£60 HISTORY OF 



that no one might have the power of mak- 

 ing a plea of injustice being exercised with 

 respect to their servitude, a rule was made seve- 

 ral times during the year, to issue certificates 

 to such as were entitled to them; and if they 

 desired to be at their own disposal, they were 

 struck off the victualling books. Many con- 

 victs sent out had not more than two years to 

 serve on their arrival, proved, by claiming their 

 discharge, a considerable drawback from th« 

 number of labourers in Norfolk Island and New 

 South Wales. By these means were let loose om 

 the public, a number of worthless characters, 

 who became very dangerous and troublesome, 

 refusing every kind of labour, though they 

 neglected not to form connections with the 

 worthless part of the inhabitants, who from 

 their peculiar situations, had many opportu- 

 nities of affording information where robberies 

 of all kinds could be most readily and success- 

 fully committed. Still, as the sentenced period 

 had expired, there was no denying them with- 

 out injustice, the restoration of their free- 

 dom. The convicts in general had for several 

 months suffered much, for want of clothing and 

 bedding, for, during the late harvest they 

 laboured in the fields, as totally divested of 

 clothing as any native savages in the country. 

 In consequence of which many anonymous 

 letters were dropped, in which were threatened 

 what vile actions would be effected at the season 

 they knew many oportunities would offer. 



