ddertion from the colony muft ever be attended, a»d promifing to
convince the minds of their ignorant countrymen that every fuch
attempt muft be followed by inevitable ruin. The language o f this
letter was far above the capacity of any of the party J and the part
o f their ftory which related to their building a boat capable o f carrying
the whole number fo great a diftance wore very little appearance
o f probability. The truth was, they had by fome means
reached as far as Broken Bay, where they had been lurking about
for fome days; meaning, no doubt, to feize the firft boat loaded
with grain which they might be able to fecure, and then put off
again for as long a time as their provifions would laft. They certainly
propofed to live by piracy -, but not being able with their fmall
boat to come up with any o f the boats which they purfued, and
being no longer able to exift without provifions, added to the
danger they were always in of being purfued and at length taken,
they preferred giving themfelves up. They were armed with five
mufquets ; and certainly had the will as well as the ability to do a
great deal o f mifehief. They were placed in confinement, and
charges preferred againft them for piracy.
This was abfolutely neceffary; as the fuffering fuch offences to
pafs with impunity would have been productive o f the greateft evil.
Crimes would have been multiplied on crimes, which the officers
who compofed the court of criminal judicature would certainly have
deemed unneceffary. The utmoft vigilance was conftantly requi-
fite to guard againft robberies both on the land and water. It was
impoffible, in ftich a community as this, to have a police too ftriCt, or
to be fufficiently aware at all times of fuch a neft o f villains. Many
examples had been made ; but, after a few days had elapfed, they
were forgotten ; and every aCt of lenity or indulgence was found
to be ruinous to the welfare and comfort of the whole. It was to
he hoped, however, that the introduction of more of the better, and
fewer o f the word fort o f characters, would in due time give the
balance a favourable turn.
In
In each grant o f land to individuals from the crown, there was a
claufe, exprefsly referving for the ufe of government fuch of the
timber which might be growing thereon as Ihould be deemed fit
for naval purpofes. The wanton deftruCtion o f this timber occa-
fioned the publication o f an order in the month o f December 1795,
prohibiting the cutting it down. The practice, however, continuing
from time to time, (for o f what avail were orders among fuch a
diforderly fet of people,) the Sydney fchooner was fent round to the
Hawkefbury, to make a feizure of a quantity of timber that had
been cut down by individuals for private fale. This feizure was
o f fome confequence juft at this time ; as the governor was building
a brig to replace the Supply (from 12 5 to 15 0 tons burthen),
which had been condemned by furvey as totally unfit for the future
fervice of the fettlement, and a large boat, a new- Cumberland,
in the room o f that which had been taken away by the crew. The
colony was at this time in fuch want of naval ftores o f every kind,,
that the ruin o f all the floating craft, fo lately in good condition,
was nearly effected. The - bottoms o f the boats were deftroyed by
the worms, for want of pitch, tar, paint, and oil ; and in order to-
enable the Colonial fchooner to proceed to Norfolk-Ifland (for which
place Ihe was preparing to fail, in company with the Reliance), it
had been neceffary to reduce part o f the Supply’s fails, and convert
them to her ufe.
Arrivals from England, with provifions as well as ftores, were
now rather anxioufly expeCted, as 16 months had elapfed fince the
laft were received. Public works o f all kinds went on flowly j the
fervants o f government being but few in proportion to the labour
to be performed by them, and all kinds of implements bad in quality,
and fcarce. A few flops were ferved to the male convicts in
the beginning o f this month, they being nearly naked, and the
ftore unable to fupply them with covering.
The tower of the new wind-mill was, under all thefe difad-
vantages, completed, and the machinery put in hand. This tower
. . was