1789O 0F NEW SOUTH WALES. n 



liable to an accident by fire, nor likely to prove fo great an harbour 

 for rats, to guard againft whom it had. become neceflary to take as 

 many precautions as againd any other enemy. They, however, de- 

 feated every care, by working under ground to get in ; and as it was 

 now a matter of much moment to preferve every ounce of provifions 

 that belonged to us, they were all taken out and re-flowed with an at- 

 tention fuitable to their important value. 



Numberlefs thefts and depredations were at this time committed,., 

 particularly on the wheat as it ripened ; this was generally attributed 

 to the reduction which had taken place in the ration of provifions ; 

 and every one dreaded how much the commiffion of them might be 

 increafed, if accident or delay fliould render a greater reduction ne^ 

 eelTary. 



€HAP 9 



