ce
our departure from England. About half past three in the afternoon of
this day, to the inexpressible satisfaction of every heart in the
settlement, the long-looked-for signal for a ship was made at the South
Head. Every countenance was instantly cheered, and wore the lively
expressions of eagerness, joy, and anxiety; the whole settlement was in
motion and confusion. Notwithstanding it blew very strong at the time,
the governor's secretary, accompanied by Captain Tench and Mr. White,
immediately went off, and at some risk (for a heavy sea was running in
the harbour's mouth) reached the ship for which the signal had been made
just in time to give directions which placed her in safety in Spring
Cove. She proved to be the _Lady Juliana_ transport from London, last
from Plymouth; from which latter place we learned, with no small degree
of wonder and mortification, that she sailed on the 29th day of last July
(full ten months ago) with two hundred and twenty-two female convicts on
board.

We had long conjectured, that the non-arrival of supplies must be owing
either to accident or delays in the voyage, and not to any backwardness
on the part of government in sending them out. We now found that our
disappointment was to be ascribed to both misfortune and delay. The _Lady
Juliana_, we have seen, sailed in July last, and in the month of
September following his majesty's ship _Guardian_, of forty-four guns,
commanded by Lieutenant Edward Riou, sailed from England, having on
board, with what was in the _Lady Juliana_, two years provisions, viz
295,344 pounds of flour, 149,856 pounds of beef, and 303,632 pounds of
pork, for the settlement; a supply of clothing for the marines serving on
shore, and for those belonging to the _Sirius_ and _Supply_; together
with a large quantity of sails and cordage for those ships and for the
uses of the colony; sixteen chests of medicines; fifteen casks of wine; a
quantity of blankets and bedding for the hospital; and a large supply of
unmade clothing for the convicts; with an ample assortment of tools and
implements of agriculture.

At the Cape of Good Hope Lieutenant Riou took on board a quantity of
stock for the settlement, and completed a garden which had been prepared
under the immediate direction of Sir Joseph Banks, and in which there
were near one hundred and fifty of the finest fruit trees, several of
them bearing fruit.

There was scarcely an officer in the colony that had not his s