BY JAMES BACKHOUSE WALKER. 75 



the maintenance of order, were discontented, almost 

 mutinous. Within a week of his arrival they were 

 grumblins^ at the hard duty of mounting one sentry 

 during the day and two at night. The Commandant 

 thought they had been spoilt by too easy a life in 

 Sydney, and begged the Governor to send him down an 

 active officer or sergeant who would keep them to their 

 duty. 



As to the prisoners, they were of the worst class, 

 ill behaved, useless, and lazy. Indeed, when we find 

 that some of the worst offenders in New South Wales 

 had been sentenced by the Criminal Court in Sydney to 

 serve a certain number of years at Risdon Creek, we 

 cannot wonder at Bowen's complaints of their conduct, 

 nor can we be surprised that he was able to effect so 

 little. 



Meanwhile, Governor King did not forget the interests 

 of the new colony. In his reply to Bowen's first letters, Kin"- to 

 he expressed himself as well pleased with the selection of Bowen, I8tli 

 Risdon, and with the progress that had been made v/ith October, 1803. 

 the settlement. He also promised the I'einforcements for 

 which Bowen asked, and, accordingly, towards the end of King to 

 October the Dart brig was despatched to the Derwent. Hobart, 

 She took 42 prisonei-s — of whom 20 were volunteers— and ^g^^ October, 

 these latter were told that, if their behaviour Avas good, 

 they should be allowed fit the end of tv»^o years to choose 

 between settling at the Derwent and returning to Sydney. 

 The Governor also strengthened the Military force by 

 sending down 15 soldiers under the command of Lieut, 

 Moore. He strongly urged Bowen to leave their discipline 

 entirely to their officer, to give them good huts, full 

 rations, a plot of ground for a garden, and to employ 

 them on military duty only, so that they might have no 

 just ground for complaint. The Dart took six months' 

 supplies of pork and flour for the new arrivals, and also 

 two carronades which had belonged to the Investigator, 

 and as to the care of which King' o;ave the Commandant 

 very special cautions. No more free settlers were sent, 

 as the Governor wished first to get a better knowledge 

 of the country and of its suitableness for agriculture. To King to 

 this end he sent down James Meehan, a surveyor who f^owen, 18th 

 had done good work in New South Wales under Sur- O^'to^^r, 1803. 

 veyor-General Grimes, and had recently formed one of the 

 party who had made the survey of Port Phillip in the 

 Cumberland. Meehan was to be employed in surveying 

 and making observations on the soil and natural pro- 

 ductions of the colony, and was to advise with respect to 

 the distribution of the town, church, and school lands, 



