son. By the proclamation of the law martial, which was
generally consented to, not by an oath, as I believe is commonly
the case, where it is found necessary: but, the service we had to
perform not admitting of the delay that such ceremony would have
occasioned, the general approbation was taken by every individual
passing under the king's colours, which were displayed for that
purpose; _that ceremony_ every person was previously
informed would be considered as an assent, and which was done
with a degree of solemnity, and at the same time an apparent
chearfulness through the whole.

By this proclamation of the law martial, much mischief I am of
opinion was prevented: hitherto, every convict, or any other
person on this island, who had committed any crime which merited
a trial by the criminal court, were to be sent the first
opportunity to Port Jackson, with all the necessary evidence, and
there to be tried. This, in our situation, would have been
attended with innumerable inconveniences and many bad
consequences, which, as I have already said, I confidently
believe were prevented by this proclamation; which may be said to
have been held out in terrorem only: for, during the whole time
of its existence, we had but once occasion to put it in force;
the fear of an immediate trial, and, if found guilty, immediate
execution, kept every body tolerably honest and attentive to the
necessary duties, which it became the whole of us now to look
forward to.

As the Supply tender sailed from this island on the 24th of
March, which was the fifth day after the loss of the Sirius, and
we had not at that time been able to get any part of the
provisions from the wreck; she could not carry to the governor
any certain account, whether we should or should not be able to
get any thing on shore, to help out the very scanty proportion of
provisions which now remained in the store; we therefore
entertained a glimmering of hope that she might, in the course of
five or six weeks, return to us with the very comfortable news of
arrivals from England.

However, after the expiration of that time, during which we
looked anxiously to the sea, our situation began to wear a very
alarming aspect. We now had no doubt, but that in consequence of
a disappointment in the expected arrivals, the governor had found
it necessary to dispatch Lieutenant Ball to some European
settlement, and that he could not relieve us with provisions from
Port Jackson. In c