104 HISTORY OF 



41 tons burthefr. The Governor gave permission 

 for a shop to be opened for the sale of articles 

 brought out in the Pitt, which sold at great prices, 

 in consequence of the uncertainty of receiving 

 other supplies from England. InMarchthe Pitt 

 sailed for Norfolk Island with provisions, and 

 from thence was to proceed to Bengal. April 

 and May~were distinguished by disease and 

 mortality, many died, and a great number were, 

 with illness and shortness of provisions, render- 

 ed, so weak as to be incapable of labour. Thef 

 mortality and depredations were chiefly con- 

 fined to the convicts who came from Ireland in 

 the Queen. The continual depredations at 

 length, in May 179%, met with a temporary 

 check, for the Governor ordered, that any body 

 convicted, should be sent to cultivate the new 

 grounds beyond Paramatta ; thus losing the 

 comforts of a hut and garden, as well as the 

 pleasures of being in society, and so powerfully 

 did this operate, that one attempted suicide to 

 avoid it. But the natives, in May, were de- 

 tected robbing the settlements beyond Para- 

 matta of corn, 15 or 16 were observed to come 

 from a hut dressed in such clothing as they 

 could find, and taking away corn in nets, it 

 was first imagined they were convicts, but on 

 one attempting to throw a spear, the man who 

 saw them levelled his piece, and fired at him 

 who dropped his spear, and they all fled, leaving 

 the corn in the nets. A few days afterwards, 

 a convict was butchered by the natives ; when 

 the body was found it was scarce cold, and at 



