m^l OF NEW SOUTH WALES. , 75 



failed from England in the year 1790. The ficknefs and mortality 

 which prevailed among them excited a fufpicion that they had been 

 improperly treated ; and information upon oath was foon procured 

 of many ads of neglect, ill ufage, and cruelty toward them. 



On the day following the Britannia's arrival the ration was di- 

 rected to be increafed to (for each man) 



Four pounds of maize, 



Three pounds of foujee, 



Seven pounds of beef, or in lieu thereof 4 lbs. of pork,. 



Three pints of peafe, and. 



Half a pound of rice. 

 Two thirds of the man's ration was to be iflued to each woman and 

 to every child above ten years of age ; one-half of the man's ration 

 to each child above two and under ten years of age, and one-fourth to 

 each child under two years of age. 



Thus happily was the colony once more put upon fomething like a, 

 full ration of provifions ; a change that may be well fuppofed to have* 

 given univerfal Satisfaction, more particularly as at the arrival of the 

 Britannia there were in the public flore no more than twenty-four 

 days' fait provifion, at the ration then iffued. A delay of one month 

 in her voyage mud have placed the colony in a ftate that would have 

 excited the commiferation of its greater!: enemies. But with this 

 new ration all entertained new hopes, and trufted that their future 

 labours would be crowned with fuccefs, and that the neceffity of 

 fending out fupplies from the mother-country, until the colony could, 

 fupport itfelf without affiftance, would have become fo evident from 

 the frequency of their diftreffes, that the hiftorian would no more 

 have to fill his page with comparisons between what they might 

 have been and what they at this time were ; to lament the non- 

 arrival of fupplies y nor to paint the miferi.es and wretchednefs which 

 had enfued ; but be enabled to adopt a language to which he might 

 truly be faid to have been hitherto a ftranger, and paint the glowing. 



profpects: 



