick　house；　built　for　him　by　the　governor。　He　has　eleven　acres　and　a　half　in　cultivation；　and　several　more　which　have　been　cleared　by　convicts　in　their　leisure　hours；　on　condition　of　receiving　the　first　year's　crop。　　He　means　to　cultivate　little　besides　maize；　wheat　is　so　much　less　productive。　　Of　the　culture　of　vineyards　and　tobacco　he　is　ignorant；　and；　with　great　good　sense；　he　declared　that　he　would　not　quit　the　path　he　knew；　for　an　uncertainty。　His　livestock　consists　of　four　breeding　sows　and　thirty　fowls。　He　has　been　taken　from　the　store　（that　is；　has　supplied　himself　with　provisions）　for　some　months　past；　and　his　wife　is　to　be　taken　off　at　Christmas；　at　which　time；　if　he　deems　himself　able　to　maintain　a　convict　labourer；　one　is　to　be　given　to　him。

Crossed　the　river　in　a　boat　to　Robert　Webb's　farm。　　This　man　was　one　of　the　seamen　of　the　'Sirius'；　and　has　taken；　in　conjunction　with　his　brother　（also　a　seaman　of　the　same　ship）　a　grant　of　sixty　acres；　on　the　same　terms　as　Ruse；　save　that　the　annual　quit…rent　is　to　commence　at　the　expiration　of　five　years；　instead　of　ten。　　The　brother　is　gone　to　England　to　receive　the　wages　due　to　them　both　for　their　services；　which　money　is　to　be　expended　by　him　in　whatever　he　judges　will　be　most　conducive　to　the　success　of　their　plan。　　Webb　expects　to　do　well；　talks　as　a　man　should　talk　who　has　just　set　out　on　a　doubtful　enterprise　which　he　is　bound　to　pursue。　He　is　sanguine　in　hope；　and　looks　only　at　the　bright　side　of　the　prospect。　He　has　received　great　encouragement　and　assistance　from　the　governor。　He　has　five　acres　cleared　and　planted　with　maize；　which　looks　thriving；　and　promises　to　yield　a　decent　crop。　　His　house　and　a　small　one　adjoining　for　pigs　and　poultry　were　built　for　him　by　the　governor；　who　also　gave　him　two　sows　and　seven　fowls；　to　which　he　adds　a　little　stock　of　his　own　acquiring。

Near　Webb　is　placed　William　Read；　another　seaman　of　the　'Sirius'；　on　the　same　terms；　and　to　whom　equal　encouragement　has　been　granted。

My　survey　of　Rose　Hill　is　now　closed。　　I　have　inspected　every　piece　of　ground　in　cultivation　here；　both　public　and　private；　and　have　written　from　actual　examination　only。

But　before　I　bade　adieu　to　Rose　Hill；　in　all　probability　for　the　last　time　of　my　life；　it　struck　me　that　there　yet　remained　one　object　of　consideration　not　to　be　slighted：　　Barrington　had　been　in　the　settlement　between　two　and　three　months；　and　I　had　not　seen　him。

I　saw　him　with　curiosity。　　He　is　tall；　approaching　to　six　feet；　slender；　and　his　gait　and　manner；　bespeak　liveliness　and　activity。　　Of　that　elegance　and　fashion；　with　which　my　imagination　had　decked　him　（I　know　not　why）；　I　could　distinguish　no　trace。　　Great　allowance　should；　however；　be　made　for　depression　and　unavoidable　deficiency　of　dress。　　His　face　is　thoughtful　and　intelligent；　to　a　strong　cast　of　countenance　he　adds　a　penetrating　eye；　and　a　prominent　forehead。　　His　whole　demeanour　is　humble；　not　servile。　Both　on　his　passage　from　England；　and　since　his　arrival　here；　his　conduct　has　been　irreproachable。　　He　is　appointed　high…constable　of　the　settlement　of　Rose　Hill；　a　post　of　some　respectability；　and　certainly　one　of　importance　to　those　who　live　here。　　His　knowledge　of　men；　particularly　of　that　part　of　them　into　whose　morals；　manners　and　behav