i 3 4 ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [May, 



ftarving, the Governor told him, that in confi deration of his having 

 been upon a fhort allowance of provifions during nearly the whole of 

 the time that he had been cultivating ground upon his own account, 

 the ftorekeeper mould be directed to fupply him with twenty pounds 

 of fait provifions. The man affured his Excellency that he did not 

 ftand in need of his bounty, having by him at the time a fmall flock 

 of provifions, a quantity of Indian cortf (which he found no difficulty 

 in exchanging for fait meat), and a bag of flour ; all of which enabled 

 him to do fo well, that he abfolutely begged permiffion to decline the 

 offer ; fo very contradictory was his own account of his fituation to 

 that which had been afferted by others ! 



The barracks at Rofe Hill being fufficiently completed, they were 

 taken poffeffion of at the latter end of May by the New South Wales 

 corps. 



Thefts innumerable were ftill committed ; and though fevere punifh- 

 ment was certain to follow detection, it either had loft its terrors, or 

 the habits of depravity were become fo much a part of their nature as 

 to fubdue every other fenfation. 



Finifhing the^clergyman's and furveyor's houfes, bringing in bricks 

 for other buildings, pofts and paling for a fence round the run of 

 water, and making cloathing for the people, occupied the convicts at 

 Sydney. 



The bad weather met with by the Supply, during her late voyage to 

 Norfolk Ifland, had done her fo much injury, that (he could not be o-ot 

 ready for fea in lefs than three months, the carpenter declaring her 

 main-maft to be unfit for fervice. This, when the difficulty of finding 

 timber fit for the purpofe was recollected, was a moft unlucky and ill- 

 timed want ; for, mould it happen that fupplies were not received from 

 England by the middle or end of the month of July, the fervices of 

 this veffel would be again required ; and, to fave the colony, (lie muft 

 at that time have been difpatched to fome fettlement in India for pro- 

 vifions. She was therefore immediately hauled along-fide the rocks, 

 and people employed to look for found timber fit for a mail. 



In 



