924 VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY OF SOUTHERN LANDS.

for what motion they are liable to, and terminating all of them in fcanty rivulets, almoftentirely dry in the hot feafon of the year.

However fingular the circumftances already adduced relative to the rivers of NewHolland, Hill are not thefe their only peculiarities ; we fhall prefently notice in theiroverflowings a new Subject for meditation and enquiry : in the interim it is requifite Iterminate what refpedts my firft excurfion to Paramatta.

It is not only by opening new and commodious roads that the Englilh governmentfeeks to facilitate communication in this colony: from the clofe of 1793 it has efta-blifhed packet-boats, which fail every day from Sydney and Paramatta, and carry goodsand paffengers. The fare is one Ihilling for each individual, and the fame for everyhundred weight of merchandize or goods. The whole boat may alfo be hired for fixfhillings. Befides thefe means of tranfport common to the public, the governmenthas a number of very comfortable, and even elegant boats, for its own ufe and thatof its officers; and in one of thefe it was that M. Bellefin and myfelf returned toSydney . We embarked oppofite the barracks at Paramatta ; a fpot where the riverftill preferves fufficient depth of water to float the largeft boats, while two hundredpaces above, it dwindles to a fcanty rivulet, incapable of floating the moft flenderpirogue.

In proportion to the diftance, below Paramatta the river becomes broader and moredeep, and-in a ihort time has depth fufficient for the largeft flaps to navigate, not lefs eventhan from eight to ten fathoms. On both fides the river, attention is excited by avariety of finall coves, penetrating in a lefs or greater degree into the country, theirmargins pleafingly decorated with fuperb woods. Already, however, has the Euro-pean marked his refidence in thefe parts by different portions of land cleared of trees.Here, at the extremity of a verdant creek, is feen the humble cottage of the nqw colo-nift ; the founding axe heard from a diftance announces his labour and activity :beyond, in natural meads, ftray the cows, fteeds, and oxen, yet few in number, of theinfant farm ; in other fpots are feen the ripening crops of fields fo recently fubmittedto culture. Occafionally, in the fummit of fome pidfurefque Hope, the larger andelegant abode is diftinguiffied of a proprietor more wealthy and more active than hisneighbours, furrounded by wider fields, more numerous fervants, more extenfive crops :of this description was the feat of Mr. Cox, paymafter of the colony, whom 1 had feenat the houfe of M. Paterfon. As foon as we were perceived by this gentleman, he putoff in a boat belonging to the farm, and invited us in fo preffing manner to reft our-■felves awhile at his houfe, that we could not refufe.

While dinner was haftily getting ready, we employed ourfelves in looking over theminutise of the farm, all of which to us were fources of aftonilhinent. Still was notthis the only farm which Mr. Cox poffeffed on thefe Ihores; on a fecond vifit I paidhim, in company with Colonel Paterfon and others, Mr. Cox took us to anothermuch finer and more fertile in the interior towards Caftle Hill. The road which'leads from one of thefe farms to the other is tolerably wide, and commodiousenough to allow of our travelling in a carriage; it is neverthelefs fix or feven miles inlength; and in order to make it, it required a vaft number of trees Should be felled.The whole amount of the grants of land to Mr. Cox is eight hundred and fixty acres,more than three hundred of which were fowed with wheat, fifteen with maize, fixwith barley, twelve with oats, &c.; three hundred and forty-nine acres were refervedfor pafture, the cattle on which confifted of five horfes, three mares, twenty-fevenhorned beafts, and eight hundred ffieep of the fineft fleeces. Mr. Laycock, a gentle-man of our party, quarter-mailer of the regiment, poffeffes fourteen hundred and

4 feventy