he _Supply_ was
despatched to Batavia, under orders to procure, not only a quantity of
provisions, but also to hire a vessel, which should accompany the
English ship on its return, and should bring to New South Wales a second
cargo of necessaries. Meanwhile, the allowances were yet further
reduced, and the governor, having reserved 300 bushels of wheat for
seed, gave up 300 lbs. weight of flour, which was his own private
property, for the public use; besides which, the expedients of fishing
and shooting wild animals were tried, but with no great success. Crime
appeared rather to increase than to diminish with the increase of
temptation and opportunities; and at this awful period of trial for the
whole population, it was judged necessary to execute one criminal. A
female convict was at this time robbed of her week's provisions, and
she was left to subsist upon the bounty of others, since it was
impossible to replace them from the public store; and if it was a cruel
offence of _one_ to rob the poor woman, it reflected credit upon _many_,
that, under such circumstances, she was preserved from starvation.

At length, after six months of indescribable anxiety and privation,
the expected signal was made, and a boat was sent off (in very rough
weather) to direct the ship how to get safely into the harbour. It was
the transport-ship, the _Lady Juliana_, which had been no less than ten
months upon the voyage, and which brought news of the almost total
destruction of another ship, the _Guardian_, which had been sent out
previously, and well supplied with every thing necessary for a rising
colony. _The Lady Juliana_ brought very little addition to the supplies,
compared with the additional number of consumers, above 200 female
convicts, which she had with her; these had been sent upon the reckoning
of the _Guardian's_ stores arriving beforehand; and if this had been
permitted, probably the colony would never more have experienced want.
It was unfortunate, at a time when a cargo of any thing but of convicts
would have been serviceable, that scarcely any thing else should arrive.
Before the end of June, however, another ship laden with provisions
arrived, after having very narrowly escaped a wreck off the heads at the
entrance of Port Jackson; and upon the welcome arrival of this supply
the immediate scarcity ceased. Three other vessels shortly followed,
and things were thus for a time restored to their former course; but
repeated t