im ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [May, 



to this 'clafs of the convi&s ; and the wretches who were concerned 

 in the commiffion of them were in general too weak to receive a 

 puniihment adequate to their crimes. Their univerfal plea was 

 hunger ; a plea, which, though it could not be contradicted, impe- 

 rious necefiity deprived of its due weight, and frequently compelled 

 punifhment to be inflicted when pity was the prevailing fentiment. 



The Indian corn which was ftolen and deftroyed at this time was 

 computed to have been at lead: one fixth of what hid been raifed. 

 This was a very ferious lofs, and increafed the anxiety for the re- 

 ceipt of thofe fupplies from England which had not arrived, though 

 the time had elapfed in which they mould have appeared, had their 

 departure taken place at the period mentioned by the Secretary of 

 State. His Excellency therefore thought it prudent ftill farther to 

 abridge the ration of flour to one pound and a half ; and, as Indian 

 corn was now neceflarily become the principal part of each perfon's 

 fuftenance, hand-mills and querns were fet to work to grind it coarfe 

 for every perfon both at Sydney and at Parramatta ; and at the latter 

 place wooden mortars, with a lever and peftle, were alfo ufed to break 

 the corn ; and thefe pounded it much finer than it could be ground 

 by the hand-mills; but it was effe&ed with great labour. This w r as, 

 on the whole, the word ration hitherto iffued. The rice formerly 

 given was much more nutritive than the Indian corn now ferved in its 

 itead ; it could likewife be ufed in a much greater variety of modes 

 than it was poflible to prepare the corn in. 



As at this period the flour in ftore was reduced to a very incon- 

 fiderable quantity, twenty-four days at the new ration, and the fait 

 provifions not affording a fupply for a longer time than three months, 

 it became a melancholy, although natural reflection, that had not fuch 

 numbers died, both in the paffage and fince the landing of thofe who 

 furvived the voyage, they would not at that hour have had the mi- 

 ferable pittance which they yet received : thus ftrangely did they de- 

 rive benefit from the calamities of their fellow- creatures. 



9 Several 



