Sincelandinghereourmilitaryforcehassufferedadiminutionofonlythreepersons，aserjeantandtwoprivates。Oftheconvictsfifty—fourhaveperished，includingtheexecutions。Amidstthecausesofthismortality，excessivetoilandascarcityoffoodarenottobenumbered，asthereaderwilleasilyconceive，wheninformed，thattheyhavethesameallowanceofprovisionsaseveryofficerandsoldierinthegarrison;
andareindulgedbybeingexemptedfromlaboureverySaturdayafternoonandSunday。Onthelatterofthosedaystheyareexpectedtoattenddivineservice，whichisperformedeitherwithinoneofthestorehouses，orunderagreattreeintheopenair，untilachurchcanbebuilt。
Amidstourpubliclabours，thatnofortifiedpost，orplaceofsecurity，isyetbegun，maybeamatterofsurprise。Wereanemergencyinthenighttohappen，itisnoteasytosaywhatmightnottakeplacebeforetroops，scatteredaboutinanextensiveencampment，couldbeformed，soastoact。
Aneventthathappenedafeweveningssincemay，perhaps，bethemeansofforwardingthisnecessarywork。InthedeadofnightthecentinelsontheeasternsideofthecovewerealarmedbythevoicesoftheIndians，talkingneartheirposts。Thesoldiersonthisoccasionactedwiththeirusualfirmness，andwithoutcreatingadisturbance，acquaintedtheofficeroftheguardwiththecircumstance，whoimmediatelytookeveryprecautiontopreventanattack，andatthesametimegaveordersthatnomolestation，whiletheycontinuedpeaceable，shouldbeofferedthem。
Fromthedarknessofthenight，andthedistancetheykeptat，itwasnoteasytoascertaintheirnumber，butfromthesoundofthevoicesandothercircumstances，itwascalculatedatnearthirty。Totheirintentionsinhonouringuswiththisvisit（theonlyonewehavehadfromtheminthelastfivemonths）wearestrangers，thoughmostprobablyitwaseitherwithaviewtopilfer，ortoascertaininwhatsecurityweslept，andtheprecautionsweusedinthenight。Whenthebellsoftheshipsintheharbourstruckthehourofthenight，andthecentinelscalledoutontheirposts\"All’swell，\"theyobservedadeadsilence，andcontinueditforsomeminutes，thoughtalkingwiththegreatestearnestnessandvociferationbutthemomentbefore。Afterhavingremainedaconsiderabletimetheydepartedwithoutinterchangingasyllablewithourpeople。
CHAPTERXVII。
SomeThoughtsontheAdvantageswhichmayarisetotheMotherCountryfromformingtheColony。
Theauthorofthesesheetswouldsubjecthimselftothechargeofpresumption，werehetoaimatdevelopingtheintentionsofGovernmentinformingthissettlement。Butwithoutgivingoffence，orincurringreproach，hehopeshisopinionontheprobabilityofadvantagetobedrawnfromhencebyGreatBritain，maybefairlymadeknown。
Ifonlyareceptacleforconvictsbeintended，thisplacestandsunequalledfromthesituation，extent，andnatureofthecountry。Whenviewedinacommerciallight，Ifearitsinsignificancewillappearverystriking。
TheNewZealandhemp，ofwhichsomanysanguineexpectationswereformed，isnotanativeofthesoil;andNorfolkIsland，wherewemadesuretofindthisarticle，isalsowithoutit。SothattheschemeofbeingabletoassisttheEastIndieswithnavalstores，incaseofawar，mustfalltotheground，bothfromthisdeficiency，andthequalityofthetimbergrowinghere。
WereitindeedpossibletotransportthatofNorfolkIsland，itsvaluewouldbefoundverygreat，butthedifficulty，fromthesurf，Iamwellinformed，issoinsuperableastoforbidtheattempt。
LordHoweIsland，discoveredbyLieut。Ball，thoughaninestimableacquisitiontoourcolony，produceslittleelsethanthemountaincabbagetree。
Shouldasufficientmilitaryforcebesentouttothoseemployedincultivatingtheground，Iseenoroomtodoubt，thatinthecourseofafewyears，thecountrywillbeabletoyieldgrainenoughforthesupportofitsnewpossessors。Buttoeffectthis，ourpresentlimitsmustbegreatlyextended，whichwillrequiredetachmentsoftroopsnottobesparedfromthepresentestablishment。Andadmittingtheposition，theparentcountrywillstillhavetosupplyusforamuchlongertimewitheveryothernecessaryoflife。
