elves began soon to be complained of;
the sailors from the transports, although repeatedly forbidden, and
frequently punished, still persisted in bringing spirits on shore by
night, and drunkenness was often the consequence.

To check these enormities, the court of criminal judicature was assembled
on the 11th of February, when three prisoners were tried; one for an
assault, of which being found guilty, he was sentenced to receive one
hundred and fifty lashes; a second, for taking some biscuit from another
convict, was sentenced to a week's confinement on bread and water, on a
small rocky island near the entrance of the cove; and a third, for
stealing a plank, was sentenced to receive fifty lashes, but, being
recommended to the governor, was forgiven.

The mildness of these punishments seemed rather to have encouraged than
deterred others from the commission of greater offences; for before the
month was ended the criminal court was again assembled for the trial of
four offenders, who had conceived and executed a plan for robbing the
public store during the time of issuing the provisions. This crime, in
its tendency big with evil to our little community, was rendered still
more atrocious by being perpetrated at the very time when the difference
of provisions, which had till then existed, was taken off, and the
convict saw the same proportion of provision issued to himself that was
served to the soldier and the officer, the article of spirits only
excepted. Each male convict was that day put upon the following weekly
ration of provisions, two-thirds of which was served to the female
convicts, viz 7 pounds of biscuit; 1 pound of flour; 7 pounds of beef, or
4 pounds of pork; 3 pints of peas; and 6 ounces of butter.

It was fair to suppose that so liberal a ration would in itself have
proved the security of the store, and have defended it from depredation;
but we saw with concern, that there were among us some minds so
habitually vicious that no consideration was of any weight with them, nor
could they be induced to do right by any prospect of future benefit, or
fear of certain and immediate punishment. The charge being fully proved,
one man, James Barrett, suffered death: his confederates were pardoned,
on condition of their being banished from the settlement. Another culprit
was sentenced to receive three hundred lashes; but, not appearing so
guilty as his companions, was pardoned by the governor, the power of
pardoning