ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [December, 



to vilit each diftrid ; and, from the refpe&ive owners, to collect an 

 account of what each farm had produced. 



The fettlers being diUatisfed with a redudion in tlie price of grain 

 which had been ordered, prefented petitions to the Governor, in which 

 they flated the various hardihips that for a confiderahle time pad they 

 had laboured under, in the hope that he might be induced to receive 

 the crops of the prefent feafon at the ufual price. Having taken their 

 petitions into confideration, he defired them to recollect, that four years 

 fince he had given them notice, that the high price of grain could 

 not be continued longer than that feafon ; and though he had not any 

 doubt of their having fuftained the loOes which they reprefented, and 

 they mu ft be fenfible that he had ufed every means in his power to 

 remove and relieve their misfortunes ; yet. his duty to Government 

 compelled him to adhere to the reduction of which they complained. 

 At the fame time, he could not avoid obferving, that fome of thefe 

 misfortunes had, in many inftances, proceeded from a want of that 

 attention to their own intereft, which every man pofTeffing common 

 difcretion would have fhewn ; many of them having parted with their 

 laft bufhel for the gratification of the moment, thereby reducing their 

 families to diftrefs. 



He likewife informed them, that Government had a ferious inten- 

 tion, .as early as the public concerns of the nation would admit, of 

 adminiftering every poflible relief, by fupplying the inhabitants, at a 

 moderate price, with fuch neceffaries and comforts as they might 

 require. 



In the courfe of December a Spanifh fhip anchored in the cove. 

 She was a prize to three whalers, who had taken her near Cape Co- 

 rientes, on the coaft of Pera. Her cargo confifted chiefly of bad fpirits 

 and wine ; which, on her being condemned as a lawful prize, were 

 removed to the Supply, and an order was given out, ftrictly forbid- 

 ding the landing of any fpirits, wine, or even malt liquor, until a re- 

 gular permit had been firft obtained. 



6 At 



