■6 4 ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY IJuW, 



Notwithstanding little more than two years had elapfed fince their 

 departure from England, feveral convi&s about this time fignified 

 that the refpedive terms for which they had been tranfported had 

 expired, and claimed to be reftored to the privileges of free men. 

 Unfortunately, by fome unaccountable overfight, the papers necef- 

 fary to afcertain thefe particulars had been left by the matters of the 

 tranfports with their owners in England, inftead of being brought 

 out and depofited in the colony; and as, thus fituated, it was 

 equally impoffible to admit or to deny the truth of their affertions, 

 they were told to wait until accounts could be received; and in the 

 mean time, by continuing to labour for the public, they would 

 be entitled to mare the public provifions in the ftore. This was 

 by no means fatisfa&ory, as it appeared that they expected an 

 aflurance from the Governor of receiving fome gratuity for employ- 

 ing their future time and labour for the benefit of the fettlement. 

 It muft be acknowledged, that thefe people were moft peculiarly 

 and unpleafantly fituated. Confcious in their own minds that the len- 

 ience of the law had been fulfilled upon them, it muft have ap- 

 peared, and certainly was, unjuft . that they mould be compelled to 

 do the duty of convicts, and be confidered as fuch : yet, fituated as 

 the Governor was, he had no alternative. 



In the infancy of the colony, however, but little was to be 

 gained by their being reftored to the rights and privileges of free 

 people; as no one ,was in pofTeffion of fuch abundance as to afford to 

 Support another independent, of the public ftore. Every man, there- 

 fore, muft have wrought for his provifions; and if they had been 

 gratified in their expectation of being paid for their labour, the 

 price of provifions would have been found equal, if not fuperior, to 

 any value that they could have fet upon their time and labour for 

 the public. As thefe confiderations muft have offered themfelves to 

 the notice of many good underftandings which were among them, 

 it was conjectured, that the diffatisfa&ion which evidently prevailed 

 on this fubject was fet on foot and fomented by fome evil-defigning 



7 fpirits 



