N o tw ith fta n d in g it w a s th e an x io u s care o f e v e r y o n e w h o could
p re v en t it , that th e v ene re al difeafe m ig h t no t be introd uced in to the
fe ttlem en t, it w a s n o t o n ly fo u n d to e x ift am o n g ft th e c o n v if t s , bu t
th e v e r y fufferers th em fe lv e s w e r e k n o w n to conceal th e ir h a v in g it.
T o flo p this e v il, it w a s ordered b y th e g o v e rn o r , th a t a n y m an o r
w om a n h a v in g and co n c e a lin g this d ifo rd e r Ihould re c e iv e corp oral
p u n iihm en t , and be p u t u p on a fh o r t a llow a n ce o f p ro v ifio n s fo r fix
m onths.
L ie u ten a n t D aw e s o f th e marines w a s d ire fte d in p u b lic orders to
a f t as officer o f a r tille ry and en g in e e rs 5 in confequence o f w h ic h th e
ordn an ce o f th e fettlem ent, and the c o n ft ru ft in g o f a finall red o u b t on
th e eaft fid e , w e r e p u t u n d e r his d ir e ft io n .
M r . Z a ch a r iah C la rk , w h o came o u t o f E n g lan d as a g ent to M r .
R ic h a rd s th e co n t ra fto r , w a s at th e fame tim e ap p ointed an affiftant
to th e c om m if fa r y ; and th e iffu in g o f th e p ro v ifio n s , w h ic h was in fu *
tu r e to be once a w e e k , w a s p u t u n d e r h is cha rge.
In the cou rfe o f this mon th a fto n e b u ild in g w a s b e g u n on th e w e f t
fid e fo r th e refid ence o f th e lie u ten an t -g o v e rn o r , on e fa c e o f w h ic h
w a s to be in th e p r in c ip a l ftreet o f th e in ten d ed tow n .
T h e g o v e rn o r , de firous o f a cq u ir in g a k n ow le d g e o f th e c o u n t r y
ab ou t th e feat o f his g o v e rnm en t, and p ro fitin g b y th e coolnefs o f th e
w e a th e r , made d u r in g th e m on th fe v e ra l e x cu r fio n s in to th e c o u n t r y ;
in one o f w h ic h h a v in g o bferv ed a ran g e o f m ountains to th e w e f t-
w a rd , and h o p in g th a t a r iv e r m ig h t be fo u n d to tak e its cou rfe in
th e ir n e ig h b o u rh o od , h e fet o f f w i th a fmall p a r ty , in ten d in g i f p offib le
to rea ch th em , ta k in g w i th h im f ix d a y s p ro v ifio n s ; but re turn ed
w i th o u t a t ta in in g e ith e r o b je f t o f h is jo u rn e y ,-— the m ou n tain s , o r a
r iv e r.
H e penetra ted ab out th ir ty m iles in lan d , th ro u g h a c o u n t r y m o d
am p ly c lo th ed w i th timb e r , b u t in g enera l fre e from u n d e rw o o d . O n
th e fifth d a y o f h is e x cu r fio n h e h ad , from a r il in g g ro u n d w h ic h h e
named B e lle V u e , th e o n ly v iew o f th e mountains w h ic h h e obtained
d u r in g th e jo u rn e y ; and as th e y th en appeared at to o grea t a diftance
to be rea ched on on e d a y ’ s a llow a n c e o f p ro v ifio n s , w h ic h w a s all
th e y h ad le ft , h e d e termined to re tu rn to S y d n e y C o v e .
In
In P o r t Jackfori an o th e r b ra n ch e x ten d in g to th e n o r thw a rd h a d .
'b e e n d ifc o v e r e d ; b u t as th e c o u n t r y fu r ro u n d in g it w a s h ig h , r o c k y ,
and barren, th o u g h it m ig h t add to th e e x ten t and b e a u ty o f th e
h a rb o u r , it did n o t p rom ife to be o f a n y b en e fit to th e fettlement.
T h e g o v e rn o r had th e mor tification to lea rn on h is return from his
w e fte rn e x p ed ition , th a t fiv e ew e s and a Iamb h ad b e en d e ftro y ed at
th e fa rm in th e ad jo in in g c o v e , fijp p o fed to h a v e be en k illed b y d o gs
b e lo n g in g to th e natives.
T h e n um b e r o f fhe ep w h ic h w e r e land ed in th is c o u n t r y w e r e c o n -
fid e ra b ly d im in iffied ; th e y w e r e o f n e c e ffity p laced o n g ro u n d , and
com pe lled to fe ed 'on gra fs , th a t h ad n e v e r be fo re been e xp o fed to
a ir o r fu n , and co n feq u en tly d id n o t a g re e w i th th em ; a eircumftance
m u ch to be lam ented , as w i th o u t fto c k th e fe tt lem en t m u ft fo r y e a rs
rem ain d epen d en t on th e m o th e r -co u n try fo r th e means o f fub fiftence.
C H A P . I I I .
T r a n s a c t io n s .— t r a n s p o r t s s a i l f o r c h in a .— t h e s u p p l y s a il s f o r
LORD HOWE ISLAND.— RETURN OF STOCK IN THE COLONY IN MAY.__
THE SUPPLY RETURNS.!— TRANSACTIONS.— A CONVICT WOUNDED.__RUSHCUTTERS
KILLED BY THE NATIVES.— GOVERNOR’ S EXCURSION.---HIS MAJESTY’
S BIRTH-DAY---- BEHAVIOUR OF THE CONVICTS.— CATTLE LOST.__
N A T IV E S .--- PROCLAMATION.-----EARTHQUAKE. — TRANSPORTS SAIL FOR
ENGLAND.--- SUPPLY SAILS FOR NORFOLK ISLAND.----TRANSACTIONS.__NAT
IVES.— c o n v ic t s w o u x u r b .
T h e m on th o f M a y opened w i th th e tr ial, c o n v if t io n , and e x e
cu tion o f James B en n e tt, a y o u th o f fe v en te en y ea rs o f a g e , fo r
b re a k in g open a tent b e lo n g in g to th e C h ar lo tte tran fp or t, and Healing
th e re o u t p ro p e r ty ab ov e th e v a lu e o f f iv e lh illin g s . H e confeffed
th a t h e had often merited death b efore h e com m itted th e c r im e fo r
w h ic h h e w a s then ab out to fuffe r, and that a lo v e o f idlenefs and bad
co n n e x ion s h ad been h is ruin. H e was ex e cu ted im m ed ia te ly on re-
E 2 c e iv in g