oOO HISTORY OF 



crease fast, when they exceed the numbers of 

 the contrary description, shame will operate so 

 powerfully, as to induce them to act with pro- 

 priety — to prevent being avoided, when their 

 terms of transportation shall expire. It is in- 

 deed much to be lamented, that every ship 

 nearly which visited the country, furnished 

 those disposed with the means of procuring spi- 

 rits in the most unreasonable quantities, not- 

 withstanding the prohibitions of the govern- 

 ment, and that scarce a vessel left the country 

 without assisting some to make their escapes. 

 This perhaps unsettled most of those who would 

 otherwise have been contented ; for as every 

 arrival revived their hopes of escape, so did it 

 cause them to neglect their duty to attempt 

 getting away. These, added to the repeated 

 and unfortunate shortness of provisions with 

 which the colony was formerly visited, might 

 be an additional motive for such attempts 

 being made. When it is considered with what 

 evils the government of New South Wales had 

 to contend, it is really wonderful how so much 

 labour was effected on the public account ; for 

 exclusive of the quantity of land cleared and 

 cultivated, the list of buildings in pages 415 

 to 4520, which are there mentioned, as only 

 those during Governor Hunter's residence as 

 Chief Magistrate in the country. Many other 

 works have gone forward on the accounts of 

 individuals : so that had it fortunately have 

 happened that all had with equal alacrity ex- 



