NEW SOUTH WALES. 317 



land to take care of the public live stock, and 

 other purposes of trust. 



A highway robbery was committed on the 

 23d, between Sydney and Paramatta. Three 

 men rushed from a wood, and knocking down 

 a young man travelling from the first to the 

 last mentioned town, emptied his pockets of 

 several dollars. However recovering, and find- 

 ing only one man, 'who was trying to get his 

 handkerchief from his neck, he liad a struggle 

 with him, and the thief not being the strongest, 

 was secured and conveyed to Paramatta. A 

 court assembled for his trial ; but the evidence 

 being defective he was acquitted. 



Fresh pork having been for some time received 

 into the store, there were now found six months' 

 salt provisions on hand ; but without this 

 supply from the produce of the country all 

 would have been consumed, and the colony left 

 destitute of animal food, unless an inroad had 

 been made on the live stock. 



The curing of pork at Norfolk Island was en- 

 couraged by every means; but the casks in 

 which the salt meat was sent from England were 

 so weak by their arrival that not one in twenty 

 was fit for that use again. Had any timber, for 

 this use been found, a supply of hoops and salt 

 pans would have been wanting ; and, if not cured 

 in the winter season, and the method observed 

 by Capt. Cook which was now used at Norfolk 

 Island, it remained doubtful whether it could 

 be carried to any serviceable extent. 



