1789.] OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 49 



Grove ftorefhip, Lieutenant Ball, (who was proceeding to Norfolk 

 Ifland with provisions and convids) wasdire&ed to perform that duty 

 on his return. He failed with the verTel under his command on the 

 1 7th, having on board twenty-one male and fix female convids, and 

 three children ; of the latter, two were to be placed under Mr. King's 

 care as children of the public* The one, a boy of three years old, 

 had loft his mother on the pafTage to that country; the other, a girl 

 one year older, had a mother in the colony ; but of fo very aban- 

 doned a character, that the child was taken from her in the hope of 

 (aving it from the ruin which was otherwife inevitable. Thefe chil- 

 dren were to be inftruded in reading, writing, and hufhandry. 

 The commandant of the ifland was direded to caufe five acres of 

 ground to be allotted and cultivated for their benefit, by fuch perfon 

 as he fhould think fit to entruft with the charge of bringing them up 

 according to the fpirit of this intention, in promoting the fuccefs of 

 which every friend of humanity feemed to feel an intereft. 



The Cove was now, for the firft time, left without a fhip ; a cir- 

 cumftance not only finking by its novelty, but which forcibly drew 

 the attention of the inhabitants to the peculiarity of their fituation. 

 The Sirius was gone upon a long voyage to a diftant country for 

 fupplies, the arrival of which was affuredly precarious. The Supply 

 had left them, to look after a dangerous reef ; which fervice, in an 

 unknown fea, might draw upon herfelf the calamity which me was 

 feeking to inftrud others to avoid. Should it have been decreed, that 

 the arm of misfortune was to fall with fuch weight upon them, as to 

 render at any time the fafety of this little vefTel neceflary to the 

 falvation of the colony, how deeply was every individual concerned 

 in her welfare ! Rerledion on the bare poflibility of its mifcar.riap-e 

 rendered every mind anxious during her abfence from the fettlement. 



From the evident neceflity that exifted of maintaining a find difcl- 

 pline among the military employed in this country, it became 

 requifite to punifh with fome feverity any flagrant breach of military 

 fubordi nation that might, occur. A foldier in the detachment, having 



h been 