Forafterwhatwehaveseen，theideaofbeingsoonabletobreedcattlesufficientforourconsumption，mustappearchimericalandabsurd。
Fromallwhichitisevident，thatshouldGreatBritainneglecttosendoutregularsupplies，themostfatalconsequenceswillensue。
Speculatorswhomayfeelinclinedtotrytheirfortuneshere，willdowelltoweighwhatIhavesaid。Ifgoldendreamsofcommerceandwealthflattertheirimaginations，disappointmentwillfollow:theremotenessofsituation，productionsofthecountry，andwantofconnectionwithotherpartsoftheworld，justifymeintheassertion。Buttomenofsmallproperty，unambitiousoftrade，andwishingforretirement，IthinkthecontinentofNewSouthWalesnotwithoutinducements。
Oneofthisdescription，withlettersofrecommendation，andasufficientcapital（afterhavingprovidedforhispassagehither）tofurnishhimwithanassortmentoftoolsforclearingland，agriculturalanddomesticpurposes;possessedalsoofafewhouseholdutensils，acow，afewsheepandbreedingsows，would，Iamofopinion，withproperprotectionandencouragement，succeedinobtainingacomfortablelivelihood，werehewellassuredbeforehequittedhisnativecountry，thataprovisionforhimuntilhemightbesettled，shouldbesecured;andthatagrantoflandonhisarrivalwouldbeallottedhim。
Thatthisadventurer，ifofaperseveringcharacterandcompetentknowledge，mightinthecourseoftenyearsbringmattersintosuchatrainastorenderhimselfcomfortableandindependent，Ithinkhighlyprobable。
ThesuperfluitiesofhisfarmwouldenablehimtopurchaseEuropeancommoditiesfromthemastersofships，whichwillarriveonGovernmentaccount，sufficienttosupplyhiswants。Butbeyondthisheoughtnottoreckon，foradmittingthathemightmeetwithsuccessinraisingtobacco，rice，indigo，orvineyards（forwhichlastIthinkthesoilandclimateadmirablyadapted），thedistanceofamarttovendthemat，wouldmaketheexpenseoftransportationsoexcessive，astocutoffallhopesofareasonableprofit;
norcantherebeconsumersenoughheretotakethemoffhishands，forsogreatalengthoftimetocome，asIshallnotbeatthetroubleofcomputing。
Shouldthenanyone，inducedbythisaccount，emigratehither，lethim，beforehequitsEngland，provideallhiswearingapparelforhimself，family，andservants;hisfurniture，toolsofeverykind，andimplementsofhusbandry（amongwhichaploughneednotbeincluded，aswemakeuseofthehoe），forhewilltouchatnoplacewheretheycanbepurchasedtoadvantage。
IfhissheepandhogsareEnglishalso，itwillbebetter。Forwines，spirits，tobacco，sugar，coffee，tea，rice，poultry，andmanyotherarticles，hemayventuretorelyonatTeneriffeorMadeira，theBrazilsandCapeofGoodHope。Itwillnotbehisinteresttodrawbillsonhisvoyageout，astheexchangeofmoneywillbefoundinvariablyagainsthim，andalargediscountalsodeducted。Draftsontheplaceheistotouchat，orcash（dollarsifpossible）willbestanswerhisend。
Tomenofdesperatefortuneandthelowestclassesofthepeople，unlesstheycanprocureapassageasindentedservants，similartothecustompractisedofemigratingtoAmerica，thispartoftheworldoffersnotemptation:foritcanhardlybesupposed，thatGovernmentwillbefondofmaintainingthemhereuntiltheycanbesettled，andwithoutsuchsupporttheymuststarve。
OftheGovernor’sinstructionsandintentionsrelativetothedisposaloftheconvicts，whenthetermoftheirtransportationshallbeexpired，Iamignorant。Theywillthenbefreemen，andatliberty，Iapprehend，eithertosettleinthecountry，ortoreturntoEurope。Theformerwillbeattendedwithsomepublicexpense;andthelatter，exceptinparticularcases，willbedifficulttoaccomplish，fromthenumberlesscauseswhichpreventafrequentcommunicationbetweenEnglandandthiscontinent。
