expense, a few prime Saxony sheep, which he says are far superior to any other kind.
Saturday, Dec. 1st.—Prepared a threshing floor; got some wheat threshed—very fine grain, and yielding well; but many ears are too green, which arises from the mixture of seed. Planted some potatoes in low ground for experiment; also transplanted some cabbages, mangel-wurzel, and red beet. I fear the seed which you sent is not good; Edward has tried some of the cabbage-seed without success: it probably fermented on the passage.
9th.—I only closed my last despatches for you yesterday, to go by Van Diemen's Land; it is possible that this letter may reach you first, as there may yet be a more direct conveyance. I have heard that a soldier's wife has been wounded by a spear from the natives in the Canning River—the first time they have molested a woman (a bad trait), and this outrage is likely to bring on general hostility.
Bread from our new wheat is excellent; my little mill grinds well; but hand-mills are tedious and laborious. I examined the mill which Mr. R is putting up at Perth, and am surprised that the same plan is not adopted at home; he says it is the common construction of mills in Italy, that its machinery is less expensive, and that it requires less water than those we have been accustomed to. The water passes from the reservoir
