expiration o f the third. They were recruited in the Brazils; and fuch officers
as might wifh to vifit Portugal obtained leave of abfence on application to the
court, through the viceroy. To each regiment is attached an officer, who is
ftyled an Auditeur, and whofe ofjce is to inquire into all crimes committed by
the foldiers of his regiment. I f he fees it neceflary, he has power to infli£t corporal
punilhment, or otherwife, as the offender may in his judgment merit; but
his authority does not extend either to life or limb. For exercifing this employment
he is allowed the pay of a captain of infantry. s
The barracks for the troops appeared to be commodious, and to be kept in
good order. A fmall number o f cavalry were always on duty, employed “in the
antichamber o f the palace, or in attending the viceroy either on days o f parade,
or in his excurfions into the country. A captain’s guard of infantry with a
standard mounted every day at the palace.
During our flay in this port all the tranfports flruck their yards and top-malls,
and overhauled their rigging preparatory to our paffage to the Cape of Gbod
Hope. An obfervatory was erected on the Ifland of Enchados, where Lieutenant
Dawes, with two young gentlemen from the Sirius as affiftants, went oil
fhore, taking with them the infer uments requifite for afcertaining the exaft rate
o f going of the time-piece; and for making other neceffary obfervations. Sail-
makers were alfo fent to the ifland; and fome of the camp-equipage of the
fettlement was landed to be infpe&ed and thoroughly aired, with proper guards
for its fecurity.
Some propenfities to the pra&ice o f their old vices manifefling themfelves
among the convifls * foon after their arrival in this port had given them an opportunity,'
the governor, with the lieutehanf-governor, vifited the tranfports,
and informed the prifoners, both male and female, that in future any mifbehaviour
on their part fhould be attended with fevere punilhment, while on the other hand
propriety o f conduct fhould be particularly diftinguiflil'd and rewarded with
proportionate indulgence.
On the 21ft, being the birth-day of the prince of Brazil, the Sirius, in compliment
to the court of Portugal, difplayed a Portuguefe flag at her fore-tbp-mafl-
head, and, on the faluting o f the fort on the Ifland of Cobres, faluted alfo with
twenty-one guns. A t ten o’ clock the fame morning, Captain Phillip, with the
principal officers of the fettlement and garrifon, went on fhore to pay their compliments
to the viceroy in honour o f the day, who on this and fimilar’ occasions
had a court* at which all the civil and military officers and principal inhabitants
o f the town attended to pay their refpects to his excellency as the reprefentative
* Counterfeit coin was offered by fome o f them to a boat which came alongfide one of the tranf-
pbrts,
of the fovereig®,, who. received then! {landing under a canopy in the prefencechamber
of the palace. _
Preparations were now making for putting tofea ; and on Saturday the ill of
September, having appointed: to fail on the Monday following, the governor,
lieutenant-governor, and other officers, waited upon and took leave of the viceroy,
who expreffed himfelfin the handfomelt terms at their departure.
During their (lay in this port of refrelhment, the convi&s "were each ferved
daily with a pound of rice and a pound and an half of frelh meat (beef), together
with a fuitable proportion ,of vegetables. Great numbers of oranges were
at different times diftributed among them, and every poffible care was taken to
refrelh and put them into a Hate of health and condition to refill the attacks of
the fcurvy, lhould it make its, appearance in the long paffage over the ocean
which was yet between them and New, South Wales. The Reverend Mr. John-
fon gave alfo his full lhare o f attention to their welfare, performing divine lervice
on board two of the tranfports,every Sunday of thdr.ftay in port.
We were unluckily not in feafon for any other of the fruits of this country
than oranges and bananas .; but thefe were truly delicious, and amply compen-
fated, both in quantity and quality, for the jvant.of others. Some few guavas,
and a pine-apple or two, were pnrchafed;. but ,we were informed that their flavour
then, and when in perfection, wasnot to be compared. Vegetables (which
were brought from the oppofite lhore) were in great plenty. The beef was fmall
and lean, and fold at about two-pence halfpenny per pound : mutton was in proportion
Hill -fmaller, and poultry dear; but not ill-tailed. The market-place was
contiguous to the palace.
On the evening of Sunday the 2d of September, a Portuguefe boat, juft at the
dofe of the day, after once or twice rowing round the Sirius, dropped a -foldiep
o f the ifland on board, who, it appeared from his own account, had been Tot-
five or fix days abfent from his.duty, and dreading perhaps to return, or perhaps
wilhihg .to change his fituation, requefted that he might b e received on board,
and permitted to fail to New Holland with Captain Phillip ; w;ho, .howeyer, not
.choofing.to comply with his requell, caufed him to be immediately conveyed on
fhore in one of the Ihip’ s boats; but with great humanity permitted him to be
Janded wherever he thought he might chance to efcape unobferved, and have an
opportunity of returning to his duty.
An officer was this day fent to fignify Captain Phillip’ s intention of faluting
the forts when he took his departure, which would be the .following morning,
and prefuming that an equal number of guns would be fired in return. The
vicerqy anfwered, that no mark of attention or relpeCl lhould on his part be
omitted that might teftify his elteem for Captain Phillip, and the high fenfe he
entertained