CHAPTER III

Transactions
Transports sail for China
The Supply sails for Lord Howe Island
Return of stock in the colony in May
The Supply returns
Transactions
A convict wounded
Rush-cutters killed by the natives
Governor’s excursion
His Majesty’s birthday
Behaviour of the convicts
Cattle lost
Natives
Proclamation
Earthquake
Transports sail for England
Supply sails for Norfolk Island
Transactions
Natives
Convicts wounded

May.] The month of May opened with the trial, conviction, and execution of James Bennett, a youth of seventeen years of age, for breaking open a tent belonging to the Charlotte transport, and stealing thereout property above the value of five shillings.  He confessed that he had often merited death before he committed the crime for which he was then about to suffer, and that a love of idleness and bad connexions had been his ruin.  He was executed immediately on receiving his sentence, in the hope of making a greater impression on the convicts than if it had been delayed for a day or two.

There being no other shelter for the guard than tents, great inconvenience was found in placing under its charge more than one or two prisoners together.  The convicts, therefore, who were confined at the guard until they could be conveyed to the southward, were sent to the Bare Island at the entrance of this cove, where they were to be supplied weekly with provisions from the store, and water from the Sirius, until an opportunity offered of sending them away.

The three transports sailed on the 5th, 6th, and 7th of this month for China.  The Supply also sailed on the 6th for Lord Howe Island, to procure turtle and birds for the settlement, the scurvy continuing to resist every effort that could be made to check its progress by medicine; from the lateness of the season, however, little hope was entertained of her success.

The governor having directed every person in the settlement to make a return of what livestock was in his possession, the following appeared to be the total amount of stock in the colony: 

1 Stallion  2 Bulls  19 Goats  5 Rabbits   35 Ducks
3 Mares     5 Cows   49 Hogs  18 Turkeys  122 Fowls
3 Colts    29 Sheep  25 Pigs  29 Geese     87 Chickens

There having been found among the convicts a person qualified to conduct the business of a bricklayer, a gang of labourers was put under his direction, and most of the huts which grew up in different parts of the cleared ground were erected by them.  Another gang of labourers was put under the direction of a stonemason, and on the 15th the first stone of a building, intended for the residence of he governor until the government-house could be erected, was laid on the east side of the cove.  The following inscription, engraven on a piece of copper, was placed in the foundation: