them. ‘The weather was much colder than common at this feafon,
and in the interior part of the country there was a fharp froft during
-the night.
Auguft.] An order having'been given in the beginning o f the
month for afleiribling the court of civil judicature, a recommendation
to the inhabitants was added, that when any bargain, con-
trad, or agreement, was made, between any party or parties, on
any fubjed whatfoever, the fame fhould be reduced to writing,
fpecifying in dired. and clear terms what the nature o f fuch bargain
or contrad might be, and caufingthe fame to he properly witneffed,
and fubfcribed by the parties concerned. This meafure was' calculated
to prevent difputes, litigation, and mifunderftandings, among
the inhabitants, as well as to do away the great inconvenience which
fhe members of the court experienced every time they were convened,
from the loofe and carelefs manner in which bufinefs was
brought before them.
Gn the ift day o f this month the regulation direded by government,
relative to the number o f public fervants which the officers
were allowed to retain, was put in force.
The abandoned and diffipated difpofition o f mod o f thofe who
were or had been convidts, fo much to be regretted and fo often
mentioned, was particularly manifell in a fliameful abufe o f the
Sabbath, and a profane ridicule with which every thing facred
was treated. A condudt fo derogatory to every chriftian principle
had from time to time been feverely reprobated'; but it had now
arrived at a height that called for the exertion o f every advocate
for morality to fubdue. Obferving, that, inftead o f employing the
Sunday in the performance o f thofe duties for which that day was
fet apart, it was paffed in the indulgence o f every abominable a d
,of diffipation, the overfeers o f the different gangs were ftridly ordered
to fee their men muftered every Sunday morning, and to attend
■ with them at church. The fuperintendants and conftables' were to fee
1 3 this
this order complied with, and that the women (who, to their disgrace,
were far worfe than the men) were ftridtly looked after and
made to attend divine fervice regularly. And, as example might
do fomething, the officers were not only to fend a certain number-
o f their fervants, but they were alfo called upon,, civil and military,,
to affift in the execution o f this order; to the meaning, o f which, the
magiftrates were required- in a particular degree to pay their attention,
in compelling a due obedience thereto, by. preventing the opening
of the licenfed public houfes during the hours o f divine fervice,
as well as any irregularity on the day appropriated to the performance
thereof.
In the evening o f the 20th, the Pomona and Diana, whalers1
belonging to the fouthern filhery, anchored in the Cove. They
brought an account o f much difturbance and difaffedion in Ireland.-
Too much of the fame evil fpirit feemed to . prevail here among the"
late importations from that kingdom.
Wifhing to have that part o f the coaft examined in which a-
ftrait was fuppofed to exift (between the latitude o f 390 00' S. and
the land hitherto deemed the fouthern Promontory o f New Holland,.
and called Van Diemen’s land), the governor refolved on fending.
Lieutenant Flinders and Mr.. Bafs o f the Reliance on that fervice;.
in the Norfolk, the fmall decked boat which had lately arrived from
Norfolk-Ifland, and began fitting her properly for the voyage.
The battery on Point Mafkelyne was nearly completed-in this
month. A few carpenters were employed in laying a floor in Government
Houfe, and other repairs ; but feveral o f the public works
were nearly at a ftand, many o f the fawyers being in the hofpita).
The powder magazine having been found upon examination to be in
a very infecure and dangerous ftate,. the powder was taken out and -
fent on board the Supply. This removal was the more neceflary,
as an attempt had been made to open the door of the magazine in-the '
night-. The weather was bad ; and it was fuppofed that the centinel,
R 2 - whofe