of the colony, with his wife and a servant.

Not only these as store-ships, but the men of war and transports, were
stored in every part with provisions, implements of agriculture, camp
equipage, clothing for the convicts, baggage, etc.

On board of the _Sirius_ were taken, as supernumeraries, the major
commandant of the corps of marines embarked in the transports*, the
adjutant and quarter-master, the judge-advocate of the settlement, and
the commissary; with 1 sergeant, 3 drummers, 7 privates, 4 women, and a
few artificers.

[* This officer was also lieutenant-governor of the colony.]

Proper day and night signals were established by Captain Phillip for the
regulation of his convoy, and every necessary instruction was given to
the masters to guard against separation. On board the transports a
certain number of prisoners were allowed to be upon deck at a time during
the day, the whole being properly secured at night: and as the master of
each ship carrying convicts had indented for their security in a penalty
of forty pounds for every one that might escape, they were instructed
constantly to consult with the commanding marine officer on board the
transports, both as to the number of convicts that were to be suffered to
come on deck during the passage, and the times when such indulgence
should be granted. To the military was left the care of those essential
services, the preservation of their health, the inspection of their
provisions, and the distribution of the sentinels who were to guard them.
Their allowance of provisions during the voyage (two-thirds of the usual
allowance to a seaman in the navy) was contracted for in London*; and Mr.
Zachariah Clark was sent out in one of the transports as the agent
responsible for the due performance of the contract. This allowance was
to be suspended on their arrival at any foreign port, the commissary of
the settlement being then to furnish them with fresh provisions.

[* By William Richards jun. esquire, of Walworth in the county of Surry.]

At our outset we had the mortification to find that two of our convoy
were very heavy sailers, and likely to be the occasion of much delay in
so long a voyage as that in which we had embarked. The _Charlotte_ was on
the first and second day taken in tow by the _Hyaena_, and the _Lady
Penrhyn_ fell considerably astern. As the separation of any of the fleet
was a circumstance to be most sedulously guarded against and prevented,
the _S