Of this crop, and of what had been purchased, there remained in the public stores, when the schooner left the island, forty-three weeks maize and wheat; in addition to which Lieutenant-governor King supposed he should have of this season’s growth, after reserving five hundred bushels of wheat for seed, sufficient of that article for the consumption of six hundred and ninety-nine persons*, the whole number of people victualled there from the stores for fourteen weeks and a half, at the rate of ten pounds per man per week; and fifty-eight weeks maize at twelve pounds per man per week.  He had besides, at the established ration, twelve weeks beef, twenty-nine weeks pork, five weeks molasses, and thirty weeks oi1 and sugar.  The whole forming an abundance that seemed to place the evil hour of want and distress at too great a distance to excite much alarm or apprehension of its occurring there.

[* The whole number in the settlement amounted to one thousand and eight persons.]

The settlement had been so healthy, that no loss by death had happened since we last heard from them; and when the schooner sailed very few people were sick.  There had died, between the 20th of November 1791 (the date of Lieutenant-governor King’s return to the command at Norfolk Island) and the 27th of January 1794, only one soldier, forty male convicts, three female convicts, and nineteen children, making a total of sixty-three persons, in two years and sixty-eight days; and ninety-five* children had been born.  Every description of stock, except some Cape sheep which did not breed, was equally healthy as the inhabitants, and were increasing fast.

[* By the commissary’s books there were, on the 20th of February 1794, two hundred and fifty-four children in the three settlements here.  On the 30th of January, by Lieutenant-governor King’s return, there were one hundred and forty-eight children at Norfolk; making a total of four hundred and two children here and at Norfolk Island.]

On the 22nd of October the Boddingtons and Sugar Cane touched at that island, for the purpose of landing John Cole, a convict who had secreted himself on board the former of these ships.  Many articles of comfort were sold among the settlers and others from the Sugar Cane.

On the 2nd of the succeeding month Mr. Raven called there in the Britannia, in his way to Bengal, to procure a supply of fresh provisions and vegetables for his people.

The two natives of New Zealand, who had been sent to Mr. King in April last by the Shah Hormuzear, having completed the purpose for which they had been sent thither, by giving such instruction in the process of preparing the flax plant, that even with very bad materials a few hands could manufacture thirty yards of good canvas in a week; and having manifested much anxiety, on the appearance of any ship, to return to their friends and native country, though treated with