Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 2.djvu/219

 THE THIRD FLEET. 181 colony by the Gorgon, in procuring live stock at the Cape ^''^^ of Good Hope; in addition to this he also purchased a quantity of seeds and plants at the various ports at which the Gorgon touched.* Prom St. Jago, he wrote on the 3rd May, 1791, that he had procured at Teneriffe some fig- pncant ttee&, orange-trees, and vine-cuttings. He also obtained a and quantity of cotton and other seeds. At the same place he managed to secure four pairs of hand-millstones, which he regarded as a possession of no little value. Up to that time there were few implements in the colony for grinding com ; and King imagined that he was fortunate in hitting upon a place where millstones, which would keep a family of ten persons going, and last a hundred years, could be bought at 3s. 4d. a pair. The want of mills for grinding com was mentioned frequently in the despatches sent to England by Phillip, but he did not approve of handmills. Those sent out from England were ^' easily rendered use- less and destroyed," and to grind corn with them for a large number of people involved "great labour." He represented that windmills were an absolute necessity, and MOisand in course of time he obtained not only windmills, but mill- wrights to look after them, and millers to work in them.f Prom the Cape, King wrote to Nepean on the 3rd July, 1791, to tell him that he had purchased a quantity of live stock, consisting of black cattle, sheep, and swine, for which he intended to draw bills on the Treasury. J This purchase is a striking example of King^s energy and forethought. King's He knew that live stock was one of the most urgent needs toraStooght of the new settlement ; he knew also that while the fact was equally patent to the British Government, no effort had been made to supply the want. It must have struck him as ^ Historical Kecords, vol. i, part 2, pp. 488, 492, 493, 495. 605. t In May, 1792, an agreement was made between the Home Department and Thomas Allen, who was employed in the King^s mills at Rotnerhitbe, undet which AUen accepted serrice for four years as master-miller in New South Wales. His salary was £52 lOs. per annum. — lb., p. 621. X For a description of the stock purchased and the fate which befel it, see post, p. 188.