It being remarked with concern, that the natives were becoming every day more troublesome and hostile, several people having been wounded, and others, who were necessarily employed in the woods, driven in and much alarmed by them, the governor determined on endeavouring to seize and bring into the settlement, one or two of those people, whose language it was become absolutely necessary to acquire, that they might learn to distinguish friends from enemies.

Accordingly, on the 30th a young man was seized and brought up by Lieutenant Ball of the Supply, and Lieutenant George Johnston of the marines. A second was taken; but, after dragging into the water beyond his depth the man who seized him, he got clear off. The native who was secured was immediately on his landing led up to the governor's, where he was clothed, a slight iron or manacle put upon his wrist, and a trusty convict appointed to take care of him. A small hut had been previously built for his reception close to the guardhouse, wherein he and his keeper were locked up at night; and the following morning the convict reported, that he slept very well during the night, not offering to make any attempt to get away.

The weather, during the month of December, was for the first part hot and close; the middle was fine; the latter variable, but mostly fine--upon the whole the month was very hot. The climate was allowed by every one, medical as well as others, to be fine and salubrious. The rains were heavy, and appeared to fall chiefly on or about the full and change of the moon. Thunder and lightning at times had been severe, but not attended with any bad effects since the month of February last.

The following report of the casualties which had happened from the day of our leaving England to the 31st of December 1788, was given in at this time, viz.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Casualties from May 13, 1787, Garrison Convicts
to December 31, 1788 Man Woman Child Man Woman Child Total
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Died on the passage, from May 13,
1787, to Januarv 26, 1788, 1 1 1 20 4 9 36
Died between January 26, 1788,
and January 1, 1789, 5 0 1 28 13 9 56
Killed by the natives in the above
time, 0 0 0 4 0 0 4
Executed in the above time, 0 0 0 5 0 0 5
Missing in the above time, 1 0 0 12 1 0 14
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Total 7 1 2 69 18 18 115
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CHAPTER VI

New Year's Day
Convicts, how employed
Their disposition to idleness and vice
Her Majesty's birthday kept
Natives
Captain Shea dies
Regulations respecting the convicts
Instances of their misconduct
Transactions
The Supply sails for Norfolk Island
Public Works
Natives
Convicts killed
Stores robbed
The Supply returns
Insurrection projected at Norfolk Island
Hurricane there
Transactions at Rose Hill

1789.]

January.] The first day of the new year was marked as a holiday by a suspension of all kinds of labour, and by hoisting the colours at the fort. The ration of provisions, though still less by a pound of flour than the proper allowance, was yet so sufficient as not to be complained of, nor was labour diminished by it. Upon a calculation of the different people employed for the public in cultivation, it appeared, that of all the numbers in the colony there were only two hundred and fifty so employed--a very small number indeed to procure the means of rendering the colony independent of the mother-country for the necessaries of life. The rest were occupied in carrying on various public works, such as stores, houses, wharfs, etc. A large number were incapable, through age or infirmities, of being called out to labour in the public grounds; and the civil establishment, the military, females, and children, filled up the catalogue of those unassisting in cultivation.