20 



■DEPORTATION TO THE DERWENT. 



privations which they would have to encounter in a new settle- 

 ment before they could get round them even such comforts 

 for their families as they had at Norfolk Island. If they 

 knew that the Government meant to abandon the settlement 

 altogether, probably they would be willing to remove. One 

 of the greatest obstacles was their debts. But perhaps the 

 offer of greater inducements might overcome their reluctance, 

 and eventually they would all benefit by the change. 



Governor King had no authority to abandon the settlement, 

 and was probably only too pleased' that the settlers whom he 

 had planted showed such an attachment to his favourite island, 

 or at least so much reluctance to leave it. It only remained 

 for him to make such reductions in the establishment as were 

 possible. Some of the civil officers were discharged and 

 others transferred to Port Dalrymple, the military guard was 

 reduced by one-half, and most of the convicts were withdrawn, 

 some being removed to Port Dalrymple and the remainder to 

 Port Jackson. With the few small vessels available for the 

 service, the difficulty of approach to the island, and the storms 

 which on more than one occasion disabled the badly found and 

 unseaworthy ships, the removal of even a small part of the 

 people was a tedious business, extending over man y months. 

 By the end of 1805 about 250 people had been removed, 

 leaving more than 700 still on the Island. The stores were for 

 the most part transferred to Port Dalrymple and the Derwent. 

 A large quantity of the salt pork sent to the latter settlement 

 was condemned as unfit for human food. 



In accordance with Lord Hobart's instructions, Major 

 Foveaux resigned his charge on 12th February, 1805, when the 

 reductions began. Captain John Piper, the senior military 

 officer, took his place as Commandant. If Holt is to be 

 trusted, Captain Piper's rule presented a favourable contrast to 

 that of Foveaux, both in the humanity and consideration he 

 showed to those under him and in his general conduct. To 

 Piper was left the troublesome and nnpleasing task of superin- 

 tending the removal of the settlers. With but few exceptions 

 they obstinately refused to stir. The first to leave were 

 five settlers who sailed with Foveaux to Sydney, and thence 

 proceeded to Paterson's Settlement at Port' Dalrymple, where 

 they arrived in April, 1805. These were the 'first Norfolk 

 Islanders to settle in Van Diemen's Land. Paterson wanted 

 them to take up their locations on the Supply River on the 

 west bank of the Tamar; but they chose their allotments on a 

 creek two miles south-east of York Town. The soil on the hills 

 was bad, the flats were liable to floods. Their crops turned 

 out so poor that they threw up their locations, and Paterson 

 eventually gave them fresh grants in the fertile country on the 

 banks of the South Esk, somewhere in the neighbourhood of 



