strongly suspected, that an attempt had been made to obtain some part
of these provisions in the night; and some convicts were examined before
the judge-advocate on suspicion of having taken some flour from the
store; but nothing appeared that could materially affect them. The
provisions, when all collected together under one roof and into one view,
afforded but a melancholy reflection; it was well that we had even them.

On the 27th of the month, the long-expected signal not having been
displayed, it became necessary to put the colony upon a still shorter
ration of provisions. It was a painful but a necessary duty. The governor
directed that the provisions should in future be served daily; for which
purpose the store was to be opened from one to three in the afternoon.
The ration for the week was to consist of four pounds of flour, two
pounds and a half of pork, and one pound and a half of rice, and these
were to be issued to every person in the settlement without distinction;
but as the public labour must naturally be affected by this reduction,
the working hours were in future to be from sunrise, with a small
interval for breakfast, until one o'clock: the afternoons were to be
allowed the people to receive their provisions and work in their gardens.
These alterations in the ration and in the hours of labour, however, were
not to commence until the 1st of the following month.

At Rose Hill similar regulations were made by the governor. The garden
ground was enlarged; those who were in bad huts were placed in better;
and every thing was said that could stimulate them to be industrious.
This, with a few exceptions, appeared to be the principal labour both
there and at Sydney; and the nightwatch were called upon by the common
interest to be more than ever active and sedulous in their efforts to
protect public and private property; for robberies of gardens and houses
were daily and nightly committed. Damage was also received from the
little stock which remained alive; the owners, not having wherewith to
feed them, were obliged to turn them loose to browse among the grass and
shrubs, or turn up the ground for the fern-root; and as they wandered
without any one to prevent their doing mischief, they but too often found
an easy passage over fences and through barriers which were now grown
weak and perishing. It was however ordered, that the stock should be kept
up during the night, and every damage that could be proved to hav