Eight wind-mills have been erected for the purpose of grinding
corn; and a water-mill, which had been erected at Parramatta,
has, most unfortunately, been destroyed by a flood, which came on
some time previous to my leaving the colony.

There are four auctioneers, or vendue masters, in the
settlements; two at Sydney, one at Parramatta, and one at
Hawkesbury: They usually charge five per cent. on sales.

The shops are particularly respectable, and decorated with
much taste. Articles of female apparel and ornament are greedily
purchased; for the European women in the settlement spare no
expense in ornamenting their persons, and in dress, each seems to
vie with the other in extravagance. The costliness of the
exterior there, as well as in most other parts of the world, is
meant as the mark of superiority; but confers very little grace,
and much less virtue, on its wearer, when speaking of the dashing
belles who generally frequent the Rocks, who may often be seen of
an evening attired in the greatest splendour, and on the
following morning are hid from public view with extremely mean
attire.

Spirits are also bought up with astonishing rapidity; and,
when prohibited, will ever be obtained by some means or other,
and I have known it to sell as high as thirty shillings per
bottle; the general price by the retailer, however, is from ten
to sixteen shillings per bottle. Most of the people in the
colony, male and female, give way to excessive drinking. Wines
are not so eagerly sought after, and are therefore more