NEW SOUTH WALES. 133 



she was the first of six or seven ships that were 

 to bring out a supply of stores, provisions, and 

 clothes for twelve months, for the colony, in 

 consequence of which a full ration was ordered 

 to be delivered ; viz. 8lbs. of flour, fibs, of 

 beef, or 4lbs of pork, and three pints of Indian 

 corn, of which latter article government had 

 bought, of the settlers and others 6I6SJ 

 bushels. The Britannia returned on the 1st of 

 June, whose arrival had been anxiously expected. 

 The length of her absence was accounted for 

 by her being forced to go to Batavia instead of 

 Bengal, as she was attacked in the Straits of 

 Malacca, by a fleet of piratical prows, from 

 which she escaped after an engagement of six 

 hours. The Britannia brought 250 casks of 

 beef, 250 casks of pork, 500 pecols of sugar, 

 and 55 coyangs of rice. On the 8th of June, 

 arrived the Speedy, store-ship. On the 14th 

 the Halcypn, from Rhode Island, with a cargo 

 of beef, pork, spirits, tobacco, tea and nankeens, 

 on speculation. The time was now arrived 

 when the colony wore a very comfortable ap- 

 pearance ; the stores were filled with provisions, 

 and five ships on the seas with a still greater 

 abundance, a stock rapidly increasing, and a 

 crop of corn on the ground, which promised 

 to realize the fond hope, of New South Wales 

 becoming independent of the mother country 

 for grain. On the 5th of July, the Hope ar- 

 rived from Rhode Island, with provisions and 

 spirits. The spirits were bought, but the pro- 

 visions no one would buy. This was the first 



