on th e fe con d d a y , w h ic h meafured from f ix to e ig h t inche s lo n g , and
at that time w e r e tw o fin ge rs at th e lead: in thicknefs.
O n this officer’ s rep re fen tin g to th e g o v e rn o r the diftrefs w h ic h the-
fettlers had fuffered w h o fe farms h ad lain in th e cou rfe o f the ffiow e r ,
fu c h r e l ie f w a s g iv e n th em as th e ir fituations required. N o th in g o f
th is k in d had b e en fe lt eithe r at Pa rrama tta o r at S y d n e y ,
T h e r e died th is m on th M r . B a r r o w , a m id fh ipm an b e lo n g in g to his
M a je f ty ’ s ffiip S u p p ly . H is d eath, w h ic h w a s ra the r fud d en, w a s
occafion ed b y an o b ftru ftio n in th e b ow e ls , b ro u g h t on b y ba th in g
w h e n v e r y m u ch heated and fu ll. H e had attended d iv in e fe rv ice on
th e S u n d a y p re c ed in g his d eath, and heard M r . J o h n fon preach on the
u n c e r ta in ty o f h um an life , little th in k in g h o w fo on h e w a s h im fe lf to
p r o v e th e v e r ity o f th e p r in c ip a l p o in t o f h is d ifcou r fe— “ th a t death
“ fto le u p on us lik e a th ie f in th e n ig h t.”
T w o male convidts died at S y d n e y . O n e o f th em , J o h n D u rh am ,
had been fo r u pwa rd s o f tw o y e a rs a vene real patient in th e h o fp i t a l ;
an d d ied at Iaft a w r e tch ed b u t e x em p la r y fpedtacle to all w h o beheld
h im , o r w h o k n ew h is fufferings. T h e r e died, d u r in g th e y e a r 1 7 9 5 ,
on e affiftant to th e fu r g e o n s ; one ferjeant o f the N ew S o u th W a le s
c o r p s ; tw o fettlers ; th ir te en male co n v id ts ; fe v en female convidts and
on e c h ild ; and o n e male co n v id t w a s e x e cuted. M a k in g a total o f
tw e n ty - f ix p e rfons w h o lo ft th e ir liv e s d u r in g the y e a r .
C H A P . X X X .
THE ARTHUR ARRIVES FROM INDIA— FRANCIS FROM NORFOLK ISLAND.—
A PLAY-HOUSE OPENED.— HER MAJESTY’ S BIRTH-DAY KEPT.— STILLS DESTROYED.
— CERES STORE-SHIP ARRIVES— AND EXPERIMENT FROM INDIA
— SHIP OTTER FROM AMERICA.— NATIVES.— HARVEST,GOT IN.— DEATHS.
— A HUT DEMOLISHED BY THE M ILITARY.— A TRANSPORT ARRIVES WITH
PRISONERS FROM IRELAND.---A CRIMINAL COURT HELD.— :C A SA R SHOT.
---GENERAL COURT MARTIAL.----OTTER TAKES AWAY MR. MUIR.----
ABIGAIL FROM AMERICA ARRIVES. — A-FORGERY COMMITTED. — WORKS.—
THE RELIANCE.— PARTICULARS RESPECTING MR. BAMPTON, AND OF THE
FATE OF CAPTAIN HILL AND MR. CARTER.— A SCHOONER ARRIVES FROM
DUSKEY-BAY.— CROPS BAD. — ROBBERIES COMMITTED.— SUPPLY FOR NORFOLK
ISLAND.— NATIVES.— BENNILLONG CORNWALLIS SAILS. — GERALD
AND SKIRV1NG DIE.
J an u a ry 1 7 9 6 .] O n the firft o f this m on th , th e A r th u r b r ig anchored
in the co v e from Calcutta. M r . Ba rber, w h o was here in 1 7 9 4 in th e
fame v e fle l, had been induced b y th e fuccefs h e th en m e t w i th to p a y
u s-a fecond v ifit, w i th a c a rg o fim ila r as to th e nature o f th e ar tic les ,
b u t o f m uch larger 'value th an that w h ic h h e th en fold. H e had be en
thir te en w e e k s . o n his pafia ge, and h ad heard n o th in g o f th e B r itannia.
I t appeared from th e in fo rm ation h e b ro u g h t us, th a t the C a p e o f
G o o d H o p e m ig h t at that time be in th e p ofleffion o f th e E n g lifh .
T r in c om a le had furrendered to ou r arms ; b u t o f B a ta v ia h e cou ld
o n ly fa y , that a ftron g p a r ty in th e F ren ch in te re ft e x ifte d there.
T h e S urprife , C ap tain C am p b e ll, h ad ar r iv ed at B en g a l a fte r a lo n g
paflage o f e igh t months from th is port.
In the e v en in g o f the fo llow in g d a y th e co lon ia l v e fle l returned
from N o r fo lk I llan d , h a v in g be en abfent j'uft fo u r we e k s . L ie u ten an t -
g o v e rn o r K in g continued e x tr em e ly ill.
In confequence o f the ord e r iflued laft m on th re fp ed tin g a redudtion
in the p rice o f w h e a t, th e fettlers, h a v in g co n fu lted am o n g th em fe lv e s ,
d eputed