ore the
_Fancy_ sailed. Spirits being in circulation after her arrival, he went
to the 'Grog-shop' as long as he had money; but, finding that he had no
credit, he could no longer endure the loss of character which he thought
attached to it; and though he did not 'make his quietus with a bare
bodkin,' yet he found a convenient rope that put him out of the world.

The 7th of September was marked by the arrival of the governor in chief
of these settlements. The signal was made for two sail between eight and
nine o'clock in the morning. The wind being from the northward, they did
not reach the anchorage until late; his Majesty's ship the _Supply_,
commanded by Lieutenant William Kent, getting in about sun-set; and the
_Reliance_, with the governor on board, about eight at night. Their
passage from Rio de Janeiro was long (fourteen weeks) and very rough,
until the ships came off Van Dieman's Land. Of our late bad weather they
had felt nothing.

Situated as the colony was in point of provisions, we learned with
infinite concern, that a storeship which had once been under Governor
Hunter's orders, had, from being overloaded, been unavoidably left
behind, and had yet to run the chance of being taken by the enemies'
cruizers; and that by the two ships now arrived we had only gained a few
barrels of provisions salted at Rio de Janeiro; a town clock; the
principal parts of a large wind-mill; two officers of the New South Wales
corps; Mr. S. Leeds an assistant-surgeon, and Mr. D. Payne a master
boat-builder.

His excellency did not take upon him the exercise of his authority until
the 11th, on which day his Majesty's commission was publicly read by the
judge-advocate, all descriptions of persons being present, His
excellency, in a very pertinent speech, declared the expectations he had
from every one's conduct, touching with much delicacy on that of the
persons lately sent here for a certain offence, (some of whom were
present, but who unfortunately kept at too great a distance to bear him,)
and strongly urging the necessity of a general unanimity in support of
his Majesty's government. He was afterwards sworn in by the
judge-advocate at his office.* An address, signed by the civil and
military officers on occasion of his return among them as governor, was
presented to his excellency a few days after his public appearance in
that important capacity.

[* Before Captain Paterson gave up his command, all the prisoners in
confinem