convict occasioned her own death, by overloading her stomach with
flour and greens, of which she made a mess during the day, and ate
heartily; but, not being satisfied, she rose in the night and finished
it. This was one of the evil effects of the reduced ration.

May.] The expedient of shooting for the public not being found to answer
the expectations which had been formed of it, sixty pounds of pork only
having been saved, the game-killers were called in, and the general
exertion was directed to the business of fishing. The seine and the hooks
and lines were employed, and with various success; the best of which
afforded but a very trifling relief.

As the _Sirius_ was fated not to return to perform her intended voyage to
India, the biscuit which had been baked for that purpose was issued, in
lieu of flour, that article being served again when the biscuit was
expended; and it lasted only through seven days.

It was naturally expected, that the miserable allowance which was issued
would affect the healths of the labouring convicts. A circumstance
occurred on the 12th of this month, which seemed to favor this idea; an
elderly man dropped down at the store, whither he had repaired with
others to receive his day's subsistence. Fainting with hunger, and unable
through age to hold up any longer, he was carried to the hospital, where
he died the next morning. On being opened, his stomach was found quite
empty. It appeared, that not having any utensil of his own wherein to
cook his provisions, nor share in any, he was frequently compelled, short
as his allowance for the day was, to give a part of it to any one who
would supply him with a vessel to dress his victuals; and at those times
when he did not choose to afford this deduction, he was accustomed to eat
his rice and other provisions undressed, which brought on indigestion,
and at length killed him.

It might have been supposed, that the severity of the punishments which
had been ordered by the criminal court on offenders convicted of robbing
gardens would have deterred others from committing that offence; but
while there was a vegetable to steal, there were those who would steal
it, wholly regardless as to the injustice done to the person they robbed,
and of the consequences that might ensue to themselves. For this sort of
robbery the criminal court was twice assembled in the present month. The
clergyman had taken a convict in his garden in the act of stealing
potatoe