POSTSCRIPT
SydneyCove，PortJackson，NewSouthWales。
October1st，1788。LittlematerialhasoccurredinthiscolonysincethedepartureoftheshipsforEngland，onthe14thJulylast。Onthe20thofthatmonthHisMajesty’sshipSupply，CaptainBall，sailedforNorfolkIsland，andreturnedonthe26thAugust。Ouraccountsfromthencearemorefavourablethanwereexpected。Thesoilprovesadmirablyadaptedtoproduceallkindsofgrain，andEuropeanvegetables。ButthediscoverywhichconstitutesitsvalueistheNewZealandflax，plantsofwhicharefoundgrowingineverypartoftheislandintheutmostluxuriancyandabundance。Thiswill，beyonddoubt，appearstrangetothereaderafterwhathasbeenrelatedintheformerpartofmywork:andinfuture，letthecreditofthetestimonybeashighasitmay，IshallneverwithoutdiffidenceandhesitationpresumetocontradictthenarrationsofMr。Cook。Thetruthis，thatthosesenttosettleandexploretheislandknewnottheforminwhichtheplantgrows，andwereunfurnishedwitheveryparticularwhichcouldleadtoaknowledgeofit。Unaccountableasthismaysound，itis，nevertheless，incontestablytrue。CaptainBallbroughtawaywithhimseveralspecimensforinspection，and，ontrial，bysomeflax—dressersamongus，thethreadsproducedfromthem，thoughcoarse，arepronouncedtobestronger，morelikelytobedurable，andfitterforeverypurposeofmanufacturingcordage，thananytheyeverbeforedressed。
Everyresearchhasbeenmadebythoseontheislandtofindalanding—place，whenceitmightbepracticabletoshipoffthetimbergrowingthere，buthithertononehasbeendiscovered。Aplan，however，formakingonehasbeenlaidbeforetheGovernor，andisatpresentunderconsideration，though（intheopinionofmanyhere）itisnotsuchanoneaswillbefoundtoanswertheendproposed。
Lieut。Kingandhislittlegarrisonwerewellwhenthe’Supply’leftthem:
butIamsorrytoadd，that，fromcasualties，theirnumberisalreadyfivelessthanitoriginallywas。Ashipfromhenceisreadytosailwithanincreaseofforce，besidesmanyconvictsforthepurposeofsawinguptimber，andturningtheflax—planttoadvantage。
SomuchforNorfolk。InPortJacksonallisquietandstupidascouldbewished。WegenerallyhearthelieofthedayassoonasthebeatingoftheReveilleannouncesthereturnofit;finditcontradictedbybreakfasttime;andpursueasecondthroughallitsvarieties，untilnight，welcomeastoalover，givesustosleepanddreamourselvestransportedtohappierclimes。
Letmenot，however，neglecttellingyouthelittlenewswhichpresentsitself。
Alldescriptionsofmenenjoythehigheststateofhealth;andtheconvictscontinuetobehaveextremelywell。Agangofonehundredofthem，guardedbyacaptain，twosubalternsand20marines，isabouttobesentuptotheheadoftheharbour，atthedistanceof3leagues，inawesterlydirection，fromSydneyCove，forthepurposeofestablishingasettlementthere。
Theconvictsaretobeemployedinputtingthelandaroundintocultivation，asitappearstobeofamorepromisingnaturethanthatneartheencampment。
Indeedthislasthithertosucceedsbutveryindifferently，thoughIdonotyetdespair，thatwhengoodseedscanbeprocured，ourtoilwillbebetterrewarded。Butasthisisaneventatadistance，andinitselfveryprecarious，GovernorPhilliphasdeterminedonprocuringasupplyofflourandothernecessariesfromtheCapeofGoodHope，asourstockonhandisfoundtobe，onexamination，notquitesoampleashadbeenreckonedupon。
ToexecutethispurposehisExcellencyhasorderedtheSiriustoprepareforthevoyage;bywhichconveyancetheopportunityofwritingtoyouisaffordedme。ItwasatfirstintendedtodispatchtheSiriustosomeoftheneighbouringislands（theFriendlyorSociety）inthePacificOcean，toprocurestockthere，buttheuselessnessofthescheme，joinedtothesituationofmattershere，has，happilyforus，preventeditsbeingputintoexecution。