November.] The month o f November opened with the arrival
of the Prince o f Wales, victualler, from England. She had been
clofe in with Botany Bay the preceding day; but,there being little
wind, the matter had been obliged to ftretch out from the land during
the night; and the next morning, a pilot getting on board, flic
was brought in. She had failed in company with the Sylph, which
alfo had provifions for the fettlement on board, but which did not
arrive until the 17th. They brought the information, that a Dutch
fleet, confifting often fail o f fh ip so f war, bound to the Eaft Indies
had been captured off the Cape o f Good Hope, by His Majefty’s
fleet, under Admiral Sir Geo. Keith Elphinftone (now Lord Keith),
which had followed them from England.
The ufeful regulation o f numbering the different houfes in the
town o f Sydney, particularly thofe in the occupation o f the convicts
was followed up by another equally ferviceable, which directed
the inhabitants o f each o f the four divifions o f the town (for into
that number it was portioned off) to meet, and from among them-
felves eleCt three o f the molt decent and refpeCtable characters, who
were to be approved by the governor, and were to ferve for the en-
fuing year as watchmen, for the purpofe o f enforcing a proper attention
to the good order and tranquillity o f their refpeCtive divifions.
Many o f the foldiers being allowed to occupy houfes for
their families in the vicinity o f the barracks, the commanding officer
was defired to appoint his own watchmen for the military divifion o f
the-town, and to order them to report to him.
A few days previous to the arrival o f the Sylph, the Colonial
fchooner returned from Norfolk Ifland, and brought letters from
the Reliance, Supply, and Britannia, which fhips left that ifland on
the 25th o f the laft month, and the day following her arrival (the
14th) Richard Atkins, Efq. was directed to officiate as Judge Advocate
o f the colony, in the abfence o f the gentleman who had filled that
fituation finee the firft eftabliflimeut o f the fettlement, and who had
now proceeded to England in the Britannia.
This
This judicial appointment having taken place, a criminal court was
held on the 23d, and continued fitting, by adjournment, until the
29th, when fentence o f death was palled upon eight prifoners who
were capitally convjCted ; one, of the wilful murder of the man whole
body had been found on the north fhore the 16th of laft month, and
feven o f robbing the public ftore-houfes at Sydney, and the fettlement
at the H awkefbury. Two others were found guilty of manflaughter.
Of thefe miferable people five were executed purfuant to the fentence
o f the court. At Sydney*, Francis Morgan, for wilful murder, with
Martin M'Ewen (a foldier) and John Lawler (a convid), for robbing
the public ftores. Matthew M'Nally and Thomas Doyle, convicts,
fuffered at Parramatta, on the following day,-for the fame offence.
Having thus fatisfied the public juftice o f the country, the governor
extended the hand of mercy to the three others who had been capitally
convicted o f the fame crime, viz. John, M ‘Douall (another foldier),
Thomas Inville, and Michael Doland (convicts), by granting them a
conditional pardon.
It was much to be lamented, that thefe people were not to be deterred
by any example from the practice o f robbing the public ftores,
which had of late been more frequent than heretofore, and for which
there could not be admitted the lhadow o f an excufe; as the whole of
the inhabitants o f every defcription were at this very time on a full
and liberal allowance o f provifions and clothing, neither o f which
were in any fcarcity in the fettlement. But the caufe was to be found
in the too great indulgence in the ufe of fpirituous liquors which had
obtained among them for a confiderable time paft. The different
capital crimes which had lately been brought before the court o f
criminal judicature, together with the various petty offences that daily
came under thecognifance o f the magiftrates, did not proceed from an
infufficiency either o f food or clothing; but from an inordinate defire
ofpoffeffing, by any meansjwhatfoever, thofe articles with which they
• On the 36th of November, and the others on the 9th and 10th of December.