books and papers, they were
in general detected in the imposition, and were immediately sent to hard
labour in the town and jail gangs.

To the latter of these gangs additions were every day making; scarcely a
day or a night passed but some enormity was committed or attempted either
on the property or persons of individuals. Two notorious characters, Luke
Normington and Richard Elliott, were detected on the night of the 13th in
a very suspicious situation in the commissary's stock-yard, which was
well filled at the time with sheep and other stock. These were sent to
the jail-gang, in company with one Sharpless, a convict, who, after
marrying a woman that was a perfect antidote to desire, pretended to be
jealous, and gave her such a dreadful beating, that her life was for some
time in danger.

Stock of all denominations was at this time fast increasing in the
different districts. An officer of the New South Wales corps, having
obtained the governor's sanction for his quitting the colony in one of
the ships now preparing for the Cape of Good Hope, sold to government a
flock of goats, consisting of about one hundred animals, for L490 10s.
This was a valuable acquisition, and promises of stock to several
deserving settlers were now performed.

The _Britannia_, being now cleared of the cargo she brought from Bengal
on government account, was fitting again for sea, when Mr. Raven, the
master, proffered her to the governor for the purpose of going direct to
England, if his excellency should have any occasion to employ her in such
a voyage. There were at this time several soldiers in the New South Wales
corps wholly unfit for service; the governor had for some time intended
to send home Mr. Clark, a superintendant of convicts, whose engagement
with the crown had expired; and James Thorp, a person who had been sent
out with a salary of L105 per annum, as a master millwright, but who was
at this time unemployed in the settlement. To ease government at once of
these expences, the governor thought it adviseable to charter the
_Britannia_, for the purpose of taking home such invalids and passengers
as might be ordered, at the rate of fifteen shillings per ton per month;
the charter to be in force on the first day of the ensuing month.

The public stores were opened during this month at Parramatta and the
river for receiving Indian corn; which was taken in at five shillings per
bushel for this season; but it was generally suppose