m e r ly be en inhab itants u p on th e iflan d , fe v e ral ftone hatche ts, o r rather
fton e s in th e fhapes o f ad ze s , and others in the fliapes o f chifle ls , h a v in g
be en fo u n d in tu rn in g up fom e g ro u n d in th e in te r ior parts o f th e
iflan d . L ie u te n a n t -G o v e rn o r K in g had fo rm e r ly entertained th e fame
fu p p o fition from d ifc o v e r in g the banana tree g r o w in g in r e g u la r ,row s .
It w a s p o t to be d oubted but th a t th e tr a n q u illity and re g u la r ity o f
o u r little tow n w o u ld in fome d egre e be in te r ru pted b y th e g rea t in flu x
o f d ifo rd e r ly feamen w h o w e r e at times le t lo o fe from th e tranfports.
M u c h lefs caufe o f com p la in t on this fco re , h ow e v e r , arofe than w a s
e x p e c te d . T h e p o r t orders, w h ic h w e r e calculated to p re fe rv e th e
p e ac e o f th e p lac e , w e r e from time to tim e en fo r c e d ; and on one o c -
ca fion ten fe am en b e lo n g in g to th e tranfports w e r e p u n ilh ed fo r being,
fo u n d in th e fettlement after n in e o ’ c lo ck at n igh t.
. A t Parrama tta , w h ith e r th e g r e a te ft p art o f th e co n v id ts : la te ly arr
iv e d had been fen t, p e tty offences w e r e fr e q u en t ly com m itted , and,
the. co n llan t p refence o f a m a g illra te became d a ily m o r e requisite.,
T h e co n v ic t s at that p la c e 'w e r e ch ie fly em p lo y ed in o p en in g fom e n ew .
g ro u n d a t a Ih or t d iftance from th e fettlem ent.
T h e fo u n d a tion o f a n ew fto reh ou fe w a s b e g u n this mon th at-
S y d n e y , on th e fp ot, w h e re th e red ou bt had h ith e r to f lo o d ; w h ic h ,
fin c e th e c o n flru c lio n o f th e p latform near th e m ag a z in e on th e eaft
p o in t o f th e c o v e , h ad be en p u lled d ow n , and th e m ould rem o ved into-
th e ga rd en ap p rop ria ted to g o ve rnm en t-h ou fe . T h i s , and clea r in g the
tran fp or ts , fo rm ed th e p r in c ip a l labou r at S y d n e y .
O n th e la ft d a y o f th is m on th , James D o w n e y w a s fo u n d hanging-
in his h u t. T h e caufe o f this ra lh adtion was faid to h a v e been the
d read o f b e in g ta k en u p fo r a th e ft w h ic h , a c co rd in g to fom e in tim
a tion h e h ad r e c e iv e d , was about to be alleged ag a in ft him.- H e
cam e o u t in th e fir fl fle e t, had ferv ed h is term o f tranfp ortation, h a d
co n fta n tly w o rk e d as a labou re r in th e b r ick la y e rs g a n g , and was in
g en e ra l con fjd e red as a harmlefs fe llow .
p rom Parramatta tw o c o n v if t s w e r e m iffin g , and w e r e faid to be
k ille d b y th e natives.
C H A P . X V .
,A PARTY OP IRISH CONVICTS ' ABSCOND.---THE QUEEN SAILS FOR NORFOLK
ISLAND.—WHALE-FISHERY.—RATION ALTERED.—-THE SUPPLY SAILS FOR
ENGLAND. — LIVE STOCK (PUBLIC) IN THE COLONY.— GROUND,IN CULTIVATION.
SICK.---RUN 01 WATER DECREASING.--- TWO TRANSPORTS SAIL.
__WHALE-FISHERY ".GIVEN UP.---THE QUEEN ARRIVES FROM NORFOLK
ISLAND.---THE MARINES EMBARK IN THE GORGON FOR ENGLAND. — RATION
FURTHER REDUCED. — TRANSACTIONS.---CONVICTS WHO WERE IN
THE GUARDIAN EMANCIPATED.—STORE FINISHED.—DEATHS IN I79I.
N o v em b e r .] O N th e fir fl d a y o f th is m on th , in fo rm a tion w a s re c
e iv e d from Parramatta, th a t a b o d y o f tw e n ty male convidts and o n e
fem a le , o f th o fe la te ly ar r iv ed in th e Q u e e n trarifport from Ire lan d ,
e a ch ta k in g a w e e k ’ s p ro v ifio n s , and armed w i th tom ah aw k s and k n iv e s ,
h ad ab fcond ed from th a t fe ttlem en t, w i th th e ch im e r ica l id ea o f w a lk in
g to C h in a , o r o f fin d in g in this c o u n t r y a fe ttlem en t w h e re in th e y
w o u ld be re c e iv ed and enter tained w ith o u t labour. I t w a s g en e ra lly
fu p p o fed , h o w e v e r , th a t this im prob ab le ta le w a s o n ly a co v e r to th e
real d e fign , w h ic h m ig h t b e to p ro cu re bo ats , and g e t o n b oard the
tran fp orts after th e y h ad le ft th e co v e . A n office r w i th a p a r ty w a s
im m e d ia te ly fen t o u t from Pa rrama tta in p u r fu it o f th em , w h o traced
th em as fa r d ow n th e h a rb ou r as L a n e C o v e , w h e n c e h e rea ched th e
fe ttlem en t at S y d n e y , w i th o u t fe e in g o r h e a r in g a n y th in g m o r e o f
them . -A few d a y s afterward- th e p e o p le in a b o a t b e lo n g in g to th e
A lb em a r le tran fp or t, w h ic h h ad be en d ow n th e h a rb ou r to p ro cu re
w o o d on the n o r th fh o re , m e t w i th th e w r e tc h e d fem ale w h o had accom
pan ied th e men. S h e had be en- feparated from th em fo r th re e
d a y s , and w an d e red b y h e r fe lf, en tir e ly ig n o ra n t o f h e r fitu a tion , u n til
fh e cam e to th e w a te r fid e , w h e r e , fo r tu n a te ly , Ihe fo o n a fte r met the
b o a t. Boa ts w e r e fen t d ow n th e n e x t d a y , an d th e w om a n ’ s hulharid
w a s fo u n d and b ro u g h t u p to th e fe ttlem en t. T h e y both g a v e th e
fam e abfurd a c co u n t o f th e ir d e fign as b efore re la ted , and appeared to
b b have