It was hoped, however, that their appearance, for they were
weak and languid when brought in, together with their ftory,
would teach their countrymen a little more wifdom.
While fuch vagabonds as thefe were roaming about the country,
the fafety o f the ftock was much endangered. A fine bull calf belonging
to an officer was about this time taken from the herd ; and,
though confiderable rewards were offered for the difcovery o f the
offender, nothing tranfpired that could lead to it. This was a. fe-
rious evil ; for the care and attention o f years might in one night’s
time be deftroyed, .by the villany o f a few of thefe lawlefs people.
It was., however, vifible that the improvement which had. taken
place in the civil police within the laft two years had confiderably
checked the commiffion o f robberies o f every kind.
In the evening o f the 14th, a finall brig, the Nautilus, arrived
from the ifland of Otaheite, in very great diftrefs. This little veffel
had been unfortunate in lofing her paffage to the N. W. coaft of
America, and had been at Kamfchatka, the Sandwich Iflands, and
Otaheite. Being exceedingly infirm and worn out, the mailer
found it impoffible to effeft the repairs which his veffel wanted at
either of thofe places, and had touched at Otaheite for fuch re-
frefhment as the crew required, determining to endeavour in their
very leaky condition to reach this port, where they hoped to receive
fuch affiftance as might enable them to get to India.
On their arrival at Otaheite, they found that the -miffionaries,
who had been fent thither from England for the purpofe o f propagating
the Chriflian religion, were not on fo comfortable a footing
with the natives as could have been wifhed, being in a manner
fhut up within their little fortrefs. The natives had made ufe o f
threats, and had fignified an intention o f taking off their women
(feveral of the miffionaries having been accompanied by their wives
and families). The arrival at Otaheite o f this little veffel in fome degree
relieved them from the anxiety under which they had for fome
time laboured, and they determined to. quit the ifland in her, i f it
fliould
fhould Be practicable. Her commander, Mr. Biffiop, fhewed them
every attention which the fhattered flate o f the- brig would admit;
embarked men, women, and children, to the number o f 1 0 ;
and, though with infinite difficulty, brought them in fafety to this
port, the veffel being fo extremely leaky, that it required the labour
o f the- whole company to keep her above water. She was
not able to bring them all away, fix or feven remaining upon the
ifland, whole fate was certainly very precarious. Thofe who had
arrived' were treated1 by the colonifts with every attention, and every
poffible relief adminiftered to their diftrefies.
The deceptions and impofitions which were daily in praftice
among the labouring parr of the colony, to, the great injury o f the
concerns o f government, rendered it highly expedient that the governor,
who had thofe concerns to attend to, fliould be affifted by
trufty and active- perfons in' every fituatiori wherb public works
might-be carrying on. Having made fome difcoveries o f this nature:
in the department of the lawyers, he iffued- a public order,
fpecifying the hours which fliould' be employed in every branch o f
public' labour. This had by no means been the firft attempt to
check the impofitions of thefe people ; but it was found, that the
private concerns o f thofe who fliould fuperintend the various
public works occupied fo much o f their time, that their duty was
either wholly negledted or carelefsly performed. This created fuch
a relaxation of difcipline, that a repetition o f orders and regulations
were from time to time publiflied, to keep the labouring people
conftantly in mind that they were the fervants o f the crown, and
remind thofe who were appointed to look after them, that they had
neglefted that duty which fliould ever have been their firfl and principal
confideration.
The expetted fignal for a veffel was at length made at the South
Head on the morning o f the 1 8th j and in. the afternoon the lhip
Barwell arrived from England, with male convidts, fome ftores, and
provifions. It mull be fuppofed, that while the mother country