i8oo.] 



OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



There not being at this time more than five months' provifion in 

 the More at full allowance, it became neceflary to iflue only two-thirds 

 of the weekly ration. 



About this time a proof was given of the power of the female fex 

 over their ideal fuperiors. A quiet well-difpofed young man, a foldier 

 in the New South Wales corps, fell a vi&im to an attachment which he 

 had formed with an infamous woman, a convict, who, after plunder- 

 ing, deferted him for another. The ill-fated youth unable to fupport 

 what he termed a calamity, placed the muzzle of his gun beneath his 

 chin, and, pulling the trigger with his foot, in one inftant ruftred; 

 into eternity. 



Gn the 13th, the Betfey whaler arrived from the weft coaft of Ame- 

 rica, with 350 barrels of oil. At the fame time came the Hunter 

 bark from Calcutta, with a cargo on fpeculation ; and alfo a SpaniuY 

 brig which had been captured by the whaler. 



On the 1 6th, the FriencKhip tranfport arrived from Ireland with con- 

 victs, who came in good health ; notwithftanding which, they were 

 not calculated to be of much advantage to the fettiement ; but little 

 addition being gained by their arrival to the public ftrength. Several 

 of them had been bred up in the habits of genteel life, or to profelTTons 

 in which they were unaccuftomed to hard labour : fuch mu ft become 

 a dead weight upon the provifion ftore ; for, notwithftanding the ab- 

 horrence which muft have been felt for their crimes, yet it was im- 

 poffible to diveft the mind of the common feel ings of humanity, fo far 

 as to fend a phyfician, the once-refpeclable fherifT of a county, a 

 Roman catholic prieft, or a proteftant clergyman and his family, to 

 the grubbing hoe, or the timber- carriage. Among the lower clalTes 

 were many old men. 



Several of the fettlers declining to-pay any thing towards the build- 

 ing of the new gaol, a tax of one (hilling per gallon on whatever 

 fpirits each individual might purchafe, fixpence on wine, and three- 

 pence upon porter or ftrong beer, was impofed, to be applied to the 

 above purpofe. 



6 About 



