or robbery, to working at a reafonable hire, to be treated as vagrants,
and made to labour for the public.
During this month, the Walker went to fea upon the filhery ;
and the Martha fnow went to Norfolk-Ill and, with fome articles for
fale, the property o f her owners.
April.] On the firft day of this monthy the court o f criminal
judicature was convened for the trial o f feveral offenders. Robberies
had of late been very frequent, both on houfehold property
and live ftock. At this court, two men were found guilty of robbery,
and one woman, Mary Graham, o f forgery. Several were
fentenced to receive corporal punilhment, and fome were ordered
to be tranfported to Norfolk-Illand. The governor extended his
Majefty’s pardon to the woman and one o f the men, leaving the
other to his fate, and the day was appointed for his execution;
but, the military officers foliciting in a body that the life of this
man Ihould be fpared, the governor confented. He however di-
reaed that both the prifoners, being yet unacquainted with the pardon
that was to be granted them, Ihould be taken to the place o f
execution with their coffins, where the warrant for that execution
ihould be read, and every appearance obferved that could give fo-
lemnity to the moment, and imprefs the minds o f the fpe&ators
with awe. Thefe diredions were followed. The ropes being put
about their necks,-the provoft marlhal produced the pardon and
read it. One o f the men appeared much affeded; but the other
declared that he was never in his life fo well prepared for death, and
fcarcely feemed to defire a prolongation of exiftence.
On the 14th the Hunter bark failed for Norfolk-Illand, whence
fhe was fuppofed to be bound for Amboyna and Bengal; and on
the 1 6th the Speedy whaler arrived from England, with fifty female
convids ; and, what were much more welcome and profitable,
eight hundred and thirty-two calks o f fait provifions, which enabled
the governor once more to iffue a full ration.
In
In this Ihip arrived Captain Philip Gidley King, the lieutenant-
governor of Norfolk-Illand ; and thofe marks of refped which were
due to his rank and fituation as a lieutenant-governor were direded
to be paid to him by all guards, centinels, &c.
On the evening o f the fame day, his Majefty’s Ihip the Buffalo
returned from the Cape of Good Hope, having on board 85 cows
and 20 breeding mares for the fettlement. This voyage was performed
in feven months, the Buffalo having failed from Port Jack-
fon on the 15th of laft September. She made her paffage thither
in three months, having arrived in Table Bay on the 16th of December.
This, therefore, will be found to be the proper feafon
for going to the Cape by the way of Cape Horn.
The quantity of fpirits at this time in the colony occafioned much
intoxication and eonfequent irregularity. The fettlers at the river
were fo loft to their own intereft as to negled the fowing o f their
grounds : a circumftance which, but for the timely interference of
the governor, would have ended in their ruin. Immediately on
hearing their fituation, he forbade the fending any more fpirits to
that profligate corner of the colony, as well as the retailing what had
been already fent thither, under pain of the offenders being profecuted
for fuch difobedience of his orders.