410 HISTORY OF 



On the 21st of October, the Buffalo sailed 

 for England, and the Governor intended to 

 touch at Norfolk Island, to learn from ob- 

 servation, the state of that settlement, as some 

 of the Irish prisoners, suspected of laying plans 

 of insurrection, were taken in the Buffalo, to 

 be landed there. As the last information from 

 which place More an unpromising aspect, the 

 buildings were in a state of decay, and few 

 symptoms of industry were visible. Of live 

 stock, only a few hogs and a few vegetables- 

 were to be procured. At Phillip Island, on 

 which had been fed a great number of hogs, 

 not one was alive, they having, for want of 

 food, absolutely destroyed each other. A few 

 acres of wheat were ready for reaping; but on 

 the whole, Norfolk Island did not promise to 

 repay the expense it cost. 



On board of the Buffalo were taken two black- 

 swans, and three New South Wales emus. 

 Lieutenant Kent who returned to England in 

 the Buffalo, previous to his departure, sold an 

 elegant house he had built at a great expense, 

 which was bought to convert into an orphan 

 school, and speedily inhabited by them. 



How highly honourable it was to the pro- 

 moters of so laudable an institution ! for cer- 

 tainly, in no country under heaven, could such 

 an establishment be more wanting, as nearly 

 every child might be esteemed an orphan, for, 

 generally speaking, their parents did not de- 

 serve the name of fathers or mothers evea 

 while alive. 1 



