Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 1.djvu/438

324 THE NATIVES AND THE LAND. 1788 16 July. TreatmoDt of the natives. Their numben. The soil. Fannexs would require support Church lands. from him, lie proceeded to summarise the results of his re- flections in the following .manner : — In obedience to the instructions I received under the Royal Sign Manual respecting the natives, and transmitting an account of the nature and quality of the soil in and near the settlement, and the mode, and upon what terms and conditions, aecording to the best of my judgement, lands may be granted, — I have the honor of informing your lordship that the natives have ever been treated with the greatest humanity and attention, and every precaution that was possible has been taken to prevent their receiving any insults ; and when I shall have time to mix more with them, every means shall be used to reconcile them to live amongst us, and to teach them the advantages they will reap from cultivating the land, which will enable them to support themselves at thiR season of the year, when fish are so scarce that many of them perish with hunger — at least I have strong reason to suppose that to be the case. Their number in the neighbourhood of this settlement, that is, within ten miles to the northward and ten miles to the southward, I reckon at one thousand five hundred. With respect to the soil, I have had the honor of informing your lordship that near the head of the harbour there is a tract of country running to the westward for many miles, which appears to be in general rich good land. The breadth of this tract of country I have not yet been able to examine, but I believe it to be considerable. These lands and several particular spots may be settled, and the ground cleared of timber, without the great labour we experience in the situation in which I have been obliged to fix the colony. Farmers and people used to the cultivation of lands, if sent out (and without which agriculture will make but a very slow pro- gress), must be supported by Government for two or three years, and have the labour of a certain number of convicts to assist them for that time, after which they may be able to support themselves, and to take the convicts sent out at the expense which Govern- ment is put to for their transportation ; but then, I presume none should be sent whose sentence is for a less term than fourteen years. A yearly fine to be paid for the lands granted, after the fifth year, the ^e to be in grain, and in proportion to the crop ; and this, I should hope, would be the only tax laid on the crops, giving the Church lands in the room of ty thes. Digitized by Google