The facility with which the feizure o f the Cumberland had been
accomplifhed, and the fubfequent efcape o f two parties o f convids,
induced 14 others to form a plan for taking away a boat, and making
a fimilar attempt at liberty. Having made a dep6t o f all the
ftores which they meant to carry with them, at a place convenient
for the putpofe, the night was fixed for their departure ; and they
were on the point o f embarking, when, to their great furprife, they
found themfelves furrounded by a party o f magiftrates and con-
ftables armed, who took them and their property into cuftody.
They had not proceeded with all the caution neceflary for fuch an
enterprife, and a hint was given in time to defeat the execution o f
their projeft.
The following day thefe unthinking people, inftead o f being at
large on the ocean, in poffeffion o f their fancied freedom, found
themfelves feverely punifhed, and lent up to Parramatta there to be
let to hard labour.
On the fubjedt o f thefe mad and hazardous fchemes, the governor
firft addreffed the convi&s in perfon, and afterwards publifhed
an order, wherein he pointed out the rifk that muft ever attend
fuch ill-judged enterprifes ; into which, he was o f opinion, a few
weak and ignorant people had been led by the deep and wicked de-
figns of fome who pretended to a greater fhare o f wifdom, and who
would not hefitate to facrifice any that might be thought o f lefs
confequence to the general defign, or lefs capable o f rendering
themfelves ufeful when embarked, by forcing them on fhore, i f
near the land, among a favage people where death muft be inevitable;
or by throwing them overboard, i f at fea, to lighten
their miferable veffel, and prevent, i f poffible, her drowning the
whole.
The Irifh convidts who arrived in the laft fhip manifefting daily
a propenfity to defert from their work, a party o f foldiers, under
the command of a ferjeant, was fent up to Toongabbe, where they
were
were to remain during the harveft, which commenced in this month
at that place and at Conftitution Hill.
On the 24th, an order was publiihed, in which the people employed
in agriculture were reminded o f the many accidents that
happened laft year by fire ; ftrongly recommending more attention
to the fecurity o f their prefent crops when taken off the ground,
at the fame time dire&ing them to feize and fecure as early as poffible
all fuch vagrants as they might meet with, who, being at
large at this feafon, might do them much injury.
Nine hundred buihels of the laft year’s crop were brought round
from the Hawkefbury in the Francis, and depofited in the public
ftore. Nothing could promife better than the appearance o f the
wheat o f this feafon ; but it had ripened fuddenly, owing to fome
heavy rains having been followed by very hot weather. In
the want o f fufficient ftrength the military were hired to jffift in
reaping, it being abfolutely neceflary that no time ihould be loft in
fecuring the produce o f this year.
Toward the latter end o f the month, James Wilfon, who had
for fome time taken up His abode in the .woods, and was one o f
thofe named in the proclamation o f the 13th o f May laft, furrendered
himfelf to the governor’s clemency. He had been herding with the
favages in different parts of the country, and was obliged to fub-
mit to have his fhoulders and breaft fcarified after their manner;
which he defcribed to have been very painful in the operation. He
made his appearance with no other covering than an apron formed
o f a Kangaroo’ s ikin, which he had fufficient fenfe o f decency remaining
to think was proper.
The governor, well knowing, from his former habits, that i f be
punifhed and fent him to hard labour, he would quickly rejoin his
late companions, thought it more advifable to endeavour to make
him ufeful even in the mode o f living which he feemed to prefer
: he therefore pardoned him, and. propofed his attempting, with
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