or less, had had to struggle; and every accommodation had constantly been afforded them which was consistent with the situation of the colony.  It was, however, now seen, that they were not the description of settlers from whom, whatever indulgences they might receive, Government had any assistance to expect; their principal object was their own immediate interest; and to serve that, they would forget every claim which the public had upon them.

[* Sixty-three in number]

[** Eighteen months]

The small cargo of salt provisions brought by the brig from Bengal was purchased on account of Government for L307 16s; the beef at five-pence and the pork at eight-pence per pound; the remainder of her cargo was purchased by the officers of the civil and military departments.  The cargo of the William, which arrived in very good order, was all landed, and the ship cleared and discharged from Government employ on the 28th.

The Rev. Mr. Marsden entered on the duties of his function the first Sunday after his arrival, preaching to the military in a barrack prepared for the occasion in the forenoon, and to the convicts at the church erected by Mr. Johnson in the afternoon.

On the day when the William anchored in the cove Buffin’s new mill was completed and set to work; and Wilkinson’ s was in some forwardness.  At first it went rather heavily; but in a few days, with nine men’s labour, it ground sixty-three pounds of wheat in seventeen minutes.  It must be observed, that not any mill was yet erected in the colony whereat corn was ground for the public, the military as well as the convicts grinding their own grain themselves.  Whenever wind or water-mills should be erected, this labour would be saved, and the allowance of wheat or Indian corn be issued ground and dressed.

The late distress of the colony was not found to have made any amendment in the morals of the convicts.  Gaming still prevailed among them in its fullest extent; and a theft which was committed at one of these meetings showed how far it was carried.  Among those who made a daily practice of gaming was one who, in his situation as an overseer, had given such offence to some of his fellow-prisoners, that a plan was formed to plunder him the first time that he should have a sum worthy of their attention.  He was accordingly surrounded when engaged at play, by a party who, watching their opportunity, rushed upon him when he had won a stake of five-and-twenty dollars, and, in the confusion that ensued, secured the whole.  He was, however, fortunate enough to seize one of them, with ten of the dollars in his hand, but was not able to recover any more.  The man whom he secured proved to be Samuel Wright, who in the month of July last had been reprieved at the foot of the gallows; so soon had he forgotten the terror of that moment.  On this circumstance being reported to the lieutenant-governor, Wright received an immediate corporal punishment.