few minutes too late, and he was seized while tremblingly alive to the joyful prospect. of escaping.

In the course of November the harvest was got in; the ground in cultivation at Rose Hill produced upwards of two hundred bushels of wheat, about thirty-five bushels of barley, and a small quantity of oats and Indian corn; all of which was intended to be reserved for seed. At Sydney, the spot of ground called the Governor's Farm had been sown only with barley, and produced about twenty-five bushels.

On the 21st of December, the Supply returned from Norfolk Island, having been absent six weeks. Lieutenant King wrote, that he expected his harvest would produce from four to six months' flour for all his inhabitants, exclusive of a reserve of double seed for twenty acres of ground. Besides this promising appearances he had ten acres in cultivation, with Indian corn, which looked very well. Early in January, 1790, the Supply sailed again for Norfolk Island, with twenty-two male and two female convicts: on her return she was to touch at Lord Howe Island to procure turtle.

A sufficient quantity of fish having been taken in one night to admit the serving of two pounds to each man, woman, and child, belonging to the settlement, the Governor directed, that a boat should in future be employed three times in the week to fish for the public, and that the whole quantity caught should be issued at the above rate to every person in turn. This allowance was in addition to the ration of provisions; and was received with much satisfaction several times during the month.

The first signal from the flag-staff at the south head was displayed on the 10th of February; and though every imagination first turned to the expected stranger, yet happening about the time at which the Supply was expected from Norfolk Island, conjecture soon fixed on the right object; and the temporary suspence was put an end to, by word being brought that the Supply, unable to get into Port Jackson, had borne up for Botany Bay, in which harbour she anchored in the dusk of the evening. By her Lieutenant King wrote, that his people continued healthy, and his settlement went on well. The wheat had turned out twenty fold, notwithstanding it had much dry weather. He stated, that the convicts under his orders had in general very good gardens, and that many of them would have a very large produce of Indian corn.

In consequence of the flourishing state of Norfolk Island, the Governor determined to ease his settlement during the existing scarcity, by sending thither a large detachment. The month of February passed in the arrangements and preparations requisite on the occasion, to which the weather was extremely unfavourable; heavy rains, with gales of wind, prevailing nearly the whole time. The rain came down in torrents, filling up every trench and cavity which had been dug about the settlement, and causing much damage to the miserable mud tenements which were occupied by the convicts; yet, bad as the weather was, several gardens were robbed, and, as at this time they abounded with melons and pumpkins, these became the objects of depredation in common with other productions of the garden. Great quantities of the stock was also killed, which the Governor endeavoured to prevent; but an opinion being entertained by the convicts that the owners would ultimately be deprived of the benefits which might result from their stock, nearly the whole was destroyed in the course of a few nights. A wound being thereby given to the independence of the colony, which could not easily be salved, and whose injurious effects time and much attention alone could remove.

On the 3d of March, the two companies of marines with their officers and the colours of the corps embarked on board the Sirius and the Supply. With them also embarked Major Ross, (who was appointed Lieutenant-governor of Norfolk Island), and the senior assistant-surgeon of the settlement. On the day following, 116 male and 68 female convicts, with 27 children, in all 281 persons, were sent on board; and on the 5th both the ships left the Cove.

G

With the first of April the reduced ration, and the change in the working hours, commenced; much time was not consumed at the store, and the people went away to dress the scanty allowance which they had received. Attention to religious duties was never omitted, and divine service was performed on the morning of Good Friday; when the convicts were recommended to employ the remainder of it in working in their gardens. But, notwithstanding the evident necessity that existed for every man's endeavouring to assist himself, very few were observed to be so profitably occupied.

At this time the Supply returned from Norfolk Island, with an account of a disaster which depressed even the unthinking part of the inhabitants, and occasioned universal dismay. A load of accumulated evils seemed bursting upon their heads. The ships that had so long been expected with supplies were still anxiously looked for; and the Sirius, which was to have gone in quest of relief to their distresses, was lost upon the reef at Norfolk Island, on the 19th of the preceding month. The general melancholy which prevailed in the settlement when the above unwelcome intelligence was made public, need not be described; and when the Supply came to an anchor in the cove every one looked up to her as to their only remaining hope.

