Having received all the convicts from the Supply, and sent my letters for Governor Phillip on board, she set sail for Port Jackson on the 2d of February.

During this month we had heavy gales of wind, with some intervals of fine weather, and the rain becoming frequent, I ordered sheds to be built over the saw-pits, that the sawyers might work without interruption.

Those few amongst the convicts who had been industrious, were now rewarded for it, as some had raised from one thousand to fifteen hundred cobs of Indian corn; which, together with the fish that was procured from time to time, was of great service to them now that their allowance of salt provisions was reduced.  The remainder of the Indian corn was got in on the 19th.

Richard Phillimore, a convict, had informed me that the term of his transportation expired on the 16th of January; and having taken the oath administered on that occasion, he signified a wish of becoming a settler:  as he was a sober, industrious man, I gave him time to consider of it, and to look out for a situation where he would like to settle at:  he informed me on the 22d, that he still was desirous of fixing on the island, and had found a spot where he wished to reside; on which, I sent some labourers to build him an house, and to clear away a little ground for a commencement; I also gave him a sow with young, and some poultry, and he was fully of opinion, that in one year, or two at farthest, he should be able to support himself, without any assistance from the settlement.

During the month of March, we had a deal of blowing weather, and much rain; the wind generally from the south-west.  The labourers were employed in clearing ground for cultivation, husking and stripping Indian corn, and other necessary work; and six men were sawing frames for building barracks.

Chapter XV

TRANSACTIONS AT NORFOLK ISLAND AND PORT JACKSON

March 1790 to April 1790

-The arrival of the Sirius and Supply at Norfolk-Island.—­The loss of the Sirius.—­Captain Hunter and the crew saved.—­A general meeting of the officers convened.—­Sundry regulations adopted.—­Martial-Lawproclaimed.—­Lieutenant-Governor Ross takes thecommand.—­Lieutenant King leaves Norfolk-Island.—­Description of Norfolk-Island.—­Face of the country.—­Water—­Soil—­
Climate—­Timber—­Insects—­Fish—­Seasons—­Winds—­Coast, and Bays.—­Present state of cultivation.—­General behaviour of the convicts.—­Number of inhabitants on the island.—­Grain and live-stock.—­Lieutenant King arrives at Port Jackson.—­Finds the country greatly improved.—­Manners and customs of the natives.—­Vocabulary of the language.-

At the break of day on the 13th of March, I was alarmed with a tumultuous noise of huzzaing and rejoicing; on enquiry into the cause, I found that two vessels were seen in the offing.  Every one of us were now fully persuaded that the long looked for and much expected relief was at length arrived, and we began to felicitate each other that the time was now come, when we should hear news from England:  some of us anticipated pleasing and unpleasing accounts from our friends in the northern hemisphere, as we had been near three years absent, without having received the least intelligence from our relatives, or native country.