NEW SOUTH WALES. 307 



those sentences, which the offended laws of eve- ' 

 ry nation inflicts, are in general esteemed useful 

 as warnings to others, but, that these should 

 particularly lose that effect in New South Wales, 

 should by no means excite astonishment as the 

 major part of the inhabitants,had been too conver- 

 sant with the nature of crimes and punishments, 

 for any example to affect them ; particularly 

 while a ready market almost continually offered 

 for the sale of any stolen articles, which must 

 be the case while the sailors of any ships were 

 suffered to come on shore, or any persons permit- 

 ted to go on board the ships. 



About twelve o'clock on the night of the 1 1th, 

 the goal at Sydney was burnt down ; there were 

 above 20 prisoners all ironed, in at the time it was 

 first discovered, and it was with very considera- 

 ble difficulty, they w r ere brought from the flames. 

 Not the least doubt was for an instant entertain- 

 ed, but this building was set fire to purposely, 

 though nothing could be discovered. In a few 

 days after this fire, some of the Irish convicts 

 with blackened faces, broke into the house of 

 one of the missionaries, and not content with rob- 

 bing him of all he had, they wounded him in se- 

 veral places. 



The badness of the harvest, which seemed to ..• 

 indicate a very material degree of want in the ar- 

 ticle of grain, by no means tempted those who 

 wished to distil spirituous liquors, to forego their 

 inclinations though so repeatedly forbidden, con- 

 sequently former orders on this subject were re* 

 peated, and several stills seized and destroyed, 