In this exigency, the Governor thought it necessary to assemble all the officers of the settlement, civil and military, to determine on what measures were necessary to be adopted. At this meeting, when the situation of the colony was thoroughly weighed and placed in every point of view, it was determined to reduce still lower what was already too low; the ration was to be no more than two pounds and a half of flour, two pounds of pork, one pint of peas, and one pound of rice, for each person for seven days. Was this a ration for a labouring man? The two pounds of pork, when boiled, from the length of time that it had been in store, shrunk away to nearly nothing; and, when divided, barely afforded three or four morsels.

The Governor, from a motive that did him immortal honour, in this season of general distress, gave up three hundred weight of flour which was his Excellency's private property; declaring, that he wished not to see any more at his table than the ration which was received in common from the public store, without any distinction of persons. He also employed all the boats in fishing, and several people to kill for the public such animals as the country afforded. But little advantage was derived from either of these schemes; and as the necessity for procuring relief became every day more pressing, the Governor determined on sending the Supply armed tender to Batavia; and, as her commander was most zealously active in his preparations for the voyage, she was soon ready for sea. Her tonnage, however, was trifling, when compared with their necessities. Lieutenant Ball was therefore directed to procure a supply of eight months' provisions for himself, and to hire a vessel and purchase 200,000 pounds of flour, 80,000 pounds of beef, 60,000 pounds of pork, and 70,000 pounds of rice; together with some necessaries for the hospital.

On the 17th of April the Supply sailed, having on board Lieutenant King, the late commandant of Norfolk Island, who was charged with the Governor's dispatches for the Secretary of State, and Mr Miller, the late Commissary, whose ill state of health obliged him to quit the country. Mr Palmer, the purser of the Sirius, was appointed in his place.

It was naturally expected that the miserable allowance which was issued would affect the healths of the labouring convicts. A circumstance occurred in the month of May which seemed to favour this idea; an elderly man dropped down at the store. Fainting with hunger, and unable through age to hold up any longer, he was carried to the hospital, where he died the next morning. On being opened, his stomach was found quite empty.

The native who had been taken in November convinced his captors how far before every other consideration he deemed the possession of his liberty, by very artfully effecting his escape from the Governor's house, where he had been treated with every indulgence, and had enjoyed every comfort which it was in his Excellency's power to give him. He managed his escape so ingeniously, that it was not suspected until he had completed it, and all search was rendered fruitless. The boy and the girl appeared to remain perfectly contented among them, but declared that they knew their countryman would

never return.

On June 3d, about half past three in the afternoon, to the inexpressible satisfaction of every heart in the settlement, the long-looked-for signal was made for a ship at the South Head. Every countenance was instantly cheered, and wore the lively expressions of eagerness, joy, and anxiety; the whole settlement was in motion and confusion. Notwishstanding it blew very strong at the time, the Governor's secretary, accompanied by two other gentlemen, immediately went off, and at some risk (for a heavy sea was running in the harbour's mouth) reached the ship for which the signal had been made just in time to give directions which placed her in safety in Spring Cove. She proved to be the Lady Juliana transport from London, last from Plymouth; from which latter place they learned, with no small degree of wonder and mortification, that she sailed on the 29th of July (full ten months before) with two hundred and twenty-two female convicts on board.

They had long conjectured, that the non-arrival of supplies must be owing either to accident or delays in the voyage, and not to any backwardness on the part of government in sending them out. They now found that their disappointment was to be ascribed to both misfortune and delay. The Lady Juliana, it has been seen, sailed in July, and in the month of September following his Majesty's ship Guardian, of fortyfour guns, commanded by Lieutenant Edward Riou, sailed from England, having on board (with what was in the Lady Juliana) two years' provisions for the settlement; a supply of