396 HISTORY OF 



ing what had heen already sent, under pain of 

 the offenders being prosecuted for disobedience 

 of orders. 



The Governor inthebeginingof May received 

 information from the officers, that they had 

 some grounds for suspecting, that the convicts 

 from Ireland had brought with them the prin- 

 ciples which occasioned their being sent from 

 that kingdom, and were holding seditious 

 correspondences, and unlawful meetings ; to 

 discover whether there was any foundation 

 for this, he called in the assistance of Lieut. 

 Governor King, Colonel Paterson, Major Fo- 

 veaux, and the magistrates ; when it was deter- 

 mined to make a general search among the per- 

 sons suspected in all parts of the coiony at tho 

 same time, and to secure, and seal up their 

 papers. 



This examination took place on the 1.5th; 

 but nothing was discovered that could furnish 

 the smallest evidence of the imputed crimes. 



The«next day a convict, who had with great 

 earnestness propagated a report that many pikes 

 had been secretly made, and, to prevent detec- 

 tion, they had been sunk in a well-known part 

 of the harbour; this fellow on being examined 

 by the magistrates, confessed he knew nothing 

 of what he had asserted, and said he was intoxi- 

 cated at the time. For this he was severely pu- 

 nished, and it was doubtful if he had not chose to 

 suffer rather than make known his confederates: 

 thus perhaps imagined he proved his innocence 

 to his accusers, and his truth to his rebel com- 

 panions. 



