1794.] OF NEW SOUTH WALES, 2 6: 



neighbourhood of the harbour, which, on afterwards looking into the 

 chart, was fuppofed to be fomewbere about Reed Point. k The native 

 returned with the fcldiers, as cheerfully and as well pJeafed as if he 

 had conducted them to the banks of the firft river in the world. 



An excurfion of a different nature was at this time framing amonsi 

 fome discontented Irifh convicts, and was on the point of being car- 

 ried into execution when difcovered. Among thofe who had arrived 

 in the lad (hips from Ireland, was a convict who had been an attorney 

 in that kingdom, and who was weak enough to form the hazardous 

 fcheme, with feveral others, of feizing a long-boat, in which they 

 were to endeavour to reach Batavia. A quantity of provifions, water- 

 cafks, fails, and other neceifary articles, were provided, and were 

 found, at the time of making the difeovery, in the houfe of the prin- 

 cipal. Thefe people had much greater reafon to rejoice at, than to 

 regret, the difeovery of their plot ; for the wind, on the day fu ex- 

 ceeding the night in which they were to have gone off, blew a heavy 

 gale ; and, as there were no profeiTed feamen in the party, it was next 

 to impoffible but that the boat mud: be loft. The greater!: evil that 

 attended thefe defertions was the lofs of the boats which were taken 

 off; for the colony could not fuftain much injury by the abfence of a 

 few wretches who were too idle to labour, and muft be conftantly 

 whifpering their own difcontents among the other convicts. 



On the 24th of May, the inhabitants of this hitherto ill-omened 

 country had the fatisfaciion of feeing the Indifpenfable, a (lore (hip, 

 anchor in the cove from England, with a cargo confining principally 

 of provifions for the colony. From her they under (loo d that fhe was 

 the firft of fix or feven mips which were all to bring out (lores and 

 provifions, and which, if no accident happened in the paffage, might 

 be expected to arrive in the courfe of two months. The fupply of 

 clothing and provifions intended to be conveyed by them, together 

 with what had been received by the William, was calculated for the 

 confumption of a twelvemonth. The quantity which had now 

 arrived formed a fupply of flour for twelve weeks, beef for four ditto^ 



pork 



