ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY 



[August* 



C H A F. IV. 



I >fT E L L I G F.N G E FROM NORFOLK ISLAND* — POLICE ESTABLISHED AT THE 



PRINCIPAL SETTLEMENT. A SUCCESSFUL HAUL OF FISH;. PROVISIONS 



BEGIN TO FAIL. — -NATIVES. A LAUNCH COMPLETED. — RATS. RATION 



REDUCED TO TWO-THIRDS.— THE SIRIUS RETURNS TO THE COVE. ONE 



OF HER MATES LOST IN THE WOODS. THE SUPPLY SAILS FOR NORFOLK 



ISLAND. — "A FEMALE CONVICT EXECUTED. TWO NATIVES TAKEN.— 



LIEUTENANT DAWEs's EXCURSION. — THE SUPPLY RETURNS.— TRANS- 

 ACTIONS, 



every eircumftanee became of importance that might in its ten* 

 dency forward' or retard the day whereon the colony was to be 

 pronounced independent of the mother-country for provifions, it was 

 foon obferved with concern, that hitherto by far a greater proportion 

 of males than females had been produced by the animals which had 

 been taken out for the purpofe of breeding. This in any other fitua- 

 tion might not have been fo particularly noticed; but here, where a 

 country was to be nocked, a litter of twelve pigs whereof three only 

 were females became a fubject for converfation and inquiry. Out of 

 feven kids which had been produced in one month, one only was a 

 female ; and many fimilar inftances had before occurred ; but no par- 

 ticular notice was attracted until their frequency rendered them re- 

 markable.. This circumftance excited an anxious care in every one 

 for the prefervation of the few females that were produced ; and no 

 perfon entertained an idea of flaughtering one of that fort : indeed, 

 males were fo abundant, that fortunately there was no oceafion. 



On the 7th of Auguft Lieutenant Ball returned from Norfolk Iiland, 

 and' from an unfuccefsful cruife of nearly fix weeks in fearch of the 

 ilknd and flioals for which he had been inftruded to look. He failed 



over 



I 



