i7o8.] OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 33 



wifh to difcover whether all thefe new comers pafied their night in 

 fleep. 



The cold weather which prevailed at this time of the year was 

 ohferved to affect the fifhing; and the natives themfelves appeared 

 to be in great want.- An old man belonging to them was found on 

 the beach of one of the coves, almoft ftarved to death. 



The Governor being told that a native, having ftolen a jacket from 

 a convicl:, had been killed by him in an attempt to recover it, hTued 

 a proclamation, promifing a free pardon, with remiffion of the fen- 

 tence of tranfportation, to fuch male or female convicl: as mould 

 give information of any fuch offender or offenders, fo that they 

 might be profecuted to convi&ion ; but no difcovery was made. 



One evening in this month a flight fhock of an earthquake had been 

 obferved, which laded two or three feconds, and was accompanied 

 with a diftant noife like the report of cannon, coming from the fouth- 

 ward ; the fhock, however, was local. 



In July an official report of the ftate of the fick was made by the 

 principal furgeon. The number of marines under medical treatment 

 was thirty-fix ; the number of convicls fixty-fix. Convicts unfit 

 for labour from old age and infirmities fifty- two ; and if idlenefs might 

 have been taken into the account, (as well it might, fince many were 

 thereby rendered of very little fervice to the colony,) the number 

 would have been greatly augmented. 



On the 20th the Supply failed with ftores and provifions for Nor- 

 folk Ifland. Only two tranfports remained of the fleet that came out 

 from England, the Golden Grove and Fifhburn ; and preparations 

 were making for clearing and difcharging them from Government 

 fervice, by conftrucling a cellar on the Weft fide for receiving the 

 fplrits, and depofiting the provifions in the large ftore-houfe. 



From the nature of the materials with which moft of the huts oc- 

 cupied by the convicts were covered in, feveral accidents happened by 

 fire, whereby the labour of many people was loft; they again were 

 obliged to feek a fhelter for themfelves, and had in general to com- 



