240 HISTORY OF 



the Governor entertained some jealousy, eel 4 -* 

 tainly founded on probability ; and, as it was 

 not any ways impossible, that, under 'neu- 

 tral colours, a spy might be concealed, he 

 thought it requisite to put the battery on 

 Point Maskelyne, into a more secure state, and 

 to construct two redoubts in proper and conve- 

 nient situations for offensive and defensive 

 warfare, should it prove requisite. 



On the 18th arrived the Britannia whaler 

 from England, with 94 female convicts, who 

 being landed, some were sent to Paramatta and 

 Toongabbe. The cattle that were brought in 

 the Hunter, were at this time sold by auction, 

 and \rere not greater objects of contest than the 

 newly-arrived females, as the number of that 

 sex in the colony bore no proportion to the 

 men. 



The Reliance and Francis returned the 25th 

 and 27th of this month, from Norfolk Island, 

 having been absent 60 days ; the Reliance, on 

 her passage back, meeting with blowing wea- 

 ther and much sea all the way. 



By her, the commanding officer, wrote from 

 Norfolk Island, that a most improper association 

 had been entered into by the settlers and others, 

 which they termed the Fraternal Society of 

 Norfolk Island ; and which, among others, had 

 for its object the uniting for the purpose of 

 distressing the Government, by withholding 

 the produce of their farms from the store; in 

 consequence of some misconduct on the part of 

 the store-keepers, who suffered the same mono- 



