Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/76

This page has been validated.

48

STARVATION IMMINENT.

friends, that "after mature deliberation, reflecting on the number of prisoners, and the temptation that might arise from the vast quantity of silver on board the frigate, they at last came to a resolution to try and execute them there, which was accordingly done, and they embarked immediately afterwards for Batavia?"

If these things could happen on the west coast amongst free men, what might not happen in the more remote east, in a community of criminals with scant guards to control them? Such thoughts must have passed through the minds of many of the bold men who now in the South had reared the flag of England. But whatever may have been their forecast, a strict performance of duty was their practice. The imminent present furnished enough to think of. How long could the scanty stores of food be guarded against a craving band of convicts, outnumbering so many times their guardians? Nay, worse. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

When Hunter returned from the Cape, he says, "Another melancholy piece of information we received on our arrival was that six marines had been tried by a criminal court and found guilty of robbing the public stores; they were sentenced to death and executed accordingly." This was in May, 1789. In Jan., 1790 (Hunter wrote):—

"The conversation turned upon the long expected arrivals from England, which we had been for some time past in daily expectation of, with a supply of provisions. Our store here was now in a very exhausted state, much more so than we ever expected it would have been; . . . as it was always understood that the settlement would never have been reduced lower than one year's provisions in store. . . . We all looked forward with hope for arrivals with a relief. . . . In February^[1] we began to look a little serious on our disappointment of arrivals; . . . I received an order to prepare the Sirius for sea, and to embark the Lt.-Gov. (Ross) with one company of marines, and the officers, baggage, and also 186 convicts; in all, 221 persons; . . . and I was directed to land them upon Norfolk Island."

At Norfolk Island, in Jan., 1789, there was a plot to seize the Lt.-Governor and his officers, and obtain a vessel for the convicts to escape with. The scheme was discovered

↑ It is noteworthy that the following remark occurs in one of Phillip's despatches written in this gloomy month:—"As near two years have now passed since we first landed in this country, some judgment may be formed of the climate, and I believe a finer or more healthy climate is not to be found in any part of the world."

[1] It is noteworthy that the following remark occurs in one of Phillip's despatches written in this gloomy month:—"As near two years have now passed since we first landed in this country, some judgment may be formed of the climate, and I believe a finer or more healthy climate is not to be found in any part of the world."

[1]