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196 I rode about twelve miles to the southward, over very uneven ground, and obtained a good view of Cockburn Sound. The land did not bear a blade of grass, but was studded with a variety of beautiful plants.

I returned by the beach, and a few miles from the river, I observed a long boat on the shore, with several things in her, which, as it afterwards appeared, belonged to the Atwick, having been blown a-drift from her, by the strength of the wind.

On my return, I received an invitation to the tent of a settler, where I met several others, who had assembled to spend the evening. The general topic of conversation was, of course, relative to land. I ventured to deprecate the idea of giving such large grants, but was cut short by one of Colonel Latour's agents, who clearly proved that it was exceedingly advantageous. I then hinted, that I thought the colony could not get on well without the aid of convict labour; but here I met with still greater opposition, as it was universally allowed, that if the soil were to be polluted with those sort of people, no gentleman of respectability would have anything to do with it. This was, of course, an argument not to be controverted; so I thought it more