moments admonished
the spectators against indulging in drunkenness, which had brought him to
that untimely and disgraceful end.

At the same court, one man, Robert Lowe, was adjudged corporal
punishment, and one year's hard labour, for embezzling some of the live
stock of Government, which had been entrusted to his care. He was a free
man, and had been one of the convicts who were with Captain Riou in the
_Guardian_, when her voyage to New South Wales was unfortunately
frustrated by her striking upon an island of ice; on account of which,
and of their good conduct before and after the accident, directions had
been given for their receiving conditional emancipation, and being
allowed to provide for their own maintenance. Few of these people,
however, were in the end found to merit this reward and indulgence, as
their future conduct had proved; and this last act of delinquency pointed
out the necessity of a free person being sent out from England to
superintend the public live stock, with such an allowance as would make
him at once careful of his conduct, and faithful in the execution of his
trust.

It should seem that the commission of crimes was never to cease in this
settlement. Scarcely had the last court of judicature sent one man to the
gallows, when a highway robbery was committed between the town of Sydney
and Parramatta. Three men rushed from an adjoining wood, and, knocking
down a young man who was travelling to the last mentioned town, rifled
his pockets of a few dollars. On his recovering, finding that only one
man remained, who was endeavouring to twist his handkerchief from his
neck, he swore that no one person should plunder him, and had a struggle
with this fellow, who, not being the strongest of the two, was secured
and taken into Parramatta. A court was immediately assembled for his
trial; but the evidence was not thought sufficient to convict him, and he
was consequently acquitted. The want of any corroborating circumstance on
the part of the prosecutor compelled the court to this acquittal.

A quantity of fresh pork having been for some time received into the
store, there were found at this period six months salt provisions
remaining; which, without this supply would have been all consumed, and
the colony left without animal food, save in the article of live stock, a
resource on which it could not have been prudent to have touched as a
supply, except in a case of the last necessity.

Every encoura