1790.] 



OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



tion would allow. The guard-houfe on the Eaft fide was finifhed and 

 taken poffeffion of during the month. 



The Governor had affembled the convicls and informed them that 

 very fevere punimment would follow the conviction of perfons guilty of 

 robbing gardens ; and he at the fame time ftrongly inculcated the ab- 

 folute necefiity that exifced for every man to cultivate his own garden. 

 To the few who, from never having been induftrious, had not any 

 ground fown or planted with vegetables, he allotted a fmall but fuf- 

 ficient fpot for their ufe, and encouraged them in their labour by 

 his prefence and directions ; but they preferred any thing to honeft 

 induflry, and availed themfelves of the peculiar fituation of the co- 

 lony to commit thefts, which it became necelfary to puniih with 

 great feverity. One convict was executed. Thofe people, though 

 the major part of them were, during the night, locked up, were 

 ever on the watch to commit depredations on the unwary during 

 the hours when they were at large, and never fuffered an opportunity 

 to efcape them. A female convicl: was robbed of her week's provi- 

 fions ; and as it was impoffible to replace them from the public flore, 

 fhe was left to fubfift on what me could obtain from the bounty 

 (never more truly laudable than at this diftreffing juncture) of others 

 who commiferated her fituation. One poor woman about this time 

 killed herfelf by over-loading her flomach with flour and greens which 

 flic had made into a mefs. 



The expedient of mooting for the public not being found to an- 

 fwer, fixty pounds of pork only having been faved, the game-killers 

 were called in, and the general exertion was directed to the bufinefs 

 of timing. 



It was naturally expected, that the miferable allowance which was 

 iffued would affect the healths of the labouring convicts. A circum- 

 ftance occurred in the month of May, which feemed to favour this 

 idea : an elderly man dropped down at the ftore. Fainting with hun- 

 ger, and unable through age to hold up any longer, he was carried 



