mber, cutting posts and
railing for inclosures, and hoeing and preparing ground for maize.

CHAPTER XVIII

The _Britannia_ cleared
Survey of provisions
Total of cargo received from Bengal
_Atlantic_ sails with provisions for Norfolk Island
Transactions
General behaviour of convicts
Criminal Courts
Prisoner pardoned conditionally
Another acquitted
New barracks begun
Thefts
The _Atlantic_ returns from Norfolk Island
Information
Settlers there discontented
Principal works
The _Britannia_ taken up by the officers of the New South Wales Corps
to procure stock
The _Royal Admiral_ East Indiaman arrives from England
Regulations at the store
A Burglary committed
Criminal Court
The _Britannia_ sails
Shops opened
Bad conduct of some settlers
Oil issued
Slops served
Governor Phillip signifies his intention of returning to England

August.] The Britannia was cleared, and discharged from government
employ, on the 17th of this month. A deficiency appearing in the weight
of the salt provisions delivered from that ship, a survey was immediately
ordered; and it appeared from the report of the persons employed to
conduct it, and who from their situations were well qualified to judge,
Mr. Bowen, a lieutenant in the navy, and Mr. Raven, the commander of the
_Britannia_ and a master of a man of war, that the casks of beef were
deficient, on an average, thirty-six pounds and one-third, and the
tierces twenty-one pounds and one-third. It also appeared that the meat
was lean, coarse, and boney, and worse than they have ever been issued in
his Majesty's service. A deception of this nature would be more severely
felt in this country, as its inhabitants had but lately experienced a
change from a very short ration of salt provisions; and every ounce lost
here was of importance, as the supply had been calculated on a
supposition of each cask containing its full weight.

It having been covenanted, as already mentioned, by Messrs. Lambert,
Ross, and Company, that only such part of the cargo as on its arrival
here should be found to be in a merchantable state should be paid for,
the following quantity, having been deemed merchantable by the persons
appointed to take the survey, was received into the store; viz

Tons Cwt Qrs lbs
Rice 190 3 2 3
Dholl 152 18 2 13
Peas 15 9 2 23
Soujee 57 3 0 4
Wheat 1