32 ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [June, 



the articles of clothing as provisions, might have been formed which 

 would have prevented thefe evils : it would then too have been more 

 practicable to detect them in felling or exchanging the flops which 

 they received, and their provifions would have been fubject to daily 

 infpe&ion. But overfeers drawn from among themfelves, were found 

 not to have that influence which was abfolutely neceffary to carry any 

 regulation into effect. It was not for want of having their duty 

 pointed out to them, or the certain confequences in which a breach of 

 it would involve them, that they tranfgreffed ; but many among them 

 -were fo inured to the habits of vice, and fo callous to remonstrance, 

 that they were only restrained until a favourable opportunity prefented 

 itfelf. 



In the beginning of this month (June) the colony fuftained a fevere 

 Iofs by the neglect of a convict who had charge of the cattle, and who 

 permitting them to ftray. The two bulls with four cows either wan- 

 dered into the woods, or were perhaps driven away by the natives ; 

 and although feveral parties were fucceffively fent in fearch of them 

 they could nowhere be difcovered. On the 27th of the fame month 

 a party of the natives, fuppofed to be from twenty to thirty in num- 

 ber, landed at the Eaft fide of the Cove, between eleven and twelve 

 o'clock at night, and proceeded along clofe by the centinels, (topping 

 for fome time at the fpot where the Governor's houfe was building, 

 and in the rear of the tents inhabited by fome of the women. It was 

 faid that they appeared alarmed on hearing the centinels call out "All 

 is well," and, after (landing there for fome time, went off towards 

 the run of water. The centinels were very positive in their decla- 

 ration that they had feen them, and were minute in their relation of 

 the above circumstances ; notwithstanding which, it was conjectured 

 by many to be only the effect of imagination. It is not unlikely, 

 however, tint thefe people might have chofen that hour of the night 

 to gratify a curiofity which would very naturally be excited on 

 finding that their vifitants ftill refided among them \ and they might 



wifh 



