i 7 88.] OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 31 



the place where the men were killed, in which cafe he would have 

 endeavoured to fecure fome of them, but, not having any fixed refi- 

 dence, they had, perhaps, left the fpot immediately after fatisfying 

 their fanguinary refentment. 



The fourth of June was ufhered in with every demonftration of re- 

 fped which it was in the power of thefe exiles from polifhed life to 

 fhew the day diftinguifhed by the birth of their beloved fovereign. 

 Some of the worft among the convids availed themfelves of the op- 

 portunity that was given them in the evening, by the abfence of feveral 

 of the officers and people from their tents and huts on this feftive oc- 

 cafion, to commit depredations. Several robberies were detected, and 

 two of the delinquents afterwards fuffered death for their offences. 

 One of thefe had abfconded, and lived in the woods for nineteen days, 

 exifting on what he was able to procure by nocturnal thefts among 

 the huts and flocks of individuals. His vifits for this purpofe were 

 fo frequent and daring, that at length it became abfolutely neceffary 

 to proclaim him an outlaw, as well as to declare that no perfon muft 

 harbour him after fuch proclamation. 



Exemplary punishments feemed about this period to be growing 

 daily more neceffary. Stock was often killed, huts and tents broke 

 open, and provifion conftantly flolen, particularly about the latter end 

 of the week ; as many of thofe unthrifty people, taking no care to 

 hufband their provifions through the feven days that they were in- 

 tended to laft them, had confumed the whole by the end of the third 

 or fourth day. One of this defcription made his week's allowance of 

 flour (eight pounds) into cakes, which he devoured at one meal ; he 

 was foon after taken fpeechlefs and fenfelefs, and died the following 

 day, a loathfome putrid objed. 



The obvious confequence of this want of ceconomy was, that he 

 who confumed his week's allowance in three days muft Real from thofe 

 who had been more provident. Had a few perfons been fent out who 

 were not of the defcription of convids, to have aded as overfeers or 

 fuperintendants, regulations for their internal ceconomy, as well in 



the 



