»?88.] Of NEW SOUTH WALES. 4 , 



fliff clayey nature, free from that rock which every where covered the 

 furface at Sydney Cove, well clothed with timber, and unobflru&ed 

 by underwood. While this little fcttlement was eftablifliing it {elf, let- 

 ters were received from Norfolk Ifland, in which Lieutenant King, 

 the commandant, fpoke in very favourable terms of his young colony. 

 His people continued healthy, having fiiri and vegetables in abun- 

 dance ; by the former of which he was enabled to fave fome of his 

 falted provifions. He had alfo the promife of a good crop from the 

 grain which he had Iaft fown, and his gardens wore the mo ft flourim- 

 ing appearance. 



A cocoa-nut perfe&ly frefh, and a piece of wood faid to refemble 

 the handle of a fly-flap as made at the Friendly Iflands, together with 

 the remains of two canoes, had been found among the rocks, per- 

 haps blown from fome ifland which might lie at no great diflance. 



The fmali redoubt which was begun in July being finimed, a flag- 

 ftafF was erected, and two pieces of iron ordnance placed in it. 



In order to prevent, if poffible, the pra&ice of thieving, which con- 

 tinued to be very frequent, an order was given, directing that no con- 

 vict, found guilty of theft, mould be fupplied with any other clothing 

 than a canvas frock and trowfers. It was at the fame time determined, 

 that fuch convicts as mould in future fail to perform a day's labour, 

 Ihould receive only two-thirds of the ration that was hTued to thofc 

 "who could and did work. , 



Unimportant as thefe circumftances may appear when detailed at a 

 diflance from the time when they were neceflary, they yet ferve to 

 mow the nature of "the people by whom the colony was firft founded ; 

 as well as the attention that was paid by thofe in authority, and the 

 fteps taken by them, for eftablifhing good order and propriety, and 

 for eradicating villainy and idlenefs. 



' In December James Daley, the convict who in Auguft pretended to 

 Tiave difcovered an inexhauftible fource of wealth, and who had been 

 dbferved from that time to neglect his labour, and to loiter about from 

 'hut to hut, while others were at work, was at lail convicted of break- 



g ing 



