f e w vegetab les. A l l the fe p eo p le d enied g iv in g a n y p ro v o c a tio n to
th e nativ es : it w a s , h ow e v e r , difficult to be lie v e th em ; th e y w e ll
k n ew the confequences that w o u ld attend a n y acts o f v io len c e o n th e ir
p a r t, as it had been declared in p u b lic orders'-early in th e m on th , that
in fo rm in g th e in ten d ed fe ttlem en t, a n y a f t o f c ru e lty to th e natives
b e in g co n tra ry to h is M a je f ty ’ s m oft g ra c io u s in ten tion s, th e offenders
w o u ld be fubjedt to a .criminal p ro fe cu tion ; and th e y w e l l k n ew that
the nativ es th em fe lv e s , h ow e v e r in ju red , cou ld n o t con trad ic t th e ir
affertions. T h e r e w a s , h o w e v e r , to o m u ch rea fon to be lie v e th a t o u t'
p e o p le h ad been the ag greffors , as th e g o v e rn o r on h is re turn from -
h is e x cu r fio n to B ro k en B a y , on lan d in g at C amp C o v e , fo u n d th e
n ativ e s there w h o h ad be fo re fr e q u e n t ly com e u p to h im w i th confid
en ce , u n u fu a lly f f iy , and fe em in g ly afraid of, h im and his p a r t y ;
and o n e , w h o after m u ch in v ita tio n d id v entu re to ap p ro a ch , p oin ted
to fom e marks u p on his fhould ers, m a k in g fign s th e y w e r e caufed b y
b low s g iv e n w i th a ftick . T h is , and th e ir ru n n in g aw a y , whe rea s
th e y had a lw a y s b efore remained on th e beach u n til th e p eop le lan d ed ’
from th e boats, w e r e flr o n g ind ications th a t th e man h ad been beaten
b y fom e o f o u r ftragglers. E le v en canoes fu ll o f p eop le paffed v e r y
n ea r th e S ii iu s , w h ic h w a s m o o red w ith o u t th e tw o p oin ts o f th e
c o v e , b u t pad d led aw a y v e r y fa l l u p on th e ap p roa ch o f fom e boats
tow a rd them .
T h e c u r io fity o f th e camp w a s e x c ited and gra tified fo r a d a y o r
tw o b y the f ig h t o f an em u, w h ic h w a s Ihot b y th e g o v e rn o r ’ s gam e -
k ille r . I t 'w a s remarkable b y e v e r y Item h a v in g tw o feathers p ro c
e ed in g from it. Its h e ig h t w a s 7 fe e t 2 in che s , and th e fle lh was
v e r y w e l l fla vo u red ,
T h e ru n o f w a te r th a t fup plied th e fettlement was o bferv ed to be
o n ly a drain from a fw am p at th e head o f i t ; to protedt it , therefore^
as m u ch as p offible from th e fu n , an ord er w a s g iv en o u t, fo rb id d in g
th e cu ttin g d ow n o f a n y trees w ith in fifty feet o f th e ru n , than w h ic h
th e re h ad n o t y e t been a fin e r fo u n d in a n y one o f th e co v e s o f th e
harb our .
A p r i l .] A s th e w in te r o f th is hem ifph e re w a s ap p roa ch in g , it
became a b fo lu te ly n e ce fiary to e x p ed ite the build in g s in ten d ed fo r
th e d eta chment j e v e r y carpenter th a t cou ld be p rocured am o n g ft th e
convidts
convidts was fent to affilt, and as many as could be hired from the
tranfpbrts were employed at the hofpital and. ftorehoufes. The1 longboats
o f the Ihips Hill continued to bring up the cabbage-tree from the
lower part o f the harbour, and a range o f huts was begun on the weft
fide for fome o f the female convidts. '
Our little camp now began to wear the afpedt o f diftrefs, from the
great number o f fcorbutic patients that were daily feen creeping to and
from the hofpital ten ts ; and the principal furgeon fuggefted the ex p
ediency o f another fupply o f turtle from Lord H ow e I Hand: but it
was generally thought that the feafon Was too far advanced, and the
utmoft that could have been procured would have made but a very trifling
and temporary change in the diet o fth o fe afflidtediwith the diforder.
On the 6th, divine fervice was performed in the new ftorehoufe,
which was covered in, but not fufficiently completed to admit provi-
fions. One hundred feet: b y twenty-five were the dimenfions o f this
building, which was conftrudted with great ftrength ; yet the mind was
always pained when v iew in g its' reedy combuftible covering, remembering
the livid flames that had been feen to ffioot over every part o f
this cove : but no other materials could be found to anfwer the purpofe
o f thatch, and every neceffary precaution was taken to guard againft
accidental fire.
A n e ld e r ly w om a n , a co n v id t, h a v in g b e en ac cufed.-of Healing a
flat iro n , and th e iron, b e in g fo u n d in h e r p offeffion, th e firft mom en t
fh e w a s le ft a lone fhe h u n g h e r fe lf to the rid g e -p o le o f h e r ten t , bu t
w a s fo r tu n a te ly d ifco v e red and cu t d ow n b efore it was to o late.
Although feveral thefts were committed: b y the convidts, y e t it was
in general remarked, that they condudted themfelves with more propriety
than could have been expedted from people o f their defcription;
to prevent, however, i f poffible, the commiffion o f offences fo prejudicial
.to the welfare o f the colony, his excellency fignified to the convidts
his.refolution that the condemnation o f any one for robbing the
huts or ftorCs dffioukf be immediately followed j by, their execution.
Much o f their irregularity was perhaps to be afcribed to the intereourfe
that fubfifted,, in fpite o f pUniffiment, between them and the feamen
from the ffiips p f war and the tranfports, who at lealt one day in the
week found means to get on ffiore with fpirits.
E N o tw ith ftan d in g