as It c e r ta in ly w a s , w a s (till allev iated b y the affiftance th a t th e officers
fe ttle rs , and others w e r e able to afford to tho fe w h om th e y e ith e r re ta
in ed in th e ir f e r v i c e > o c c a fio n a lly h ired fo r labour as th e y w an ted
th em S om e w h o w e r e o f f the fto re , and w h o w e ll remembered th e ir
o w n diftreffes m th e y e a rs 1 7 8 9 and 1 7 9 1 , de clared , that w i th a little
in d u ft r y , and b e in g a llow ed th e in d u lg en c e o f g o in g o u t in a boat,
th e y c o u ld , e v en at th is tim e , earn a better fubfiften ce than i f th e y
w e r e em p lo y ed b y G o v e rnm e n t , and fed from a fu ll ftore. N o th in g
w a s lo f t ; e v en th e (h a rk w a s fo u n d to be a ce rtain f u p p l y the o il
w h ic h w a s p rocu red fron t th e liv e r was- fold at o n e (h illin g th e quart
a n d .b u t v e r y few houfe s in th e c o lo n y w e re fo r tu n a te en o u g h to e n io v
th e pleafant lig h t o f a candle. J 7
T h e fe ed -w h e a t as y e t e fcap ed, and m ig h t rem ain u n to u ch ed fo r
a n o th e r fo r tn ig h t . T h e Ind ian co rn w a s r ip e n in g ; and it was hoped
th a t b y m a k in g fem e - lit t le d ed u ction from th e w h e a t, it w o u ld be
r e a d y in tim e to fa v e a ll th e feed that -had been referv ed fo r th e n e x t
fe a fon . T o lofe th e fe ed -w h e a t w o u ld be to repel e v e ry ad v ance w h ic h
h ad been made tow a rd fu p p o r tin g ourfe lv e s , and to c r u f t e v e r y h o pe
o f in d ep end en c e . A l l that h ad been d o ne in cu ltiv a tio n , e v e r y acre
Which w a s p rep a r in g fo r the en fu in g c ro p , w o u ld lo n g h a v e remained
a m em o r ia l o f o u r d ift re fs ; and w h e r e e x i t e d th e m ih d th a t cou ld
h a v e re tu rn ed to th e la b o u r o f the field w i th th a t ch e e r fu l fp ir if or
e n e r g y th a t w o u ld h a v e be en n e ce ffa ry to en fu re fu tu re fu c ce fs ?
T h e w a tch at Parramatta, u n d e r th e d ir e ft io n o f B a r r in g to n th e
co n ftab le , e v e r on th e lo o k -o u t fo r th e m urd erers o f L ew is , d etected
a m an o f bad ch a r a d e r in o ffe r in g a d o lla r in p a ym en t fo r fem e a r tic le
th a t h e had p u rch a fed, and w h ic h dolla r appeared to h a v e been b u r ied
in th e g rou n d . H e had been tak en u p b e fo re , and on fe a r ch in g h im
a t that time w a s no t in p offeffion o f a n y m o n e y . A s n o th in g m ore ,
h ow e v e r , than this c ircum ftan ce w a s ad d uced a g ain ft h im , h e w a s d ife
cha rged , it b e in g admitted th a t h e m ig h t h a v e earned fom e th in e fince
th a t time b y his labour. ,
. 1 1 16 foun d ation o f a fe con d b a rrack fo r foldiers at S y d n e y w a s begu n
in th e la tter part o f this m o n th ; and B a u g h an ’ s m ill-h o u fe w a s co v e red
m w i th tiles.
M u tto n
M u t to n w a s th is m on th fold fo r one (h illin g and n in e -p en c e p e r
p ou n d . T h e B en g a l ih e ep , b y e ro d in g th e breed w i th th e Gape ram ,
w e r e fo u n d to im p r o v e co n fid e ra b ly in ap p earance and liz e .
C H A P . X X V .
ALARMING STATE OF THE PROVISIONS.— THE WILLIAM ARRIVES . WITH
SUPPLIES FROM ENGLAND, AND THE ARTHUR FROM BENGAL.— THE
AMOR PATRIAS NATURAL TO MAN IN ALL PARTS OF THE EARTH.—
INFORMATION.— MR. BAMPTON.--- CAPTAIN BLIGH.----ADMIRAL BARRINGTON
TRANSPORT LOST.— FULL RATION ISSUED.— INGRATITUDE AND
JUST PUNISHMENT OF THE SETTLERS.--- BUFFIN’ S , CORN-MILL SET TO
WORK. GAMING. — HONESTY . OF A NATIVE.— THE DiEDALUS ARRIVES
FROM AMERICA.— INFORMATION.— FEMALE INCONSTANCY, AND ITS CON-
■ SEQUENCES,--- THE ARTHUR SAILS.----THE FRANCIS RETURNS FROM NORFOLK
ISLAND.— A BOAT STOLEN.— NATIVES KILLED. A NEW MILL.—
PISORDER IN THE EYES PREVALENT.
rjp
M a r ch .] i O fav e as m u ch o f th e fe ed -w h ea t as p offib le , a d ed u c tio n
o f tw o pound s w a s made in th e a llow a n c e o f th a t ar ticle w h ic h w a s
ferv ed to th e c o n v if t s on S a tu rd a y th e fir ft o f the m on th . T h e p ro -
v ifio n -fto re w a s n e v e r in fo red u ced a ftate as at this t im e ; one fe r v in g
o f falt-meat a lone rem ain ed , and th a t w a s to be the fo o d o f o n ly h a l f
a w e e k . A f t e r that p e r iod , th e p r o fp e f t , unlefs w e w e r e fp e ed ily relie
v e d , w a s m ife ra b le ; mere bread and w a te r appeared to be th e p o r tion
o f b y fa r th e grea te r p art o f th e inhab itants o f the fe fettlements,
o f that p a r t to o w h o fe b o d ily la b o u r m u ft b e called fo r th to reftore
p len ty , and attain fuch a ftate o f in d ep en d en c e on the p a ren t c o u n t r y
as w o u ld ren d e r d e la y o r ac c id ent in th e tran fp or t o f fu p p lie s a m atte r
o f m u ch lefs mom en t to the c o lo n y th an it h ad e v e r h ith e r to been
confidered.
A s at this time tfie fto c k o f fw in e in th e p offe ffion o f ind ivid uals
w a s ra the r confid erable, fem e fa v in g o f the fait p ro v ifio n s , it was
th o u g h t, m ig h t be made, b y p u rch a fin g a q u a n tity fuffic ient to iffue
to